World Team Trophy: Final Thoughts

**jjane45** · 04-21-2009, 04:51 PM

I absolutely LOVED the event, particularly the team spirit throughout kiss and cry.

I have perceived figure skating as a lonely sport just like gymnastics, hence the team at WTT feel is especially precious.
If properly marketed, the national pride factor also could attract audience outside of die hard figure skating fans.
I agree it was not the most impartial scoring system, however it could potentially challenge youngsters in each nation to look at disciplines that are not the strongest in their home country.
Well done Evan, well done Caroline, well done team USA!!

**Dipyramidal** · 04-21-2009, 06:57 PM

I like it =). I want 2 teams from dance and pairs next time though.

**Hsuhs** · 04-21-2009, 10:38 PM

I too loved the trophy! Its team spirit and all

As for the article and Scott Moir's words,

"We may have been second here but we all know Canada is the best skating country in the world," said Moir.

I've stopped reading his and Tessa's interviews a while ago, b/c I really love their skating. And, unlike Scott, I didn't care who placed what this time.

"We weren't exactly forced to participate," said Moir. "But the ISU told us if we didn't come, we wouldn't be allowed to do anything else for the rest of the year, including shows. And, of course, there's always national pride at stake. We came here to win."

Well, I'm glad Scott didn't feel he was forced to participate, since to me he's the best male ice dancer in the world, and it was a treat to get to watch his and Tessa's FD one more time this season.

**steyn** · 04-22-2009, 04:03 AM

Originally Posted by Mathman

Indeed. I thought that was very interesting, too.

However, my first thought was that they must have had continuing negotiations among the financial players -- the ISU, the Japanese Skating Federation, the Japanese television networks, and the corporate sponsors which ultimately paid the bills. Maybe the plan was still on shaky footing -- or in any case, the pricipals were arguing about the details of who pays what to whom -- right up to the last minute.

This makes sense. So for the successful operation of WTT, ISU needs to secure the budget in advance like other competitions. This will also be closely related to the issue of the host country. I would call it a success if WTT is able to be held somewhere outside Japan someday.

Still there is one fundamental problem which bothers me a bit as other guys pointed out. Namely, it is anti-climatic in nature. If WTT gets more and more authority, skaters have to pay more attention to it and they should not be fully exhausted after Worlds. This may affect their performance at Worlds. One possible solution may be they change the order of WTT and Worlds.

If these are all sorted out, who can dislike this event as a figure skating fan?

**Buttercup** · 04-22-2009, 04:27 AM

Originally Posted by Hsuhs

As for the article and Scott Moir's words,

"We may have been second here but we all know Canada is the best skating country in the world," said Moir.

I've stopped reading his and Tessa's interviews a while ago, b/c I really love their skating. And, unlike Scott, I didn't care who placed what this time.

I also think Scott and Tessa are wonderful skaters and was happy to see them take some risks this year. This statement, however... um, no. I suppose as team captain he felt compelled, especially with Vancouver Olys coming up, but really, did the Americans do anything unexpected at WTT that knocked Canada off the top of the podium? I don't think so. The results were mostly in line with what the US skaters and the Canadians had accomplished this season.

Canada has great skaters in all the disciplines, but what WTT showed is something that's obvious from the results at previous events, too - that Canada doesn't have the depth the US has. Other than pairs, the Americans have better #2-3 skaters in every discipline - Johnny/Brandon/Jeremy vs. Vaughn and Jeremy Ten, Davis/White and Samuelson/Bates vs. C/P and Weaver/Poje, whoever the 2-3 American ladies are vs. Cynthia Phaneuf and I'm not sure who else. Canada failed to qualify three skaters for next season in all four disciplines.

IIRC, after Worlds, someone from Skate Canada said that not qualifying three men, for instance, was no big deal because the third guy wouldn't have done that well in Vancouver anyway, and Patrick's result was really all that mattered. Even if that's just for PR, what kind of message does that send? And, of course, the third American guy won Worlds

.

**skatingbc** · 04-22-2009, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by Buttercup

I also think Scott and Tessa are wonderful skaters and was happy to see them take some risks this year. This statement, however... um, no. I suppose as team captain he felt compelled, especially with Vancouver Olys coming up, but really, did the Americans do anything unexpected at WTT that knocked Canada off the top of the podium? I don't think so. The results were mostly in line with what the US skaters and the Canadians had accomplished this season.

Canada has great skaters in all the disciplines, but what WTT showed is something that's obvious from the results at previous events, too - that Canada doesn't have the depth the US has. Other than pairs, the Americans have better #2-3 skaters in every discipline - Johnny/Brandon/Jeremy vs. Vaughn and Jeremy Ten, Davis/White and Samuelson/Bates vs. C/P and Weaver/Poje, whoever the 2-3 American ladies are vs. Cynthia Phaneuf and I'm not sure who else. Canada failed to qualify three skaters for next season in all four disciplines.

IIRC, after Worlds, someone from Skate Canada said that not qualifying three men, for instance, was no big deal because the third guy wouldn't have done that well in Vancouver anyway, and Patrick's result was really all that mattered. Even if that's just for PR, what kind of message does that send? And, of course, the third American guy won Worlds

.

Scot could be talking in general terms. Over all, figure skating is huge in Canada. Almost 25% of our population is involved in figure skating. Skate Canada is the largest national sport governing body in the world. Our Worlds results weren't too shabby either. Canada did win the most medals at Worlds, remember. If you look further than the elite level, I think Canada does have the best figure skating program in the world.

**Buttercup** · 04-22-2009, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by skatingbc

Scot could be talking in general terms. Over all, figure skating is huge in Canada. Almost 25% of our population is involved in figure skating. Skate Canada is the largest national sport governing body in the world. Our Worlds results weren't too shabby either. Canada did win the most medals at Worlds, remember. If you look further than the elite level, I think Canada does have the best figure skating program in the world.

In terms of participation and involvement, you're probably right. I doubt this is what Scott was referring to, but I can give him the benefit of the doubt

. Re Worlds, I realize Canadian skaters won three medals, my point was that past the top person/team in each discipline there's not a lot of depth at the elite level, except maybe pairs. Obviously the top people are very, very good - but that's also true for the US, and maybe if Caroline has been there, or D/W a bit luckier, they too would have had three medals. It's hard to say, and I'm not a huge fan of the American skaters so that is as far as I can take my argument here

.

I wish 25% of the local population could get involved in skating. Maybe they'd finally build a rink near where I live

.

**Joesitz** · 04-22-2009, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by steyn

.

Still there is one fundamental problem which bothers me a bit as other guys pointed out. Namely, it is anti-climatic in nature. If WTT gets more and more authority, skaters have to pay more attention to it and they should not be fully exhausted after Worlds. This may affect their performance at Worlds. One possible solution may be they change the order of WTT and Worlds.

If these are all sorted out, who can dislike this event as a figure skating fan?

yes, have Worlds after this WTT. The weather alone would be a welcome.

Aside from all its merits, there is the problem of unrepresentative skaters who, unfortunately have no team to be a part of. This would be a disadvantage for them not to squeeze in another comp before Worlds.

**sillylionlove** · 04-22-2009, 09:23 AM

I have no opinion since I didn't see any of it and if it does continue I probably won't see any of it.

**PolymerBob** · 04-22-2009, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by Joesitz

Aside from all its merits, there is the problem of unrepresentative skaters who, unfortunately have no team to be a part of. This would be a disadvantage for them not to squeeze in another comp before Worlds.

Yes, the Germans and South Koreans each won a gold in Los Angeles. Yet they would have done poorly here. That is simply because they don’t have a team. Maybe that is the whole point of the exercise, to encourage these federations to have well rounded teams.

For all our doom and gloom, we Americans really kicked some butt. That’s simply because we have an actual team.

Who wants to see a team event at the Olympics?

**Mathman** · 04-22-2009, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by PolymerBob

Who wants to see a team event at the Olympics?

Actually, the Olympics is a team event. All the individual athletes do their thing, then you put all the medals in a pile and the winner of the Olympic games is the country with the biggest pile.

**steyn** · 04-22-2009, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Mathman

Actually, the Olympics is a team event. All the individual athletes do their thing, then you put all the medals in a pile and the winner of the Olympic games is the country with the biggest pile.

Not really. There is no official ranking in the Olympic games. IOC doesn't count the number of medals of each country. All the medal statistics are unofficial. I heard that this is because it is against the Olympic spirit. Even the counting method is different from country to country. Some count the number of gold medals first, then silvers and then bronze but others count the total number of medals.

**dorispulaski** · 04-22-2009, 01:07 PM

I'd love to see skating run at the Olympics more as gymnastics is handled-starting with a team competition at which competitors qualify for the final. This would solve the CD problem for ice dance, because the CD could be used for the team competition. The team competition would qualify individuals into the event finals.

**viv** · 04-22-2009, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Mathman

Actually, the Olympics is a team event. All the individual athletes do their thing, then you put all the medals in a pile and the winner of the Olympic games is the country with the biggest pile.

I think you are wrong here. The nations scoring is not part of the Olympic scoring, though it is done by the media ever and again. This was pointed out by German TV during the Olympic games in Beijing.