Senior B scheduled for August in Australia! | Golden Skate

Senior B scheduled for August in Australia!

dorispulaski

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From Danielle O'Brien's (of O'Brien & Merriman, Australian dance champion's) Olympic blog:

http://corporate.olympics.com.au/news/taking-our-place-on-the-stage-danielle-o-brien-s-blog

We were very excited to receive the news this week that Australia will host an Ice Skating Union (ISU) International Competition to be held August 20-22 giving us the opportunity to compete at home before contending for our Olympic spot at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany (September 26-28).

We will keep you updated on our new programs in our next post.

In the mean time follow us on Twitter @OBrienMerriman

It's good to see another Senior B outside of Europe!

And before Nebelhorn too.

I'm betting this will draw some good skaters! :)
 
Last edited:

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avatar credit: @miyan5605
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Yes, Skate DownUnder will be in Brisbane, Queensland. :)
[ETA, update as of May 23: Altho' the ISU list on May 6 had indicated Brisbane, the ISU.org calendar listing now officially indicates Sydney as the "New Venue" for Skate DownUnder.]
  • Ladies: Senior, Junior, Novice
  • Men: S, J, N
  • Pairs: S, J
  • Dance: S, J
Source: ISU Communication No. 1792.
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ons-2013-14-ISU-Communication-No-1792-(May-6)

The same ISU document says that Bangkok, Thailand, will host the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy 2013 from Aug 8 - 11.
So is that also an official Senior B? :)
  • Ladies: Senior, Junior, Novice
  • Men: S, J, N
 

karne

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*screams*

*immediately books time off work and runs straight to Qantas to see what kind of prices the flights are*


Oh please...oh please oh please, if Jason only gets one Senior GP, he'll probably want a Senior B too, let him come to this one...he liked Australia last time...

Does anyone know WHICH rink it's at in Brisbane? I do so get confused.
 

chuckm

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The same ISU document says that Bangkok, Thailand, will host the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy 2013 from Aug 8 - 11.
So is that also an official Senior B? :)
  • Ladies: Senior, Junior, Novice
  • Men: S, J, N

If it's an OPEN and non-Asian skaters compete, then yes, it is a Senior B, just like Senior Nordics, and World Ranking points will be awarded. But if no non-Asian skaters compete in Ladies or Men, points won't be awarded.
 

FSGMT

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Sep 10, 2012
That's REALLY good news! I hope more Senior B competitions will be held outside Europe and in different periods, especially during the summer, because all the B competitions that are held during the GP and Nationals periods are often attended only by the less famous skaters, the only important Senior competitions before the GP are usually Nebelhorn, JO (with just 6 skaters and no couples), Ondrej Nepela, US Classics and Finlandia Trophy... I wish there were more competitions all around the world where skaters could compete before the important events, especially between the second half of August and the first half of September: there is the JGP during that period, yes, but I'm always so hungry of Senior skating during those months!!
 

karne

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My only concern is that the distance/jet lag might drive a few big names away, but the JGP in Brisbane didn't seem to have many problems in that regard, so hopefully more skaters decide that they want to come see us!
 

GF2445

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Feb 7, 2012
I really do hope that big skating names will come to this competition. It won't receive anywhere close to the media attention that we fans want but fingers cross it might get a mention in a news report or a newspaper. I also hope there would be either a live stream or a YouTube channel
 

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avatar credit: @miyan5605
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LOCATION update/fyi?:

I see that a member of FSU now is saying that the location of Skate DownUnder has been changed to a rink in Sydney.

http://www.isa.org.au/ so far does not seem to have any mention whatsoever of Skate DownUnder, so I can neither confirm nor deny Sydney vs. Brisbane.
But the person at FSU seems well-intentioned and well-informed. I do not see any reason to believe that what s/he posted is not accurate inside scoop.

I will go back and edit my post that mentioned Brisbane above.

ETA: As of May 23, the ISU.org calendar listing now officially indicates Sydney as the "New Venue" for Skate DownUnder.
 

Orange Cat

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Feb 27, 2012
LOCATION update/fyi?:

I see that a member of FSU now is saying that the location of Skate DownUnder has been changed to a rink in Sydney.

http://www.isa.org.au/ so far does not seem to have any mention whatsoever of Skate DownUnder, so I can neither confirm nor deny Sydney vs. Brisbane.
But the person at FSU seems well-intentioned and well-informed. I do not see any reason to believe that what s/he posted is not accurate inside scoop.

I will go back and edit my post that mentioned Brisbane above.

Oh, PLEASE let it be in Sydney!! A Senior B in Sydney would be AMAZING. If it's in Sydney, I am definitely going to be there. (And praying that it goes ahead and is in Sydney and that Jason comes down)!
 

karne

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Oh, PLEASE let it be in Sydney!! A Senior B in Sydney would be AMAZING. If it's in Sydney, I am definitely going to be there. (And praying that it goes ahead and is in Sydney and that Jason comes down)!

This person is definitely saying Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink. Which would be SO exciting because then I could drive up! I liked the old Canterbury rink quite well and I heard they decided to do some major renovations after the fire.
 

Pepe Nero

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That this competition has been created is good news for figure skating and, well, just people. I hope that the ISU will sanction more competitions in parts of the world that (1) FS is not traditionally popular, and (2) people who cannot afford to get to Europe, North America, and East Asia can get to within their budgets.

The biggest limitation on human potential in figure skating has always been artificial barriers imposed by human beings. Whether it has been "women have to wear skirts that go to a certain length," or "men can't wear tights" or something slightly more subtle like "we're just not going to put a rink anywhere near where someone we don't want to compete could get to," figure skating has sabotaged itself.

This news would be so much MORE exciting if it wasn't 300-500 years behind the progress of the rest of the world. Australia is not a newly discovered territory. (And, sorry, I am modifying my view mid-post.) Makes one wonder how long it will take before skaters from Africa will have an equal opportunity at the Olympics.
 

dorispulaski

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South Africa has hosted a JGP in Capetown 2008. Shirene Human (ladies 1998) , Marcelle Matthews & Gwyn Jones (pairs 1960), Patricia Eastwood (ladies 1960), Dino Edgardo Quattrocecere (mens 1994), and Marion Sage (ladies 1960) have all participated in the Olympics for South Africa, so RSA is a bit behind Australia, but not much.
 

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avatar credit: @miyan5605
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If it's an OPEN and non-Asian skaters compete, then yes, it is a Senior B, just like Senior Nordics, and World Ranking points will be awarded. But if no non-Asian skaters compete in Ladies or Men, points won't be awarded.

Thanks for your reply, chuckm. :)
Will keep an eye out for more information on the Bangkok competition too. :popcorn: :cool:

BTW, I am pleasantly surprised that Taipei already will have the privilege of hosting Four Continents again in 2014 .. so soon after 2011.
No offense to Taipei :love:, but is it safe to assume that fewer federations than usual were interested in hosting the 2014 event (because many well-known Sochi competitors will skip it)?
 

Orange Cat

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Feb 27, 2012
This person is definitely saying Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink. Which would be SO exciting because then I could drive up! I liked the old Canterbury rink quite well and I heard they decided to do some major renovations after the fire.

Oh, this news is just getting better and better!! I could walk to the Canterbury rink if I felt so inclined - and if there is a Senior B there, I definitely would be so inclined! :)
 

karne

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Oh, this news is just getting better and better!! I could walk to the Canterbury rink if I felt so inclined - and if there is a Senior B there, I definitely would be so inclined! :)

Oh, lucky you!

I know from previous experience that Canterbury rink is only 3 hours from home (I think it was 3 hours 10 minutes on the dot door-to-door, no stops). So I can just tootle on up the Hume! :D
 

deedee1

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Nov 14, 2007
*screams*

:laugh::agree: Yes yes, am so happy for Aussie skaters and its fans like you, karne & Orange Cat!

It's so nice to see figure skating world expands! Since the number of participating skaters for Grand Prixs was decreased to 10(singles)/8(dance&pairs) from previous 12/10, I hope as many as possible top senior skaters, including our Japanese skaters, will be competing at this competition. Surely wil help the popularity of this sport in Australia! :yes:

GOoooo Australia! :rock: Aaaaand Wallabies! :biggrin:
 

Pepe Nero

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Dec 11, 2011
South Africa has hosted a JGP in Capetown 2008. Shirene Human (ladies 1998) , Marcelle Matthews & Gwyn Jones (pairs 1960), Patricia Eastwood (ladies 1960), Dino Edgardo Quattrocecere (mens 1994), and Marion Sage (ladies 1960) have all participated in the Olympics for South Africa, so RSA is a bit behind Australia, but not much.

Since it's not indicated, I am not certain whether this post is meant in response to mine. Of course, I was not referring to marginal white athletes from South Africa. I was also wondering when, in the sport of figure skating, competitors from Africa will, others things being equal, the same chances at medals as athletes from Europe, North America, and Japan.

My post was meant to raise the question, "When are people, regardless of where they are born, and what racial classification they are born into, going to have the same opportunity as (gosh, I don't know; let's say...) Gracie Gold?"

Let's put it another way. What is the ISU doing about (or does it care -- probably the more important question) the potentially amazing figure skaters in Namibia or Bolivia? How can we seriously talk about World Records and how amazing Yuna Kim and Evgeny Plushenko are when only some white and and Asian people are given the opportunity to compete???

I didn't mean to turn this all political. Sorry. What made me think about these questions is the question, how ironic is it that we might get excited that the ISU has decided to start a competition in the NEW WORLD??!! AUSTRALIA!!
 
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