2010 Grand Prix Assignments

Mathman · Jun 1, 2010

For international competitions I am pretty sure that the only qualification is age (13-19, except that male pairs skaters and ice dancers can be 21 if their partners are 19 or under.) Each ISU federation has the right to send one skater to the junior world championship, and extra slots can be earned just like in seniors.

A small federation may not have anyone to send, but they have to right to send someone with no skills at all if they want to, just for the experience. Conversely, a federation can (and often does) send their 18-year-old senior champion to junior worlds.

Strangely, in the US it seems to be the exact opposite. Skaters must demonstrate junior level skills by testing. But there is no age limit. Occasionally there are skaters in their twenties competing in novices, especially in pairs.

PolymerBob · Jun 1, 2010

Mathman said:
Occasionally there are skaters in their twenties competing in novices, especially in pairs.

Nationals is interesting. We often see "novice men" with facial hair.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jun 1, 2010

Mathman said:
For international competitions I am pretty sure that the only qualification is age (13-19, except that male pairs skaters and ice dancers can be 21 if their partners are 19 or under.) Each ISU federation has the right to send one skater to the junior world championship, and extra slots can be earned just like in seniors.

A small federation may not have anyone to send, but they have to right to send someone with no skills at all if they want to, just for the experience. Conversely, a federation can (and often does) send their 18-year-old senior champion to junior worlds.

Strangely, in the US it seems to be the exact opposite. Skaters must demonstrate junior level skills by testing. But there is no age limit. Occasionally there are skaters in their twenties competing in novices, especially in pairs.

Finally, someone who can speak of the eligibility of the Junior Division. thanks MM.

So American skaters must have passed a test to be eligible for Juniors, and be of the ISU designated age for international competitions. All other Federations can send skaters just based on AGE with no othe requirement. Sobeit.

Sylvia · Jun 1, 2010

The ISU Council is proposing the following rule change in the ISU Junior age limits (as published in the 2010 ISU Congress Agenda document) -- the underlined ages are the proposed changes:

i) A Junior is a Skater who has reached the age of thirteen (13) but not the age of eighteen (18) before the July 1st immediately preceding the relevant event/competition.
ii) In ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships and ISU Synchronized World Challenge Cup for Juniors, only Junior Skaters may compete who have reached the age of fourteen (14) but not the age of eighteen (18) before the July 1st immediately preceding the relevant event/competition.

If the proposal passes, these new maximum ages would apply to all male pair skaters and dancers in ISU Junior events starting in the 2011-12 season. In short, the ISU wants to cut one year from the current maximum age limit for the singles skaters and female pair skaters/dancers, and three years from the current maximum age limit for male pair skaters/dancers.

ETA: The current ISU maximum age limit rule states that Junior male pairs skaters and ice dancers can be 21 only if their birthdate is July 1st or later.

mskater93 · Jun 2, 2010

Joesitz said:
Finally, someone who can speak of the eligibility of the Junior Division. thanks MM.

So American skaters must have passed a test to be eligible for Juniors, and be of the ISU designated age for international competitions. All other Federations can send skaters just based on AGE with no othe requirement. Sobeit.

This is not necessarily true of American skaters as there are many who have passed Senior FS/Pairs tests who compete INTERNATIONALLY as Juniors. The selection is made by USFS based upon results at Senior and Junior levels at Nationals and Sectionals along with previous results of the skater internationally (if they have any) along with age.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jun 2, 2010

mskater93 said:
This is not necessarily true of American skaters as there are many who have passed Senior FS/Pairs tests who compete INTERNATIONALLY as Juniors. The selection is made by USFS based upon results at Senior and Junior levels at Nationals and Sectionals along with previous results of the skater internationally (if they have any) along with age.

mskater93. Don't quite get what you are saying. I'm not interested in Senior Tests, and I can't believe a skater must take a senior test to qualify as a Junior Skater. Maybe there is no Junior Test. All I am interested in is how does one become a Junior Skater? You seem to be saying that they qualify as a Junior skater because they did well(?) at Senior Nats or Senior Sectionals, and would qualify to skate internationally because of age. I presume, therefore, they can opt to skate US Nats as senior after completing Novice, and become eligible to skate Junior GPs if they meet the age requirements. Is that correct?

If it is correct, then must they place at a US Novice championship?

Sorry to be a pest, but it is a strange level of skating, at least for me.

Sylvia · Jun 2, 2010

Skating at the Junior level in the U.S. Figure Skating qualifying system (Regionals, Sectionals, Nationals) involves passing the Junior Moves in the Field and FS tests. There are no mimimum or maximum age limits at the Novice, Junior or Senior levels in the USFS system.

Skating at the Junior level internationally (such as on the Junior Grand Prix) is based on meeting the ISU's current age criteria AND the U.S. skaters/teams have to be selected by USFS' International Commitee, usually based on most recent National and international (if applicable) results.

Sylvia · Jun 2, 2010

June 11-12 are the dates I've heard for the Grand Prix selection meeting in Barcelona, right before the ISU Congress there.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jun 2, 2010

Sylvia said:
Skating at the Junior level in the U.S. Figure Skating qualifying system (Regionals, Sectionals, Nationals) involves passing the Junior Moves in the Field and FS tests. There are no mimimum or maximum age limits at the Novice, Junior or Senior levels in the USFS system.

Skating at the Junior level internationally (such as on the Junior Grand Prix) is based on meeting the ISU's current age criteria AND the U.S. skaters/teams have to be selected by USFS' International Commitee, usually based on most recent National and international (if applicable) results.

Ahhh, there are a couple of tests that a skater must pass to qualify as a Junior in the US system. I presume once they qualify as a Junior skater, they are eligible for JPGs if their age is within the limits of the ISU, but they must be selected by the USFS.

That clears it up for me and Thank You Sylvia.

mskater93 · Jun 2, 2010

Joesitz said:
Ahhh, there are a couple of tests that a skater must pass to qualify as a Junior in the US system. I presume once they qualify as a Junior skater, they are eligible for JPGs if their age is within the limits of the ISU, but they must be selected by the USFS.

That clears it up for me and Thank You Sylvia.

That is at the National Level (in the same way you must pass Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice or Senior to compete in the National qualifying structure for that level). They are eligible for JGP events even if they were Novices OR Seniors at the preceeding Nationals if the skater/team meets the age criteria AND is selected by the International Committee. Just because you have passed your Senior tests and competed at Nationals as a Senior doesn't mean the International Committee won't select you to compete as a Junior in the JGP and/or Junior Worlds. Angela Maxwell and Ashley Wagner are prime examples of that (as an extreme example, Ashley went to Senior Worlds one season and the next to Junior Worlds all the while competing in the US as a Senior). The International Committee is charged with choosing the skaters who will most likely have good results for the events. That is why there is also summer monitoring.

samba · Jun 3, 2010

Sylvia said:
June 11-12 are the dates I've heard for the Grand Prix selection meeting in Barcelona, right before the ISU Congress there.

Does the ISU select skaters/team for each event in that meeting according to their rank, or the members send in their skater names at thier choices; e.g. US send in names of their skaters that they would like to compete at certain GP events? Certain countries have quota for each discipline according to their placements at previous Worlds??

Sylvia · Jun 3, 2010

samba said:
Does the ISU select skaters/team for each event in that meeting according to their rank, or the members send in their skater names at thier choices; e.g. US send in names of their skaters that they would like to compete at certain GP events? Certain countries have quota for each discipline according to their placements at previous Worlds??

I believe the GP event preferences of the seeded skaters can be made known to the 6 host federation representatives at the selection meeting, but there is no guarantee they will get everything they want.

Posted earlier in this thread:
oleada's overview of how the GP selection works: http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ix-Assignments&p=486284&viewfull=1#post486284
Also:

SUN said:
From what I have heard, the current status is the following.

All national Fedrations whose skaters qualified for guaranteed events (1 or 2) are requested to iform the ISU about: 1) who of their qualified skaters will compete in the SGP next season and who will not compete (retired, split, misses the season, etc) and 2) who will stay in Juniors and who will move to seniors.

The Federations are supposed to send this information to the ISU by mid May. After that the lists will be cleaned and will include only those who will compete in SGP (now the lists include everybody who qualified e.g. belbin/Agosto, Domnina/Shabalin, etc but it's the responsibility of the National Federation to officially announce who retired, split, etc).

Joesitz (RIP) · Jun 4, 2010

My original question was How does a skater reach the Junior Level? I never asked about the Age requirement in the ISU. I knew that!

I do not understand why you keep bringing up the requirements for competitions? I know that too. However, it may be useful for fans who do not know that. :sheesh:

dorispulaski · Jun 4, 2010

Joe, There are a series of tests that you have to pass to qualify in the US.

http://www.usfsa.org/Clubs.asp?id=353

For singles skaters, there are moves in the field tests and free skating tests.

In dance, there are compulsory dance tests and free dance tests.

In pairs, there are pairs tests.

http://figureskating.about.com/od/competitionsandtests/p/tests.htm

Test and Competition Levels:
Figure skating tests begin at the Pre-Preliminary level and end with the Senior level tests. In order to compete at a certain level, skaters must pass the test that is at the level the skater wishes to compete at. For example, in order to compete in Intermediate Pairs, skaters must pass the Intermediate Moves in the Field and Intermediate Pairs tests.
Levels:

•Pre-Preliminary
•Preliminary
•Pre-Juvenile
•Juvenile
•Intermediate
•Novice
•Junior
•Senior
Once a skater passes a test for a specific level, he or she cannot compete below that level. Test requirements are usually easier than what is required for competition.

To be at junior level, you must have passed all the tests for junior (and of course, all the tests for the previous levels).

Sylvia · Jun 4, 2010

Joesitz said:
My original question was How does a skater reach the Junior Level? I never asked about the Age requirement in the ISU. I knew that!

I think it was confusing because you asked your question in a thread about ISU Senior Grand Prix international assignments.

Thanks for your detailed response with links, doris!

Back on topic...

samba said:
Certain countries have quota for each discipline according to their placements at previous Worlds??

As long as the skater/team is in the top 75 ISU Season Best scores list, they are eligible to be selected for a GP in the selection meeting or as an alternate later (not counting the host countries' host picks here). The maximum number of entries allowed for each discipline per country is 18 (3 per GP event) and the US ladies reached that number last season at the selection meeting (before the eventual injury withdrawals of Meissner and Cohen).

silver.blades · Jun 4, 2010

Slightly off topic, but are the only test available in the States those to complete? Or is there also a testing stream for those who are not interested in competing at a high level?

Sylvia · Jun 4, 2010

silver.blades said:
Slightly off topic, but are the only test available in the States those to complete? Or is there also a testing stream for those who are not interested in competing at a high level?

There isn't a separate testing stream like in Canada. However, USFS did introduce fairly recently the new "Test Track" for non-qualifying competitions (6.0 judging is used): http://www.usfsa.org/Programs.asp?id=79

The test track is a new event for all nonqualifying competitions that limits the difficulty of skating elements performed in each level. The test track will line up the test structure requirements with the competition levels, giving skaters a fair playing field to continue competing and testing according to their abilities.

mskater93 · Jun 4, 2010

silver.blades said:
Slightly off topic, but are the only test available in the States those to complete? Or is there also a testing stream for those who are not interested in competing at a high level?

You can "test out" if you are not interested in competing. It's common for teens who want a goal and a reason to stay in the sport but cannot be competitive at a level for their age in the US (for example, Intermediates have an age limit and it's common for the skaters making Junior Nationals (Juvenile and Intermediate Nationals) in Intermediate to have between 1 and 3 triple jumps). To pass your Senior FS, the hardest jump you MUST land is a 2Lz, so it's acheivable for many skaters who stick with the sport but find themselves no longer competitive because they couldn't get a 2A + or because they lost jumps as they matured and were unable to regain them. This has been the argument with keeping the requirements of the Senior FS test what they are versus asking for a 2A or triples - because less than 1% of all skaters who start actually achieve their Senior FS test.

mskater93 · Jun 4, 2010

Joesitz said:
My original question was How does a skater reach the Junior Level? I never asked about the Age requirement in the ISU. I knew that!

I do not understand why you keep bringing up the requirements for competitions? I know that too. However, it may be useful for fans who do not know that. :sheesh:

Because this topic is ISU GP Assignments so I am attempting to tie your question to the thread. Not everyone here is in the US, so to say that testing is required to skate Junior is not necessarily true for this topic, it only applies to US Nationals since people who were previously competing Nationally in the US as Novices can be sent to JGP events and could even potentially skate at US Nationals as a Novice again if they do not test (this is a very unlikely scenario, however)

gkelly · Jun 4, 2010

mskater93 said:
it only applies to US Nationals since people who were previously competing Nationally in the US as Novices can be sent to JGP events and could even potentially skate at US Nationals as a Novice again if they do not test (this is a very unlikely scenario, however)

I can think of a couple of cases in which this has happened -- in pairs and dance when there were so few teams who were age eligible for the JGP the following fall and who didn't break up that it was necessary to go to teams who had placed lower than 5th in novice at Nationals in order to fill the JGP spots. But those teams might want to stay at a level where they'd still be competitive within the US, since the US fields are often deeper than the JGP fields.

With singles, there are plenty of age-eligible competitors in the junior and senior ranks at Nationals that sometimes none of the top novices end up getting assigned to the JGP. With singles there isn't the problem of teams breaking up either.

2010 Grand Prix Assignments

Mathman

PolymerBob

Joesitz (RIP)

Sylvia

mskater93

Joesitz (RIP)

Sylvia

Sylvia

Joesitz (RIP)

mskater93

samba

Sylvia

Joesitz (RIP)

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

Sylvia

silver.blades

Sylvia

mskater93

mskater93

gkelly

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