Is "Medal Winners Open" a test event for Hamilton/ISU the "ICE Championships" ?

sorcerer · May 21, 2012

Is "Medal Winners Open" a test event for Hamilton/ISU the "ICE Championships" ?

I came across in ISU Communication 1727 this event, one day prior to the Japan Open.
October 5, 2012, Saitama JPN
Medal Winners Open
Remark: Invitational only

So I guessed it'll be organized by the same TV-Tokyo as JO, and inquired on phone.
They acknowledged that it was their project and that it will soon be announced on the web.
Also that this would not include eligible skaters but past medalists.

Then can this be a test case plotted by Speedy for the ICE championships?
http://www.icechampionship.com/

This pro-am "championships" now states that it will come in spring 2013 while it used to say 2012.
It might be postponed to 2014 ?
How is it going, anyone know ?

let`s talk · May 21, 2012

Is it the event where skaters skate programs with 3 jumps maximum?

There's zero information about the event from ISU.

sorcerer · May 21, 2012

The former thread is over here;
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...lanned-for-2012-(Scott-Hamilton-s-brainchild)

krenseby · May 22, 2012

sorcerer said:
So I guessed it'll be organized by the same TV-Tokyo as JO, and inquired on phone.
They acknowledged that it was their project and that it will soon be announced on the web.
Also that this would not include eligible skaters but past medalists.

Then can this be a test case plotted by Speedy for the ICE championships?
http://www.icechampionship.com/

This pro-am "championships" now states that it will come in spring 2013 while it used to say 2012.
It might be postponed to 2014 ?
How is it going, anyone know ?

The one problem that I am already seeing from the get-go is the predominantly Japanese makeup of the competitors. Since it will take place in Japan, it will be much easier to round up Japanese skaters than talk Russian, European, American, or Canadian skaters into coming.

Olympia · May 22, 2012

krenseby said:
The one problem that I am already seeing from the get-go is the predominantly Japanese make-up of the competitors. Since it will take place in Japan, it will be much easier to round up Japanese skaters than talk Russian, European, American, or Canadian skaters into coming.

I love all the Japanese skaters, but I do hope this event will be able to include skaters from all over. It wouldn't be as meaningful or as enjoyable with only the skaters from one country (even if those skaters happen to include my two faves, Mao and Daisuke).

Mathman · May 22, 2012

krenseby said:
The one problem that I am already seeing from the get-go is the predominantly Japanese makeup of the competitors.

Where did you see the list of competitors? Can you give a link, please?

krenseby · May 22, 2012

Mathman said:
Where did you see the list of competitors? Can you give a link, please?

That was just a speculation on my part. I just assume that for a competition like this it will be easier to attract local skaters than foreign ones.

Mathman · May 22, 2012

^ Yeah, probably so. But it would be cool if they could round up some of the usual suspects like Lambiel for this show.

I don't see any reason to connect this with Scott Hamilton's group. As Sorcerer reports, this seems to be a made-for-Japanese-TV show.( I love the notion of an "open" competition "by invitation only."

) I agree with Sorcerer that, sadly, the projected ICE events, having been put pff from 2012 to 2013 will next be put off until 2014, then 2015. I think if Hamlilton's group had made any progress in lining up the money they would have made some sort of announcement by now.

Brenda · May 22, 2012

I wonder how the lineups will work for this and the Japan Open the next day... JO was supposed to include a mix of eligible/retired skaters, but the past few years the lineup has mostly been like 1 retired (Buttle) and 5 eligible skaters. With this new event, will the Japan Open become eligible-only? Would Buttle move over to the MWO? What about a "haven't-decided-on-a-comeback" skater like Rochette?

I bet TV-Tokyo would like to convince Midori Ito to compete...she did do a 2A at the adult comp in Oberstdorf last year... Lepisto, Meier, Arakawa, Meissner are probably likely candidates for participating.

Suguri should finally declare retirement and try to get invited to the Medal Winners Open.

krenseby · May 22, 2012

Brenda said:
With this new event, will the Japan Open become eligible-only? Would Buttle move over to the MWO? What about a "haven't-decided-on-a-comeback" skater like Rochette?

Also, the one good thing about this competition format is that it could be replicated by other countries as well. Russia could potentially host one and maybe some Western European country as well.

NMURA · May 23, 2012

Initial information on Medal Winners Open
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20120523-00000054-mai-spo

* six men and six ladies participate
* both pro and amateur skaters who have olympic/world medals can be invited
* free skating only
* judge mainly presentation aspects, don't count jumps in scores
* vocal music and lighting effects are allowed

It's basically an exhibition judged by the ISU judges.
Recently retired skaters will take the main part.

Buttle will be the first candidate.

sorcerer · May 23, 2012

NMURA said:
Initial information on Medal Winners Open
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20120523-00000054-mai-spo

* six men and six ladies participate
....
Buttle will be the first candidate.

The news reads "the board of Directors of JSF decided on 23rd (today) the inauguration of MWO", but this MWO was published by the ISU back on 15th May.
This is why I think the MWO was Speedy's idea or some one's close to him...

But there's another reason why I believe so; "Medal Winners Open" won't translate into any cool or catchy Japanese phrase. If it was really initiated by JSF or TV-Tokyo, it would have been named "International Medalists Open" or something like that.
The name "Medal Winners Open" itself proves that the concept was created in western language.

BTW the Buttle part is not in the news, it's NMURA's opinion.

Mathman · May 23, 2012

"International Medalists Open" is better than "Medal Winners Open" in English, too.

evangeline · May 23, 2012

Is there no dance or pairs segment?

But I do hope they invite Stephane Lambiel!

Violet Bliss · May 23, 2012

Wouldn't it be interesting if Kurt Browning is invited? And Gachinsky and/or Hanyu? Let the Grand Master teach the young ones a thing or two.

ice coverage · May 23, 2012

NMURA said:
Buttle will be the first candidate.

sorcerer said:
BTW the Buttle part is not in the news, it's NMURA's opinion.

Jeffrey Buttle's website lists his schedule for October:

October 5 Medal Winners Open Tokyo
October 6 Japan Open
October 6 Exhibition Gala Show

sorcerer · May 24, 2012

golden411 said:
Jeffrey Buttle's website lists his schedule for October:

October 5 Medal Winners Open Tokyo
October 6 Japan Open
October 6 Exhibition Gala Show

Then he's not "candidate" but booked already, but apologies to NMURA anyway.

I didn't expect the same skater doing both 5th and 6th.
And I'm not sure if fans over here can afford all this.
We'll be bankrupt if we attend them all.

ETA; Putting in mind that the JO always had 2 guest skaters as intermission, it may well be that the three events mainly consist of same skaters.

NMURA · May 24, 2012

Looks like the IMG is organizing all three events. At least (more than) half of the skaters will skate both JO and MWO. Otherwise, it's too costly and inefficient. Kim is shut out from IMG events (sorry for her fans). MWO is not a competition in a strict sense. Therefore, a veteran like Plushenko who might be hesitant to face Chan or Hanyu at JO could be persuaded more easily.

let`s talk · May 24, 2012

sorcerer said:
And I'm not sure if fans over here can afford all this.
We'll be bankrupt if we attend them all.

It's not the question of money. Japan is mostly not poor afterall. It's a question of dates and a very big one. When I first saw the schedule, it was like :eek:

. The 5th is Friday, i.e. a working day. It can affect the attendance and affect seriously, especially the attendance by younger people. The 6th is Saturday, which is good, but still some companies are working, and I am not talking about round-a-clock businesses but offices. The most unclear part is why. Two following days, 7th and 8th, are both holidays, Sunday and a public holiday accordingly. The perfect time for two-day event, very customer-friendly especially for those who llive in other prefectures. The last JO and Carnival on Ice were both on Sunday and the arena was 100% full. I checked the schedule of Saitama Super arena. They have some Farmers' events on 7th. Is it the reason of this ridiculous schedule of MWO and JO? Weird. What's the point of organizing a not-cheap event and create such a schedule.

let`s talk · Jun 7, 2012

Wow! Yagudin, Kulik, Sutskaya!
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/mwo2012/

Is "Medal Winners Open" a test event for Hamilton/ISU the "ICE Championships" ?

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