Grand Prix points

[Saundy]

Is it me or are the point values pushed up this year for the Senior events?

Last year (and the years before) 12 points were awarded for 1st place, then 9 points for 2nd, etc.

This year it's 15, 13, 11, etc. The junior grand prixs have always had the 15, 13, 11, etc. points system I do believe.

Why the switch I wonder?

[chuckm]

I think they made the switch because in the old system, the gold medal winner got an unfair 1-point advantage. Last year Elena Sokolova made the final after winning gold at Skate America then finishing 6th at TEB. She got a total of 15 points, which automatically got her in over Arakawa who had two bronzes and 14 points.

Under the new system, she would have only 20 points and would finish behind a silver and a 4th place (Rochette) and two bronze medals (Arakawa) with 22 points.

[Saundy]

Thank you!
I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me at first.
But that does make much more sense and it's only fair too.

[Mathman]

I think the reason for the one point bonus in the first place was to make it more like the original concept, where the winners of the six events would square off against each other. But then they needed a point system in case the same person won more than one event.