Should the World Team Trophy be held earlier in the season? | Golden Skate

Should the World Team Trophy be held earlier in the season?

Mao88

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
I think the World Team Trophy should be held earlier in the season as I think its still mostly regarded as an after thought. For the most part, skaters have switched off, albeit subconsciously. I think the right place for it would be just before the start of the senior Grand Prix. Skaters will be starting to get into peak shape, and they will certainly be geared up and motivated for it. Its by no means the perfect solution, but given that the rest of the calendar is full, I don't see where else it could go.
 

flying camel

Medalist
Joined
Nov 16, 2005
The start of the season would be good, but I would actually prefer to see this competition in the summer. There is nothing to look forward to in the Summer for skating. The fall is such a long time to wait for the GP season to begin.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
A summer event would be pretty hard on the skaters, I think.

IMHO the current timing is OK. It's kind of an afterglow event for Japanese TV and fans, following the big climax, and the skaters can have fun without taking it cut-throat seriously.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Yes, I agree, it is a light-hearted way to end the season. Even though I also agree that it can be a bit problematic in that many skaters have "moved on" from the season, and don't feel "ready" for it. But I don't think it's an event that needs taking in deadly earnest. I know Brian said he hadn't been training properly at all for it last year - I believe he was doing shows? - and was just happy how he did considering. Maybe the skaters should regard it in the light of a... skating party to end the season?
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I'm with the majority here. Skaters have a long enough season! Also, preparing for it before the Grand Prix events might distract the skaters from concentrating on events that really count in terms of their seasonal records and rankings. Not only would that damage the prospects of individual skaters, but for countries with smaller or weaker rosters, it might actually interfere with the national federations' ability to field skaters who can gain spots at worlds.

LRK, I like the idea of seeing it as a skating party to end the season. It's a time for skaters to be on the ice without feeling that their fate hangs by a thread.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
There are lots of summer competitions in the US and Canada to look forward to. Some (such as Broadmoor) start in June and Liberty is in mid-July. For Pairs aficionados, there is Indy Challenge in July, and for ice dance fans, Lake Placid IDC in late July or early August.
 

ffionhanathomas

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 12, 2013
I like its placing in April. It is a fun & friendly event which I think is great for the skaters to end the season on :)
 

louisa05

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
I like its placing in April. It is a fun & friendly event which I think is great for the skaters to end the season on :)

Will it still have that fun and friendly tone after it is at the Olympics, though? Once skaters concretely see it as a means to an Olympic medal at any point, it might be taken more seriously. Then the timing does become an issue. I seriously can't see that any federation or skaters will feel like it is just "fun and friendly" in Sochi with those medals on the line.
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
I think the timing of the event is poor, especially in a pre-Olympic year. I rather like the idea of it opening up the season, then it becomes a pre-GP warm-up event.

I also think the location should be rotated. It needs more exposure than it can currently get always being in Japan.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I also think the location should be rotated. It needs more exposure than it can currently get always being in Japan.

Japan is the only country that is willing to put out the money to host it, and Japan is the only country where the event might turn a profit by television and live gate.
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
It could be like an invitational or something like that; an optional event especially for the top skaters. So let's say a good team like P/I didn't do well during the grand prix season they could be given an invite to this if the top teams would rather prepare for the following season or begin physiotherapy early..something like that.
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Japan is the only country that is willing to put out the money to host it, and Japan is the only country where the event might turn a profit by television and live gate.

So why not just call it the Japan Open? :p

If this is ever supposed to become a truly major ISU competition with global appeal, it should be rotated among host countries like Worlds, Euros/4CCs, and the GPF. Right now it feels like a cheesefest with automatic home advantage for the Japanese skaters, which would be fine in itself, but it actually has the stamp of approval from the ISU.
 

rvi5

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
If I am understanding the scoring system correctly, this event appears to be biased in favour of countries which have strength and depth in their Ladies and/or Mens single skaters. Two men and two women from a strong singles country can quickly rack-up a lot of double digit points between the Short and Long programs. Since only one Ice Dance and Pairs team is permitted to attend, they don't have significant effect on the final outcome by comparison. It is easy to see why Scott Moir is not particularly enamoured with WTT, since it puts little value on the "couples" disciplines. I wonder how many top Ice Dance or Pair teams would bother attending if they were not forced by the ISU rules. I doubt other countries would be interested in spending money to host this event, unless the scoring system was more equitable.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
If I am understanding the scoring system correctly, this event appears to be biased in favour of countries which have strength and depth in their Ladies and/or Mens single skaters. Two men and two women from a strong singles country can quickly rack-up a lot of double digit points between the Short and Long programs. Since only one Ice Dance and Pairs team is permitted to attend, they don't have significant effect on the final outcome by comparison. It is easy to see why Scott Moir is not particularly enamoured with WTT, since it puts little value on the "couples" disciplines. I wonder how many top Ice Dance or Pair teams would bother attending if they were not forced by the ISU rules. I doubt other countries would be interested in spending money to host this event, unless the scoring system was more equitable.
:agree:
 

chloepoco

Medalist
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
So why not just call it the Japan Open? :p

If this is ever supposed to become a truly major ISU competition with global appeal, it should be rotated among host countries like Worlds, Euros/4CCs, and the GPF. Right now it feels like a cheesefest with automatic home advantage for the Japanese skaters, which would be fine in itself, but it actually has the stamp of approval from the ISU.

Who cares what it's called? If the JSF is willing to host this event and put the money up in doing so, more power to them! Yes, it would be nice if it could be rotated and different federations hosted this event; however, since that's not happening, I'm happy that Japan is willing to host.
 

hikki

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Country
Japan
Chan complains about how late WTT is held in the season

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2013/04/12/kiji/K20130412005598480.html

Chan frankly expressed his opinion against the timing of the competition, pointing out that all competitors practically have no choice but attend this event, when their exhaustion after Worlds, physically and mentally, is obvious. "April is way too late. I wish I could've (used this time to) prepare for the Olympics.

I have to agree. I watched this event on the ISU live feed and I felt so sorry for the athletes AND the audience, with the former desperately trying to be a good sport (making silly faces in the kiss and cry etc) and the latter waiting and waiting for a decent skate! The tickets cost $40 - 180 per day and the arena is FULL. I don't think it will be too long before people realise ISU is exploiting the Japanese market at the determent of the skaters' health. :disagree:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
The skaters get a good piece of money in prizes. If they don't want to go they could play sick, like Davis and White, Virtue and Moir, Bobrova and Soloviev, Pechalat and Bourzat, etc.

What the skaters should do is scale back on the difficulty, try to skate clean, and get the crowd into their performances.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
In short, perform like skaters in the old spring cheesefests (Marshall's sponsored them sometimes). I went to one in Providence, RI, and it was a ton of fun.
 
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