ISU Where Will Worlds BE (formerly) JAPAN QUAKE FOR WORLDS | Page 3 | Golden Skate

ISU Where Will Worlds BE (formerly) JAPAN QUAKE FOR WORLDS

jan

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 21, 2004
I cannot see them delaying it for a month. A more realistic possibility would be to change the venue. I am not sure if this can be done.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think of this as a definite wait and see.

As others have mentioned, aftershocks will be bigger than some primary earthquakes. The tremors can be felt miles away. A friend of mine was in Tokyo and felt the shaking. While the building codes are quite stringent, each additional strong shake is a threat to the weakened infrastructure.

Although the odds of an outright nuclear disaster is likely low, we really don't know if another nasty aftershock will set back efforts to shutdown the reactors and/or install the cooling systems that have been knocked out.

Logistically, a delay would be pretty hard on everyone. The athletes have been training to peak now. The extended training time will hurt some and help others. It's a big mental shift. Also, all the travel plans and schedules would need to be modified, as well as plans for any show committments. Even moving to a different location would be logistically complicated.

However, the most important matter should be the safety of the skaters, coaches, other personel and their families. THe stress of competition is enough. They shouldn't have to worry about the increased physical dangers and risks.

Sure a disaster can occur anywhere at anytime, but Japan is in a higher danger period now than normal [for them].
 

genki

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Here's live streaming of NHK news in English.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv

People seem to be frantically working to stop the meltdown.

I feel so sorry for the skaters who have worked so hard to prepare for this event. And my heart goes out for foreign skaters who are already in Japan. They must have the most scary experience of their life.

I am just praying for tunami victims on the northern pacific coasts. About 300 miles of the entire coasts and cites were attacked by tunami again and again.
10000 people were missing in one city. In some area, 5000 houses under water. 200,000 evacuated, but there is lack of food, water and blanket.It is so hard to assess the damage at this point, but it will surely increase.This is the catastrophe of the unbelievable proportion.

The topic of figure skating seems to be a little inappropriate in this type of tragedy.
However, if worlds is put off a few month and held in the safe environment, it may provide pleasant distraction for Japanese people.
 

babayaga

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Thank you for the NHK link! I was watching CNN and they are getting on my nerves. It seems that they prefer to sound sensational rather than reasonable and objective, especially while discussing the problems at the nuclear plants.
I feel so so sorry for Japan and its people, the earthquake, tsunami, explosion at the nuclear station, its just too much and its not even over yet.
And I really couldn't care less about the world championship at this point, this is probably the most unimportant thing right now, whatever ISU decides I'll accept.
It would be nice however if the conditions will be satisfactory to still hold it in Japan, even with a delay. I agree it will be good for the local people to help them move on.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Yep. I want to see more skating, but I have to physically stop myself from crying when I see those images.

I know what you mean, Pogue and Seniorita. It's so heartbreaking to see what's happened, and the thought that more aftershocks could come just adds to the distress. It would be great to see a skating event take the Japanese people's minds off their tragedy, but it might not be feasible right now, at least not in Tokyo. I have to say that if the Championships do go on, my heart will be in my mouth the whole time.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Thank you to both genki, for the NHK English feed, and to sorcerer, for the Aichi news.

American media are getting strongly on my nerves, too.
 

trains

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2004
New ISU Statement March 13th:

The ISU sympathizes deeply with the Japanese people in this monstrous natural disaster and extends its wishes of support and comfort to all those affected. Since the beginning of this crisis the ISU is monitoring the situation closely in cooperation with the Japan Skating Federation (JSF) who in turn is in contact with the competent and concerned Japanese authorities. The ISU has noted the JSF’s initial input regarding the situation in Tokyo and respected their initial desire to maintain the Championships as planned. However, the recent developments since Saturday, in particular the developments in the Fukushima nuclear plant are very worrisome and also resulted in travel advisories from many countries to avoid travelling to Japan until the situation is settled. The ISU continues to monitor the situation in cooperation with the JSF and the Japanese authorities in order to come to a conclusion as to maintaining or cancelling the Championships in Tokyo scheduled for next week. While the ISU is awaiting thedeclaration of the competent Japanese authorities that should be forthcoming shortly, the ISU will release a further statement as soon as possible but latest in the morning of Monday, March 14, 2011 (European time).
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
The ISU sympathizes deeply with the Japanese people in this monstrous natural disaster and extends its wishes of support and comfort to all those affected. Since the beginning of this crisis the ISU is monitoring the situation closely in cooperation with the Japan Skating Federation (JSF) who in turn is in contact with the competent and concerned Japanese authorities. The ISU has noted the JSF’s initial input regarding the situation in Tokyo and respected their initial desire to maintain the Championships as planned. However, the recent developments since Saturday, in particular the developments in the Fukushima nuclear plant are very worrisome and also resulted in travel advisories from many countries to avoid travelling to Japan until the situation is settled. The ISU continues to monitor the situation in cooperation with the JSF and the Japanese authorities in order to come to a conclusion as to maintaining or cancelling the Championships in Tokyo scheduled for next week. While the ISU is awaiting thedeclaration of the competent Japanese authorities that should be forthcoming shortly, the ISU will release a further statement as soon as possible but latest in the morning of Monday, March 14, 2011 (European time).

Where was this posted?
 

lisou

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
If they cancel, won't there be any WC this year or will they just organize it somewhere else ASAP ?
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
If they cancel, won't there be any WC this year or will they just organize it somewhere else ASAP ?

If I would know, I would tell you, this is a rhetoric question, most likely nobody here on this forum is able to respond to. And I personally have no interest in assuming or presuimg, so I will let things unfold as they may.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
I don't see how they could get another country to host Worlds in such a short time but i hope they do.
 

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
On Saturday, the ISU president said the safety of nuclear power plants is the biggest concern. The situation can't be considered "safe" yet, but it hasn't gotten worse. The explosion of a plant facility caused some radioactive release but it was contained locally and poses no health threats now. Aftershocks can happen in anytime. Probably not so worrying as long as Tsunamis are closely monitored. The new problem is the electricity shortage. Tokyo Electric Power Co. announced to execute planned selective outage in Kanto region staring from Monday morning. There is a difficulty to distribute large amounts of electricity from the western Japan due to the frequency difference. This might seriously affect a huge electricity consuming event like WC. I'm guessing the best scenario is to postpone a few weeks and move the venue to western Japan (e.g. Osaka). The nation and media will take a little more time to settle down.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Scott Russell just interviewed Skate Canada's Michael Slipchuk on CBC. I missed the beginning but Slipchuk basically said Skate Canada is waiting for ISU's decision and will do whatever is asked to help the situation in response to question about possibilities of postponement and relocation, mentioning Vancouver as one of the possible alternative sites. Tessa and Scott are in fine form, having run through both programs in simulated competition with judges last week. So is Patrick and they are all ready if the event goes ahead.

editing to clarify that it was Russell who brought up a list of alternate cities, not Slipchuk volunteering any information.
 
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genki

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
They are dealing with 3 reactors and the situation is dire.(In case of 3 miles island melt down, it was only one reactor.)
ABC said they most likely to melt down in a few days. Tokyo is only 70 miles away from those plants. My heart is aching. Although I found myself lucky to be able to find out that my family in Japan is ok, I just suggested to them that they may stay with me in US for a while.(If they can get out.)

One more thing is that the possibility of M7 aftershock happening in three days is 70 %. My friends in Japan experienced so many after shocks that they said they got used to them.(Some of them were as big as 6.5)

This is the time to pray for Japan, not worlds.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
It is always the radiation that's my concern. Tokyo can cope well with earthquakes as it has been doing for a few days now. As bad as the consequences of the earthquake + tsumani are, the casualities is a very small percentage of the population affected. In case of a nuclear meltdown, almost 100% of the people in the area will be adversely affected, possibly very severely and for a long time. Iodine is far from enough protection.

Prayers are needed indeed. And maybe evacuations as well. I pray and hope for the best and if not, that the authorities will act responsibly, intelligently and swiftly.

Sending good thoughts and white lights to Japan.
 
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