I was going to start this one a few weeks ago, after watching Skate America, but got really really busy....
It seems to me, that for the most part, Skate America is NOT a great competition, from the standpoint of the overall quality of skating. I'm not blaming the skaters for this; this is, after all the first GP of the season and I don't expect ANYONE to be brilliant in October. (Tho it does occasionally happen; still if someone skates too well in October I start to worry...) I've seen some pretty shaky Skate Canadas, too, for the same reason. To my mind, the amount of good performances seems to increase as the season progresses, for the most part.
I think the GP competitions should be rotated every season; every year, they've always basically been in the same order. How about starting off one season with the two European GP's (Bompard & C of RUS), then having the Asian leg (C of CHN and NHK), then ending with the two North American ones? Then the next year they can start with the Asian ones, then the North American ones, then the Europeans. I think this way the "early season skating" gets spread around a little bit more. Why should North America get the first leg every year?? Shouldn't a Skate America audience be treated once in a while to programs that a little more lived-in?
It seems to me, that for the most part, Skate America is NOT a great competition, from the standpoint of the overall quality of skating. I'm not blaming the skaters for this; this is, after all the first GP of the season and I don't expect ANYONE to be brilliant in October. (Tho it does occasionally happen; still if someone skates too well in October I start to worry...) I've seen some pretty shaky Skate Canadas, too, for the same reason. To my mind, the amount of good performances seems to increase as the season progresses, for the most part.
I think the GP competitions should be rotated every season; every year, they've always basically been in the same order. How about starting off one season with the two European GP's (Bompard & C of RUS), then having the Asian leg (C of CHN and NHK), then ending with the two North American ones? Then the next year they can start with the Asian ones, then the North American ones, then the Europeans. I think this way the "early season skating" gets spread around a little bit more. Why should North America get the first leg every year?? Shouldn't a Skate America audience be treated once in a while to programs that a little more lived-in?