Going to Sectionals?

Linny · Nov 2, 2005

Anyone ever been to a Sectionals? The Eastern Sectionals is very close to where I live. If I go, what can I expect? Bleacher seating but an up-close-view? Long waits between competitors? Some excellent skating, some not-so-excellent? Do they normally charge admission, and how much is the usual standard? Do they generally stick to the published schedule of events?

Linny

dr.frog · Nov 2, 2005

Yup, it's usually bleacher seating. Arrive early if you want to get a good seat. You might also want to bring a pad to sit on and/or a blanket, since it can get quite cold sitting there all day and evening. Admission might be $15 or $20 a day, or it might be free. They are using CoP at sectionals this year for the first time, so yes, I'd expect some long delays between skaters, and that events might run late.

Sectionals are usually my favorite event of the year. You get to see some very good elite skaters and a lot of promising up-and-comers (e.g., my first glimpse of Sarah Hughes was when she competed as a junior at sectionals), and the atmosphere is usually a lot more fan-friendly than the televised events in big arenas.

Sylvia · Nov 2, 2005

FYI, I've posted the projected rosters (still a work in progress) for the 3 U.S. Sectionals in this thread at FSU:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showpost.php?p=661545&postcount=1

Easterns event schedule (as of 10/18), November 16-19 in Bethelem, PA:
http://www.penguinfsc.com/PenguinPages/competition/EasternSectionalSchedule.htm

Midwesterns tentative event schedule, November 17-19 in Littleton, Colorado:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/coloradosc/Mids06/schedule.htm

Coasts tentative event schedule (as of 11/1), November 15-19 in Roseville, California:
http://www.geocities.com/icechips_2001/Coasts/Coasts_Schedule.htm

Sylvia · Nov 10, 2005

Linny said:
Anyone ever been to a Sectionals? The Eastern Sectionals is very close to where I live. If I go, what can I expect? Some excellent skating, some not-so-excellent?

Yes, on both counts. The stress of having to place among the top 4 in order to qualify for Nationals can produce some great skating and some not-so-great skating. It's fun to spot young talent coming up the ranks -- for example, Johnny Weir's skating really stood out for me at Easterns in November 2000 (he went on to place 6th in his first senior nationals in Boston and win the World Junior title a few months later). Sometimes you will see better performances from skaters at Sectionals than at Nationals, or vice-versa -- Jane Bugaeva landed 7 triples to win Easterns impressively last year but did not skate as well at Nationals in Portland, whereas Emily Hughes skated much better in Portland than when he she placed 2nd at Easterns. Anyway, I encourage skating fans to attend a Sectional Championship next week if they can.

I've compiled rosters for the 3 Sectionals in this thread at FSU:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showpost.php?p=661545&postcount=1

Easterns LOC site (awaiting final schedule to be published):
http://www.penguinfsc.com/PenguinPages/competition/EasternSectionals.htm
Easterns ticket info is published in the Easterns official announcement as follows:
Adults $10/day (at door) or $20 all-event;
Students/Seniors $6/day or $12 all-event;
Children under 6 Free.

Mids LOC site (with final event schedule and practice groups):
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/coloradosc/competition.html
Mids ticket info is published at:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/coloradosc/Mids06/Tickets.htm

Pacific Coasts LOC site (with event scehdule & practice groups):
http://www.geocities.com/icechips_2001/Coastinfo.htm
I have received ticket info from one of the Pacific Coasts co-chairs as follows:

The ticket cost is $15 per day, per person. They will be on sale each day beginning Wed. On Wed, you could buy tickets for Thurs, Fri, and Sat. Seating capacity is 250 and seating will be at a premium in the competition rink. There is no charge for Wed, either rink (two ice surfaces). The practice rink is free throughout the competition.

dlkksk8fan · Nov 10, 2005

If I were you I would definitly go to sectionals.
When sectionals were at my rink I went all three days (I think the cost was $35). It was fun to see the lesser know skaters and the more known skaters. I got to meet a lot of new people and had a chance to see a lot of famous skaters. (Jenni Meno, Joe Sabovcik, Frank Carroll, Karen Kwan, Peter Oppegard, Sergi Ponomarenko, etc). Frank Carroll even sat next to me and had us laughing.
It is bleacher seating, but if you claim a seating spot people usually are respectful and will not take your place. One good advise I can give you is dress WARM!

Joesitz (RIP) · Nov 10, 2005

All Sectionals are import for qualifying for the Nats. MidWestern Sectionals are the hottest because top tier skaters are involved for various reason and only so many can qualify for the Nats.

Whoever goest to Midwesterns, please let me know if Rohene made it through.

Joe

sk8rpatty · Nov 12, 2005

I will be going to Pac Coast in Roseville and will be there all 3 days!

I can't wait!

Sylvia · Nov 15, 2005

Starting orders for all events at Eastern Sectionals have been posted at:
http://www.penguinfsc.com/PenguinPages/competition/2006EasternSkatinOrder.htm

It will be interesting to see how quickly official results will be posted, starting on Thursday, on the USFS site and the results page on the host club's site at:
http://www.penguinfsc.com/PenguinPages/competition/EasternSectionals.htm
EXPECT DELAYS with the new judging system being used for the first time at all 3 Sectionals.

If anyone attends one of the Sectionals (I'll be at Mids), please share your impressions of the skating afterwards!

Joesitz (RIP) · Nov 15, 2005

Sylvia said:
FYI, I've posted the projected rosters (still a work in progress) for the 3 U.S. Sectionals in this thread at FSU:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showpost.php?p=661545&postcount=1

Easterns event schedule (as of 10/18), November 16-19 in Bethelem, PA:
http://www.penguinfsc.com/PenguinPages/competition/EasternSectionalSchedule.htm

Midwesterns tentative event schedule, November 17-19 in Littleton, Colorado:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/coloradosc/Mids06/schedule.htm

Coasts tentative event schedule (as of 11/1), November 15-19 in Roseville, California:
http://www.geocities.com/icechips_2001/Coasts/Coasts_Schedule.htm

Sylvia - While looking over the list of contestants in the first link above, I noticed that certain skaters: Oster, Taylor, Overett, Janhnke, Abbott, Ward, Louglin
are said to have byes yet they are listed to skate. What is the meaning Byes in this sense?

BTW, good for you to be going. It will be a great competition.

Joe

Sylvia · Nov 15, 2005

Joesitz said:
While looking over the list of contestants in the first link above, I noticed that certain skaters: Oster, Taylor, Overett, Janhnke, Abbott, Ward, Louglin
are said to have byes yet they are listed to skate. What is the meaning Byes in this sense?

Those skaters all had byes through their respective Regionals -- either due to having an international the week before (Oster/JGP in Japan) or traveling to one the week after (Jahnke/Cup of China), 4 or fewer skaters entered in their event (Abbott in SW, Ward and Loughlin in UGL) or being last year's Sectional champion (Overett, Taylor).

Joesitz (RIP) · Nov 15, 2005

But do they still have to skate in the Mid West sectional?

Joe

Sylvia · Nov 15, 2005

Joesitz said:
But do they still have to skate in the Mid West sectional?

Yes, they all do.

I've included all the known senior and junior level skaters with byes to Nationals in brackets (top 5 seniors at '05 Nationals, GP and JGP Final qualifiers, international competition byes for the GPs in France and Russia). Everyone else listed in my 3 Sectional rosters must compete and place (top 4) in one of the 3 Sectionals in order to qualify for Nationals in St. Louis. The fill-up rule may apply in Senior Dance and Junior Pairs (if there are fewer than 4 skaters/teams in any event, the 5th place skater or team from another Sectional could qualify, but we won't know for sure until all the final Sectional results are in).

Joesitz (RIP) · Nov 16, 2005

If the US is the only country with this huge set up for qualifying for the US Nationals, it must mean that there is a huge amount of kids in the US who enjoy
competitive figure skating.

Do other countries have this many skaters for such a huge set up?

Joe

Sylvia · Nov 16, 2005

Joesitz said:
Do other countries have this many skaters for such a huge set up?

Canada does, but don't ask me to explain it! That could be a separate thread in itself.

Midwestern Sectional starting orders:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/even...vents/200506/sectionals-mw/startingorders.htm

Pacific Coast Sectional starting orders:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/even...ents/200506/sectionals-pc/startingorders.html

See my post above for the link to the Easterns starting orders on the LOC site.

dr.frog · Nov 16, 2005

Sylvia said:
Canada does, but don't ask me to explain it!

Well, I'll take a stab at explaining the Canadian system. They have 13 sectional competitions which correspond to the US regional qualifying events, with the same levels except that "intermediate" in the US is called "pre-novice" in Canada. Senior skaters go directly from sectionals to nationals, where they have to go through a qualifying round like at Worlds. Junior, novice, and pre-novice skaters go through a second level of qualifying competitions, the Eastern and Western Challenge competitions. Junior skaters go from there to big nationals with the seniors, while the novices, pre-novices, and juveniles compete at "junior nationals".

JOHIO2 · Nov 16, 2005

Thanks for the links Sylvia. I needed to be reminded about the comps. Waiting to see how Naomi Nari Nam and her partner do. Also, some names that have been hyped or not as upcomers - like Danielle Kahle.

Joesitz (RIP) · Nov 16, 2005

Just for info:

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_3220672?rss

I'd love to get this forum into figure skating and not just Kwan/Cohen/Slutskaya.

joe

waxel · Nov 17, 2005

Mens competition at Mids is going to be a bloodbath. With Ryan Bradley, Rohene Ward, Ryan Jahnke, Parker Pennington, Braden Overett and Jordan Brauninger all skating... and only four slots... who's not going to Nats???

CDMM1991 · Nov 17, 2005

waxel said:
Mens competition at Mids is going to be a bloodbath. With Ryan Bradley, Rohene Ward, Ryan Jahnke, Parker Pennington, Braden Overett and Jordan Brauninger all skating... and only four slots... who's not going to Nats???

Pennington and Overett won't go.

Joesitz (RIP) · Nov 17, 2005

Isn't Brauniger out with injury. I'm not sure but someone is.

Joe

Going to Sectionals?

Linny

dr.frog

Sylvia

Sylvia

dlkksk8fan

Joesitz (RIP)

sk8rpatty

Sylvia

Joesitz (RIP)

Sylvia

Joesitz (RIP)

Sylvia

Joesitz (RIP)

Sylvia

dr.frog

JOHIO2

Joesitz (RIP)

waxel

CDMM1991

Joesitz (RIP)

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