2021 Asian Open: Entries

[Skatesocs]

Well, the Americans have all withdrawn. I'm guessing there was no chance of this becoming a Challenger, and they found out.

 

[Jontor]

The full rule is in Challenger Series announcement states:

Each International Competition as part of the ISU Challenger Series in Figure Skating must consist of “Senior” categories (see ISU General Regulations 2021, Rule 108, paragraph 3.a) and must include entries in at least three (3) disciplines of the Figure Skating Branch (Men, Women, Pair Skating, Ice Dance) from a minimum of ten (10) different ISU Members, in all disciplines combined.
In addition, the minimum number of entries per discipline are as follows:

• Men / Women: minimum of eight (8) entries each, from at least four (4) ISU Members;
• Pair Skating: minimum of five (5) entries from at least three (3) ISU Members;
• Ice Dance: minimum of six (6) entries from at least four (4) ISU Members.

Last year Budapest Trophy had Men, Women and Ice Dance disciplines scheduled. ID got only 3 entries (so they didn't meet the entry requirements for a Challenger).
If I read the rule as having 3 disciplines with entries from at least 10 ISU Members and in addition 3 of them having the stated required number of entries, well, it shouldn't be considered a Challenger Series event anymore, wouldn't it?
However, somehow, they still considered the scores as Season Bests (not only for Men and Women but also for Ice Dance).
Last season World Standings points weren't awarded anywhere except at Worlds, so we can't check how they would have behaved for Men and Women (ID wasn't entitled of them for sure). Men and Women would have been entitled but Challenger Series events get more WS points than "other international" events.
This is the only occasion I remember with a Challenger Series event ending with only 2 disciplines with the required number of entries (well, one discipline wasn't included in first place).

I suspect they will do the same thing this year. Count it as a Challenger and the scores will count for SB.

Do we know the reason why all the Americans withdrew? Have they officially said it was because there was no Challenger status in the event?

 

[Skatesocs]

Do we know the reason why all the Americans withdrew? Have they officially said it was because there was no Challenger status in the event?

Not to my knowledge. BTW, Marilena Kitromylis also withdrew. I don't think there's any shot at this becoming a challenger (unless they go by the explanation given by Andrea and determine it still holds somehow).

Paul Fentz is also gone, but for him and Kitromylis, I think it's because they don't have an Olympic spot for that discipline for their countries. Doesn't hold for the US (funny though that they were mostly sending second-tier competitors here, and decided it wasn't fit for them anymore... well, anyway).

 

[Andrea82]

It wouldn't be surprising if they would struggle to find enough judges to meet the Challenger Series requirements. Especially those from countries with required quarantine by their own countries when back from China wouldn't travel easier to Asian Open.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

If they have an international judging panel, it can be counted as an international event, just not a challenger. The same thing probably happened with Budapest in 2019, it was still an international event so it could be used for SBs, but didn't count towards Challenger rankings.

 

[Skatesocs]

It wouldn't be surprising if they would struggle to find enough judges to meet the Challenger Series requirements. Especially those from countries with required quarantine by their own countries when back from China wouldn't travel easier to Asian Open.

Is there any "minimum number of participants" requirement for an Olympic test event, that you know? 4 Pairs and 3 Ice Dance couples just seems so few. And I'm so confused why they didn't just use CoC as the test event (move the GP to Beijing from Chongqing). Too late for the test event?

 

[moonvine]

My man Jimmy Ma!

 

[surimi]

Ehh, I wish the ISU made one of the spring events (like the Challenge Cup) a Challenger instead. Skaters need those SBs. Probably implausible, but I can dream :]

 

[Skatesocs]

More WDs... Honestly, I think we might only have the Chinese left by the end. Or maybe the singles skaters will treat it like practice, IDK...

 

[ladyjane]

Ehh, I wish the ISU made one of the spring events (like the Challenge Cup) a Challenger instead. Skaters need those SBs. Probably implausible, but I can dream :]

I'm wishing with you, particularly The Challenge Cup. Very egoistic of me, because the Challenge Cup is the one competition I can easily visit - in normal times. But, to be fair, the CC is the last chance for skaters to get the minimums for Worlds and that also helps in making it an interesting competition. Less so maybe in an Olympic season, but still.

 

[ladyjane]

I'm looking forward to seeing Yuma here.

 

[Andrea82]

The full rule is in Challenger Series announcement states:

Each International Competition as part of the ISU Challenger Series in Figure Skating must consist of “Senior” categories (see ISU General Regulations 2021, Rule 108, paragraph 3.a) and must include entries in at least three (3) disciplines of the Figure Skating Branch (Men, Women, Pair Skating, Ice Dance) from a minimum of ten (10) different ISU Members, in all disciplines combined.

With the latest withdrawals, they are falling short of this part of the rule too. I count only 9 countries left.
So that would invalidate the whole event as Challenger regardless how you interpret the rest of the rule.

 

[Skatesocs]

With the latest withdrawals, they are falling short of this part of the rule too. I count only 9 countries left.
So that would invalidate the whole event as Challenger regardless how you interpret the rest of the rule.

lol