It's very sad that our Sunday afternoon senior skate offs turned into a clownish fiasco. Some fans loved them, but the public tuned into see competitive skating and the public disappeared as did any hope of revising a Senior (age) Competition. Maybe Midori can bring back this type of competition which does well in other sports. It doesn't have to be in the United States.
The competition Midori is competing in this week is already very popular among the world wide adult skating community and is quickly approaching it's 10th anniversary. Those of us who participate in competitive skating over the age of 21 (who are not elites) really don't care if this competition revives the popularity for audiences. We do it for ourselves and we pay our entry fees which typically cover the cost for the organizers + a little profit. US Adult Nationals is probably the single most populous competition in the world with 400-700 skaters annually and almost 1000 starts (many skaters do multiple events).Originally Posted by Joesitz
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Maybe over 21 but over 40? I can understand Ice Dance over 40 but not much else.
What we need is a competive competion for Skaters who left the competition world but still manage to skate I'd love to see the Stars on Ice celebs to compete with so many others who we don't even mention, but no clowning, please.
Ummm you'd be surprised, Joe. At my rink, there is a woman who is 58. She started ten years ago, and was the Adult Gold Div IV national champion last year. She's amazing! She can do her doubles up to the toe loop. She is also flexible enough to do a fast, centered haircutter spin.
Also, adult competitions don't just have the regular singles/pairs events where you see jumps. There are interpretive and artistic competitions, where there are no jumps allowed. Just interpretation of music and moves =)
Well, good for her. I'm not looking for exceptions, but honest to goodness past competitive skaters who at one time either medal or who had almost medaled. Blue Dog, there is nothing wrong with Adult competitions. They have their place in the scheme of things. Retired Competitive Skaters should have an annual venue for Sport as those senior golf players have. Just my thoughts.
The competition Ito is competing is IS an Adult competition. It was developed by two former Chairs of the US Figure Skating Adult Committee, Barb Standke of France, who started the Mountain Cup competition and another adult skater who is from Germany.
You'd be surprised - the one lady who withdrew from the ISU event that was going to be in Ito's group is 47 and lands a consistent double Axel. She's been on the podium in Masters Ladies every year at Adult Nationals and I think she's won at least once. She used to be competitive in Canada growing up.
The largest groups of adult skaters in the US are in the 41-50 age class category followed by the 31-40 group.
There are a lot of former Regional and Sectional level competitors who are in the adult figure skating ranks now. Also, Craig Joeright was competing up until this year and won the Championship Pairs event 3 times with an actual adult start skater. Loyd Eisler was working on a comeback to skate Championship Pairs as well before he tore his rotator cuff.
Blue Dog, I think we may know each other as the skater you are talking about in Gold 4 happens to be a friend of mine.
They had those competitions - and while some skaters clowned around (including Kurt's "Raggy" number which was technically brilliant while wearing a red nose) - most took it extremely serious. Then the ISU jumped in and turned them into Pro-Ams and it killed off the "pro" competition sports... Dick Button selling out the World Pros broke the camel's back on that one. It had nothing to do with what types of programs were done. (I think the US gave up on them when Michelle Kwan lost to Josee Chouinard at the Pro-Am Skate Canada event... just a theory on that one. When a has been - and an almost unknown to the average viewer - beats out the goddess of all skating... well...)
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I'm talking about Did it make Money? Were the viewers interested in the frolicking comps? They did leave, and no sponsors, so did the networks. No? Some fans have to realize that figure skaters have limited celebrity status. But hold on Toni. Sylvia has posted a new thread for a return of exciting and innovative competitions.
Why are you continuing with something we all know? I acknowledged that way before and being that she is a past well known skater, I suggested her presence may create a stir for establishing a Retired Senior competition without clowning.
You really have to read posts more carefully before you interject such nonsense. We know you are well read in skating circles but so are many others.
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There is no need to be so condescending toward other posters. I seem to recall you yourself saying recently that you did not have time to read every post in a thread, Joesitz, and the same is true for many of us. Nothing in mskater's post merits such an intemperate response. Even if she or he had said something offensive, it only makes matters worse to reply in such an ad hominem way.
Does anyone know if any of the Russian girls Radionova, Lipnitskaya or Medvedeva will be age eligible for JGP etc this season? I know how old they are but I dont remember at all the age eligibility for juniors.
What year was this and how well did Chouinard skate as opposed to Kwan? Any YouTube clips?
Can we talk about skaters from the past in a separate thread perhaps?
Here's the link: http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sho...n-s-brainchild)
Back on topic:
The minimum age for the 2011-12 JGP is 13 years old by June 30, 2011. Julia Lipnitskaya and Daria Medvedeva will be old enough, according to a post on FSU. I'll check on Radionova.
ETA: Elena Radionova will be JGP age-eligible in the 2012-13 season, according to another post on FSU.
Last edited by Sylvia; 06-09-2011 at 05:49 PM.
That's true I do not read every post in a thread, but this was not the first time she attacked me. It gets tiresome and unfortunaely I lost my patience with constant attacks. I agree with you I only make matters worse. I welcome explanations where I erred, but I have never seen that from her. It would be nice if she explained why she brought up again that Midori was skating as an adult skater when I was suggesting a Retired Champion Competition in the future.
They had something similar to this in 1998, called "Legends of Figure Skating." The competitors' list were many of the winners in the 70's, 80's and 90's, with some unknowns thrown in. Some viewers were annoyed because credentials seemed to have decided the winners in the ladies' event. The format was three weekends--a program per weekend. Katarina Witt won the ladies with doubles, and with her usual "flirt with the audience" routine. Many (including me) were annoyed, when Rory Flack Burghardt had three different programs, had triples up to the flip, and was very entertaining...finished fifth behind Witt, Manley, Sumners, and another skater.
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