The Final 6 Ladies

[PolymerBob]

Jpn currently is the dominant country in figure skating

Um .... well ..... uh ..... yes ..... unless you are interested in pairs or dance. If so, Japan is not very dominant.

 

[Tonichelle]

I care about good skating, not nationality. Is the American approach really that different from mine?

I don't think it's fair to compare nationalities of fans on here, because there are a lot of us who yes come from a certain country, and yes we cheer on our team, but we're not the ones complaining our people don't make it. American media makes a big deal about the US skaters not doing as well this season, but that's teh media...doom and gloom is their job.

I don't think a limit on how many skaters from one country works for the GPF, you're still not going to have a balance... and, again, some of the best skaters on the circuit might get booted out just because two of their other teammates had a better draw as far as competition or whatever...

 

[saltypig]

Jpn currently is the dominant country in figure skating

Um .... well ..... uh ..... yes ..... unless you are interested in pairs or dance. If so, Japan is not very dominant.

I don't think they are dominating the men's field either...there's only one entry in the GPF (Kozuka).

And the US ladies got 17 out a maximum 18 GP assignments. All 9 of our ladies got 2 assignments except for Emily Hughes. All 6 GPs had 3 US ladies except for the CoC.

In comparison, Japan got 11 assignments with 6 skaters. 5 skaters got 2 assignments and Akiko Suziki got 1. I included Nana Takeda as a skater with two assignments but she withdrew from Cup of Russia.

I too don't think they should limit the entries per country in the GPF. Let the best skaters vie for the prize money regardless of which country they are from. If it's 6 from Japan then let it be.

 

[bekalc]

I don't think they are dominating the men's field either...there's only one entry in the GPF (Kozuka).

That's because Daisuke is out due to injury and Oda only got one spot because he was out last season.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Japanese men have 2 people on the podium at Worlds this year and the Olympics next year. (If not more)

It would be good for the world of figure skating(from diversity point of view) to put limitation 2/3 per country, so that more countries can participate. Personally, I see the current GP system too familiar with usual suspects

In what sense. Akiko had a really hard time getting a GP assignment because she couldn't get into any top Senior competitions to get a personal Best score..... That could really hurt a skater from a good country ever get exposure and ever get a chance to break through.

I think keep spots at 3 for Worlds/championships. All Senior B competitions be used for Season Best Scores, and keep the GP rules the way they are.

 

[Bennett]

I am happy with the six ladies here! Esp. I am really really happy that Caro made it!

I am a bit sad that Fumie lost the spot. But she still has a chance next time.

I also feel that Ashley could have made it if she received better PCSs that I believe she had deserved. Flatt could have been in but she just unfortunately could not land enough jumps.

It would be interesting if Alissa was here but still I think that the finalists are stronger than she is.

Akiko Suzuki was a good one. She has good speed, presence, and good jumps. But I am not sure how she'd be compared with Flatt, Fumie, or Ashley. Perhaps about the same??? She used to lip, and now lips and flutzes perhaps in an attempt to correct it. Not to mention that she only had one GP assignment.

European ladies.....simply too many injuries. I am sorry.

 

[Dodhiyel]

.... I care about good skating, not nationality....

Thank you, Okami.

I believe it is okay to care about one's home team, but one can still love skaters from other places. It's about the art and the sport, after all.

The Olympics, of course, should include the whole world, and the World Championships rightly are inclusive, as their name suggests; but the GP is about the best competing against the best, testing themselves before the WC.

The European Championships and the Four Continent Championships include only those whom their names imply. I think that this is as it should be. The GP, Euros, and 4 CC are not open contests. They are, in effect, larger versions of regionals. These events have value in themselves, but also serve a preparatory purpose for the WC and the Olys.

I am therefore in favor of continuing the GP format as it stands.

 

[Tonichelle]

Show your depth during the GP.
Show the best at Worlds.

That's what I think.

 

[Ptichka]

Even for Worlds, I never thought it fair that mediocre skaters get to go while great skaters must stay home because they are #4 in their countries. It's good to see a different approach for GP.

 

[Tonichelle]

The Olympics, of course, should include the whole world, and the World Championships rightly are inclusive, as their name suggests; but the GP is about the best competing against the best, testing themselves before the WC.

I've never thought about it like that, but I like how you put it!

 

[ae9177]

Even for Worlds, I never thought it fair that mediocre skaters get to go while great skaters must stay home because they are #4 in their countries. It's good to see a different approach for GP.

ITA. I feel so sorry for many of talented American and Japanese girls who can't go to worlds due to the stupid 3-spot rule.

And I really hope ISU could increase the GPF competitors to 8 or 9. I'd love to see Rachael, Fumie and Alissa in Korea too.

 

[oleada]

I disagree with increasing the number. The final is supposed to be the best of the best, the final flight. I think 6 is fine. I feel like the final would lose prestige if so many could qualify.

 

[Tonichelle]

I disagree with increasing the number. The final is supposed to be the best of the best, the final flight. I think 6 is fine. I feel like the final would lose prestige if so many could qualify.

I agree!

 

[DragonPhoenix]

I care about good skating, not nationality.

Completely agree with you !

 

[oleada]

Me too. If my enjoyment of sports was determined by how well my country did in them...well, I wouldn't enjoy sports at all!

Quite frankly, I find it hard to understand those who support or are only interested in athletes from their own country, or tune away when their country is not doing well...

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I'm Polish. I can only dream of witnessing a Pole win a World medal or make the GPF. Yet I consistently tune in to watch GP events, Worlds and Euros. So does my mother and so did my grandfather (may he rest in peace). I care about good skating, not nationality. Is the American approach really that different from mine?

Bravo, Okami. That's what it should be if one likes Sport. I'm sure Shakespeare would say TheSports the Thing! I am happy when an American wins a medal but only if he deserves it. Otherwise my congrats to the winner wherever he comes from is genuine.

Show your depth during the GP.
Show the best at Worlds.

That's what I think.

That's where it is at! Every skater and really every fan looks to the Worlds as the final result of the season.

 

[ManyCairns]

I like the GPF being the best of the best, and I actually wish Worlds were a bit more like that -- as I've said before in other threads, make sure, say, the top 10 skaters go to Worlds regardless of their country, and after that, spread spots around among the nations.

Of course no system is going to be perfect, but for the GP series I would like to see them try to correct some of the lopsided draws. One or more previous posters have already suggested a seeding system, and I like that idea -- make sure the top seeds are spread around a bit. The feds might fuss about losing some control over invitations, but they could still do it largely by invitation, just making sure that there is more spread to the fields of each individual event.
Then, the big guns meet in the final, as it presumably is now (but could use some tweaking).

 

[Mathman]

One or more previous posters have already suggested a seeding system, and I like that idea -- make sure the top seeds are spread around a bit.

There is a seeding system. The top three from last year's Worlds are spread out among the six events, two each, and no event gets more than one of the top three.

then the next three, same thing. So each event is guarenteed to have one but no more than one of skaters 1, 2, and 3, and one but no more than one of skaters 4, 5, and 6.

Then they start in on the next group, by draw. The intent is to guarantee, insomuch as you can predict these things in advance, that each event will have about the the same strength as all the others.

The only reason Skate America was tougher for the American ladies is because the home federation gets first crack at their own skaters, and USFSA chose three American contenders. But no matter where they were assigned, each of the U.S. ladies would have had to face either Asada, Kostner or Kim, and either Nakano, Rochette and Meier.

 

[yhhh2001]

I like the GPF being the best of the best, and I actually wish Worlds were a bit more like that --

Due to the schedule, I think that some skaters cannot give high priority to GPF. For three Japanses ladies, the most important event is the National Championships, which will be held two weeks after GPF. At the National, they are not allowed to make a fatal mistake, so GPF is a good opportunity for them to check some technical elements.

NHK Trophy was an interesting event, but I was not satisfied with the camera work; there were too many close shots. In a forum in Japan, among GPS this season Skate Canada was given high reputation regarding the camera work. CBC also has a good team of commentators and interviewer, so as a whole Skate Canada was a really good competition. I am a little bit worried about SBS, because it does no have a lot of experiences of broadcasting figure skating competitions. I hope that SBS’s crew would shoot better videos than NHK.

 

[ManyCairns]

^^ Thanks, MM. I guess I should say, better spread of the seeded skaters, then.

 

[wonderlen3000]

There is a seeding system. The top three from last year's Worlds are spread out among the six events, two each, and no event gets more than one of the top three.

then the next three, same thing. So each event is guarenteed to have one but no more than one of skaters 1, 2, and 3, and one but no more than one of skaters 4, 5, and 6.

Then they start in on the next group, by draw. The intent is to guarantee, insomuch as you can predict these things in advance, that each event will have about the the same strength as all the others.

The only reason Skate America was tougher for the American ladies is because the home federation gets first crack at their own skaters, and USFSA chose three American contenders. But no matter where they were assigned, each of the U.S. ladies would have had to face either Asada, Kostner or Kim, and either Nakano, Rochette and Meier.

Yep. Miki Ando get into the mix because she withdraw from the 2008 World due to injury so she is no longer seeded skater for this current GPF series. U.S pick Kim and Nakano to maximize their medal chances with world bronze and 4th place finisher.

3 of 6 ladies are from JPN :disapp: somewhat like Japan nationals
I think the ISU should better set up some special restrictions, say the max No. of GPF from a country should be no more than 2.

Too be fair U.S get/send out the most skaters in every discipline in both Junior and Senior GP series and twince as much as Japan in single events. Why should there be more rules just because they can't skate to the level, demostrated by the current top 6 qualifier (and i speak for all, single, pair and dance).