Is there any argument for having certain countries send more than 3...?
...skaters to Worlds/Olympics? I attended Skate America this past weekend and couldn't help but feel sorry for skaters from Japan like Nanri of the men's and Mai Asada of the ladies' - wonderful skaters in their own right who are among the very best in the world but will never go to Worlds and never get a chance to represent their country on that big a stage. Japan is just so so deep right now in both mens and ladies disciplines. Suguri missed out on Worlds last year. USA is facing the same problem, and it looks like this season may be the last chance for Czisny, Liang, etc. and the last time for Hughes to go to Worlds before Zhang and Nagasu become eligible.
I know this isn't a new problem. At different times in skating history, certain nations, whether the US, Japan, Russia, etc. have had so many good skaters and it's inevitable that a few will be screwed. So is there any way to change the rule? Any way to look at the quality of a nation's competitors and give them one extra slot for a Worlds or Olympics? For instance, if you averaged a nation's point totals, or took the median number, or looked at their placements throughout the international season?
Or is 3 per nation the only fair way to do it? It just doesn't sit right with me to see mediocre skaters from small nations like Tugba Karademir from Turkey (and I mean no disrespect to Tugba, she's great but just the first name I thought of) get to go the Olympics while skaters like Nakano and Oda had to stay home in 2006.
...skaters to Worlds/Olympics? I attended Skate America this past weekend and couldn't help but feel sorry for skaters from Japan like Nanri of the men's and Mai Asada of the ladies' - wonderful skaters in their own right who are among the very best in the world but will never go to Worlds and never get a chance to represent their country on that big a stage. Japan is just so so deep right now in both mens and ladies disciplines. Suguri missed out on Worlds last year. USA is facing the same problem, and it looks like this season may be the last chance for Czisny, Liang, etc. and the last time for Hughes to go to Worlds before Zhang and Nagasu become eligible.
I know this isn't a new problem. At different times in skating history, certain nations, whether the US, Japan, Russia, etc. have had so many good skaters and it's inevitable that a few will be screwed. So is there any way to change the rule? Any way to look at the quality of a nation's competitors and give them one extra slot for a Worlds or Olympics? For instance, if you averaged a nation's point totals, or took the median number, or looked at their placements throughout the international season?
Or is 3 per nation the only fair way to do it? It just doesn't sit right with me to see mediocre skaters from small nations like Tugba Karademir from Turkey (and I mean no disrespect to Tugba, she's great but just the first name I thought of) get to go the Olympics while skaters like Nakano and Oda had to stay home in 2006.