2021 World Figure Skating Championships: General Info

[figureskatingandrainbows]

Thanks. I don't usually pay much attention to judging panels, so it's great to see it listed like this. What's pretty shocking is that there is no JPN judge for Men nor Ladies, but one for Dance, the discipline they're weakest in. USA gets to judge in all four disciplines, as does Russia. So Yuzu and Rika could be at a disadvantage, unless all judges forget where they come from and judge fairly (and that's not going to happen)!

I know, I thought that was odd. Japan is the only nation with three skaters in both singles, so surely they would have more than one judge in the entire event? Although it might be for the best... the JSF has a habit of lowballing PCS. But then Russia and the US tend to overscore... you can't win.
And I really want to know how the ISU determines the number of judges per country, because when the UK has three judging spots and Japan has one... how did that happen?

 

[Skatefan15]

Since it does seem to be going forward, I’m really worried for the health of the skaters. I saw this on Twitter the other day and it made me even more nervous...


I hope some way that a lot of people people involved in this event arrive earlier than 2 days before official practice.

 

[TeamGubanova]

Well European doesn't necessarily mean in favor of Russians

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

Thanks. I don't usually pay much attention to judging panels, so it's great to see it listed like this. What's pretty shocking is that there is no JPN judge for Men nor Ladies, but one for Dance, the discipline they're weakest in. USA gets to judge in all four disciplines, as does Russia. So Yuzu and Rika could be at a disadvantage, unless all judges forget where they come from and judge fairly (and that's not going to happen)!

Japanese judges tend to be unusually harsh on Yuzuru Hanyu; and while they have been more lenient on Shoma Uno, lately "the anointed one" has been Yuma Kagiyama, so I would say the latter may be at disadvantage for not having Japanese judges in the panel, not the former (or not more than with other judges).
About Ladies, I don't know that Japanese judges have ever overscored Rika Kihira or underscored non-Japanese skaters, so I don't see her (more) at disadvantage. Maybe Kaori Sakamoto?
This being said, at first sight it may look shocking that the panel is so European, but maybe they chose to do so to avoid further risks of CoViD dissemination?

 

[rollerblade]

I'm actually more curious about the Technical Panel.

 

[ice coverage]

And I really want to know how the ISU determines the number of judges per country, because when the UK has three judging spots and Japan has one... how did that happen?

Long story short, the ISU conducts annual draws to determine the composition of judging panels for ISU Championships.

(For 2021 Worlds, the ISU Council decided to use the unused draws for 2020 Worlds.)

I am no expert on this subject, but the draws for judging panels at ISU Championships are discussed in Rule 521, starting on p. 95 of ISU Special Regulations and Technical Rules.

"For ISU Championships, the panel of Judges shall consist only of Judges on the current lists of ISU Judges and all Judges must be designated ISU."

For each discipline, there is a draw to determine the composition of the judging panel.

For each draw:

"Each ISU Member may enter one Judge by number (not by name) in each discipline in which Judges of this ISU Member are qualified to judge and in which that ISU Member has participated with at least one (1) Skater/Pair/Couple in the same Championships of the preceding year, who has/have finished at least one segment of the individual competition;"​

"An ISU Member can be represented with Judges in all four (4) disciplines within one Championships;"

"The draw procedure of the panels of Judges for all ISU Championships will take place annually between October 1st and November 15th. The draw is open to all ISU Members who may send one (1) Representative at their own expense. The draw shall take place in Switzerland in the presence of a certified Swiss auditor. The ISU President will appoint the person(s) who will conduct the draw;"​

For 2020 ISU Championships, the draw for Judges by number was held on October 10, 2019, at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva.
(Side note that Japan would not have been eligible to enter the judges draw for pairs, because Japan did not have a pair at 2019 Worlds.)

ETA (on Mar 21):

Sorry that I did not have the full story re judges draw for pairs.
Andrea82's Mar 20 post below noted (I am paraphrasing): In the case of pair judges, a second draw was necessary because only twelve federations who competed in 2019 Worlds SP also have ISU-level pair judges.
For the second draw, the ISU language is: "If there are not enough ISU Members available, there will be an additional draw amongst all ISU Members available and willing to serve but not yet represented in the panel concerned, to complete the panel of Judges with up to thirteen (13) Judges".
So it is possible that Japan entered the second draw for pair judges.​

---

ETA:

If my number-crunching is more or less correct (assuming that all ISU federations entered the 2020 Worlds draws for which they were eligible), then:

- 13 out of approx. 29 federations were drawn to have a judge on the Ladies panel for 2020 Worlds
- 13 out of approx. 24 federations were drawn to have a judge on the Men's panel for 2020 Worlds​

32 federations had Ladies who completed 2019 Worlds SP:

ARM, AUS, AUT, AZE, BEL,
BRA, BUL, CAN, CHN, CZE,
DEN, ESP, EST, FIN, FRA,
GBR, GER, HKG, HUN, ITA,
JPN, KAZ, KOR, LTU, NED,
ROU, RUS, SLO, SUI, SVK,
SWE, USA​

27 federations had Men who completed 2019 Worlds SP:

ARM, AUS, AUT, AZE, CAN,
CHN, CZE, EST, FIN, FRA,
GBR, GEO, GER, ISR, ITA,
JPN, KOR, LAT, MAS, MEX,
POL, RUS, SUI, SWE, TUR,
UKR, USA​

I think that at the time of the draws, the following otherwise-eligible federations had no ISU-level singles judge:

ARM, BRA, LAT, LTU, MAS​

https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/21860-isu-communication-2273/file

https://isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/17794-2187-list-officials-fs-id-sys-2018-19/file

 

[TontoK]

Thank you @ice coverage for your informative post about the process for selection of judges.

I was sensing that this discussion was about to take a turn towards grand consipiracy theories, and you've put that to rest before it could get started.

 

[Winnie_20]

Eagerly waiting for news on how to watch this Worlds in Europe. We should be hearing something soon!

As I had originally planned on going to Stockholm, I had planned six days away from work. I know I could get away with just about a dozen vacation hours now instead (same timezone, and I always start work really early), but I am really in the mood for a week off, so am more or less gonna stick with the original plan, minus the traveling.

Just a week to go! I wonder if maybe some of the practices will be streamed this time... Improve the digital experience, so to speak?

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

Thank you @ice coverage for your informative post about the process for selection of judges.

I was sensing that this discussion was about to take a turn towards grand consipiracy theories, and you've put that to rest before it could get started.

In the same time, I feel crushed in my redemption hopes for ISU's CoViD-conscientiousness.

 

[rollerblade]

Canadian coverage for Worlds looks to be mostly online streaming.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/figureskating/broadcast

 

[Miriam090]

Eagerly waiting for news on how to watch this Worlds in Europe. We should be hearing something soon!

As I had originally planned on going to Stockholm, I had planned six days away from work. I know I could get away with just about a dozen vacation hours now instead (same timezone, and I always start work really early), but I am really in the mood for a week off, so am more or less gonna stick with the original plan, minus the traveling.

Just a week to go! I wonder if maybe some of the practices will be streamed this time... Improve the digital experience, so to speak?

I hope they might stream practices - that would be a really great way to make the viewers feel more involved. And we know the ISU can do so - they livestreamed practices back in 2017 I believe so something similar would be amazing to see!

On a similar note, the ISU communication for Worlds details the online media calls and press conferences in the section for media personnel, stating there would be full access and ability to rewatch everything after. I do hope this applies to general viewers too not just the media people!

 

[Gia_Sesshoumaru]

For anyone in Great Britain, someone in a figure skating group I admin on FB says she contact British Eurosport and they said they'll be streaming Worlds.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

I hope they might stream practices - that would be a really great way to make the viewers feel more involved. And we know the ISU can do so - they livestreamed practices back in 2017 I believe so something similar would be amazing to see!

Peacock typically streams the official practices, and if you can't watch those, Jackie Wong on Twitter usually posts practice notes with what each skater did during practice.

 

[Dreamer57]

For anyone in Great Britain, someone in a figure skating group I admin on FB says she contact British Eurosport and they said they'll be streaming Worlds.

I'm in Great Britain and Eurosport is also broadcasting on TV.
My schedule so far says (UK time):

Wed 24th
Ladies SP 08:58 - 14:18
Pairs SP 17:25 - 21:55 (1 h highlights at 9:25 on Thurs)

Thurs 25th
Men's SP 10:25 - 14:30 (1 h highlights at 5 a.m. on Fri)
Pairs FS 17:05 - 21:00

 

[Winnie_20]

Wed 24th
Ladies SP 08:58 - 14:18
Pairs SP 17:25 - 21:55 (1 h highlights at 9:25 on Thurs)

Thurs 25th
Men's SP 10:25 - 14:30 (1 h highlights at 5 a.m. on Fri)
Pairs FS 17:05 - 21:00

Hey, that’s really rather neat! While I prefer watching the no-commercials Eurosport streams via the Player myself, I have had a number of people ask me if they could watch Worlds on telly. I seemed to vaguely recall this being mentioned at the start of the season, but still...

I am, of course, going on the assumption mainland Eurosport channels will also air the events live. I doubt very much it’s only the British Eurosport. But I cannot find anything listed that far into the future.

Either way, Great News!

 

[MaiKatze]

Hey, that’s really rather neat! While I prefer watching the no-commercials Eurosport streams via the Player myself, I have had a number of people ask me if they could watch Worlds on telly. I seemed to vaguely recall this being mentioned at the start of the season, but still...

I am, of course, going on the assumption mainland Eurosport channels will also air the events live. I doubt very much it’s only the British Eurosport. But I cannot find anything listed that far into the future.

Either way, Great News!

German TV Station ONE will show Worlds, so if you can watch that that it's also a possibility - if you can stand the german commentary. They also stream their program. And it's HD.

Videos von ONE | ARD Mediathek

ARD Mediathek

www.ardmediathek.de

 

[Winnie_20]

German TV Station ONE will show Worlds, so if you can watch that that it's also a possibility - if you can stand the german commentary. They also stream their program. And it's HD.

Well, my greatest hope is a decent (legal / not hosted on weird sites) stream *without commentary*. I am paying for Eurosport, and have a very good VPN.... but IIRC (?) with the GPs, both Eurosport and youtube had a stream with the same commentary. Meh.

Suppose I will have to wait and see what we’ll get this time around. ;-)

 

[Dreamer57]

Well, my greatest hope is a decent (legal / not hosted on weird sites) stream *without commentary*. I am paying for Eurosport, and have a very good VPN.... but IIRC (?) with the GPs, both Eurosport and youtube had a stream with the same commentary. Meh.

Suppose I will have to wait and see what we’ll get this time around. ;-)

If we do get a commentator I'm hoping for PJ Kwong, but on Eurosport it's more likely Chris Howarth (who I don't mind either).

 

[snowflake]

Well, my greatest hope is a decent (legal / not hosted on weird sites) stream *without commentary*. I am paying for Eurosport, and have a very good VPN.... but IIRC (?) with the GPs, both Eurosport and youtube had a stream with the same commentary. Meh.

Suppose I will have to wait and see what we’ll get this time around. ;-)

Isn't the ISU stream usually without commentary? So if we have a good VPN that's it. Or did you remember ISU's youtube stream having the same Grand Prix commentary as Eurosport? Sounds strange. Haha, I can't even remember how I watched Grand Prix this season. Feels like a long time ago.

 

[Ziotic]

Well, my greatest hope is a decent (legal / not hosted on weird sites) stream *without commentary*. I am paying for Eurosport, and have a very good VPN.... but IIRC (?) with the GPs, both Eurosport and youtube had a stream with the same commentary. Meh.

Suppose I will have to wait and see what we’ll get this time around. ;-)

Sometimes CBC( Canadian) doesn’t have commentary.