Gala Competition "Russian Challenge" 2023

[AlexBreeze]

Unfortunately with the large number of titled skaters that Russia has i would guess skaters like Pogorilaya who didn't get any big titles or make a big splash that getting in some of the bigger/famous shows is probably a bit difficult

Famous tours (Plushenko, Tutberidze, Averbukh) have either skaters who cooperate with the organisers (even not very famous skaters) or active famous skaters from disciplines that the organisers lack.

Pogorilaya was also unable to skate for a long time due to childbirth.

By the way, I just remembered that she recently performed on Averbukh's show that was dedicated to WW2.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Bobrova said on her podcast that she had been told by the Fed that it would be decided by seven judges who were invited from among actors, etc.

 

[alexocfp]

Bobrova said on her podcast that she had been told by the Fed that it would be decided by seven judges who were invited from among actors, etc.

So there will be amateur judges? This event gets better and better. The drama potential is sky high.

 

[Amei]

So there will be amateur judges? This event gets better and better. The drama potential is sky high.

Russian Fed: they want entertainment and we shall deliver it in spades

 

[alexocfp]

Russian Fed: they want entertainment and we shall deliver it in spades

Might be the first sporting event in history where the press conferences will be as good as the actual competition. And, keep mic’s and cameras on everyone at all times. Haha

 

[AlexBreeze]

Bobrova said on her podcast that she had been told by the Fed that it would be decided by seven judges who were invited from among actors, etc.

They have just deleted all the news about it and even the podcast.

 

[alexocfp]

They have just deleted all the news about it and even the podcast.

Is it the 18th of March yet?

The hype by that point will have reached a fever pitch.

 

[icewhite]

I don't know why some of you are so on to soap opera drama, but I really want to see many of the programs and unless Averbukh is overworked, those should be very fine. I think for the skaters it would be good to know the criteria beforehand, but in the end at least I won't watch to see who wins anyway.

Sad to not have Kostornaia there.

 

[alexocfp]

I don't know why some of you are so on to soap opera drama, but I really want to see many of the programs and unless Averbukh is overworked, those should be very fine. I think for the skaters it would be good to know the criteria beforehand, but in the end at least I won't watch to see who wins anyway.

Sad to not have Kostornaia there.

I want good and memorable programs as well. And with the superstars and egos involved, they will all put their best foot forward. There will be fireworks.

So, I am rooting for on and off ice fireworks. Haha

 

[Amei]

I don't know why some of you are so on to soap opera drama, but I really want to see many of the programs and unless Averbukh is overworked, those should be very fine. I think for the skaters it would be good to know the criteria beforehand, but in the end at least I won't watch to see who wins anyway.

Sad to not have Kostornaia there.

Well...I'm not really into the soap opera drama its just usually a thing that happens with these situations.

I'm stupid excited for the show

 

[AlexBreeze]

Channel One has posted the regulations. I'll post translation later.

In short, they will give scores for Composition and Perfomance according to the ISU rules.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Aliev's fan group says that Dima will perform instead of Pogorilaya.

 

[Mariiiiskate]

Aliev's fan group says that Dima will perform instead of Pogorilaya.

Im happy for Dima but I really wanted to see Anna as well

 

[Amei]

Aliev's fan group says that Dima will perform instead of Pogorilaya.

Article with Fed statement

 

[icewhite]

Article with Fed statement

Difficult for me to understand what's going on and what the reason was. Anyway, I don't speak Russian, so I read the google translations and it is always real fun.

 

[alexocfp]

Looks like there will be no restrictions on costumes or props so it’s going to be a free for all.

There is also going to be a separate “people’s choice award” for each discipline, aka a popularity contest, with a 1 million ruble prize fund.

Probably conducted under Chicago Voting Rules: vote early and offen.

 

[Kittosuni]

Shcherbakova and Valieva's programs are being choreographed by Daniil and Eteri.

 

[icewhite]

Looks like there will be no restrictions on costumes or props so it’s going to be a free for all.

There is also going to be a separate “people’s choice award” for each discipline, aka a popularity contest, with a 1 million ruble prize fund.

Probably conducted under Chicago Voting Rules: vote early and offen.

I hate the popularity contest, but I guess it is necessary for people to feel involved.

 

[alexocfp]

I hate the popularity contest, but I guess it is necessary for people to feel involved.

Popularity is one aspect, but it also shows in some ways who has the most devoted supporters since the most devoted ones are figuring out how to exploit the system and vote 100 times. Haha

 

[AlexBreeze]

Regulations

Date: 18 March 2023.
Time: 17:00-21:00 (TV broadcast 17.15-21.00)
Venue: Moscow (Megasport Sports Palace)

1. Organisers
The Figure Skating Federation of Russia and JSC Channel One (hereinafter - organisers)

2. Schedule
Date of arrival: 16 March 2023.
Drawing of starting order: 16 March 2023 at 18.00 (Megasport Sports Palace)
Rehearsals: 17 March 2023 (as scheduled)
Dress rehearsal: 18 March 2023, 10.00-13.00

3. Eligibility rules
Any current or former figure skaters born in 2007 (any month) or older, competing in any of the figure skating disciplines (singles, pairs skating, ice dance), who have submitted a written application to participate in the competition, are invited to participate in the competition.
Olympic champions (individual / team event) and world champions are allowed participate in the competition without pre-selection.
Pre-selection was done by The Figure Skating Federation of Russia and Channel One on the basis of a participant's written application based on the originality of the proposed idea of the perfomance.
Based on the results of the pre-selection of applications, 24 participants (singles / teams, hereinafter - participants) were invited to take part. The list of participants was published on 01.03.2023.

4. The list of participants
Following the submission and consideration of a large number of applications, the organisers decided to allow 24 participants to participate in the competition according to the following list:

Olympic and/or World champions (in alphabetical order):
1. Kamila Valieva
2. Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviov
3. Tatiana Volosozhar/Maksim Trankov
4. Alina Zagitova
5. Mark Kondratiuk
6. Evgenia Medvedeva
7. Anastasia Mishina/Alexander Galliamov
8. Viktoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov
9. Tatiana Totmianina/Maksim Marinin
10. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
11. Anna Shcherbakova
12. Alexei Yagudin

Athletes selected by application (in alphabetical order):
13. Sofia Akatieva
14. Dmitri Aliev
15. Matvei Vetluign
16. Petr Gumennik
17. Makar Ignatov
18. Vasilisa Kaganovskaya/Valeri Angelopol
19. Mikhail Kolyada
20. Andrei Mozalev
21. Elena Radionova
22. Evgeni Semenenko
23. Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov
24. Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva/Egor Bazin

The organisers reserve the right to make changes to the list, including replacing a participant or reducing the number of participants, in the following cases:
1. Discrepancy of a participant's actual program with the submitted application;
2. Failure to comply with the rules for participation, including violations of requirements for confidentiality;
3. Breach of the contract that is concluded with each participant;
4. For medical reasons.

The replacement of a participant can be made from any figure skating discipline (women's singles, men's singles, pairs / ice dance couples).

5. Requirements for participants' programs
Each of the participants will have to perform an original exhibiton created especially for this competition and not performed/announced in any way earlier:
1. Duration of the exhibition: from 2,5 to 3 minutes (additional time is to be agreed with the organisers)
2. Obligatory technical elements: none
3. Restrictions for the use of props/costumes: none (must be provided by the competitor)
4. Artistic light will be provided by the organiser
5. Special effects / projections etc.: in agreement with the organisers

6. Draw
Participants perform in the following order: men's singles, a pair or an ice dance couple, women's singles.

First part
1. Men
2. Pair / ice dance couple
3. Women
4. Men
5. Pair / ice dance couple
6. Women
7. Men
8. Pair / ice dance couple
9. Women
10. Men
11. Pair / ice dance couple
12. Women

Second part
13. Men
14. Pair / ice dance couple
15. Women
16. Men
17. Pair / ice dance couple
18. Women
19. Men
20. Pair / ice dance couple
21. Women
22. Men
23. Pair / ice dance couple
24. Women

Drawing of the starting number of each participant's performance is done inside each discipline (men's singles, a pair or an ice dance couple, women's singles). At the same time, Olympic champions and world champions have priority of drawing lots in later numbers.
In case of a change in the number of participants, the starting numbers are updated accordingly using a similar algorithm.

7. Summing up
Prizes for participants of the competition (1st-3rd place) will be awarded on the basis of scores given by professional jury members, based on their own impressions of participants' performances.

Each jury member gives points for two figure skating components* according to the ISU judging system rules for the current season on a ten-point scale using 0.25 steps according to the following scale:

10	Outstanding
9.00-9.75	Excellent
8.00-8.75	Very good
7.00-7.75	Good
6.00-6.75	Above average
5.00-5.75	Average
4.00-4.75	Fair
3.00-3.75	Weak
2.00-2.75	Poor
1.00-1.75	Very poor
0.00-0.75	Extremely poor

* Components that the organisers considered to reflect the objectives of the competition and the requirements for participants as much as possible:

Composition: the intentional, developed and/or original arrangement of the repertoire of all types of movements into a meaningful whole according to the principles of proportion, unity, space, pattern, and musical structure. In evaluating the Composition, the following must be considered:

• Unity;
• Connections between and within elements;
• Pattern and ice coverage;
• Multidimensional movements and use of space;
• Choreography reflecting musical phrase and form.

Presentation: the demonstration of engagement, commitment and involvement based on an understanding of the music and composition. In evaluating the Presentation, the following must be considered:

• Expressiveness and projection;
• Variety and contrast of energy and of movements;
• Musical sensitivity and timing;
• Unison, oneness and awareness of space (Pair Skating, Ice Dance).

For each component, the highest and lowest values are discarded from all scores of all judges. Based on the remaining points, an average value is calculated for each component. After that, scores for both components are summed up which gives the final score of each participant.
The participants with the highest score for the two components wins.

In the case of a tie between first two participants, both participants are declared winners of the competition. The prize money (the sum of the 1st and 2nd place prize money) is split equally between these participants (i.e. 4 million rubles each). Participant with next highest score takes third place and receives prize money for third place. The same principle applies when points are tied between participants for 2nd and/or 3rd place, or when more than two participants have equal points.

Places from 4 to 24 will not be awarded.

In case a participant is unable to finish their performance (e.g. broken equipment or injury) the performance is not scored.

Jury
1. The jury consists of respected and recognisable professionals from various fields of art (choreography/ballet, music, film, theatre, etc.) as well as media and sports representatives with experience of judging profile contests. When selecting jury members, preference will be given to professionalism over popularity. The jury will not include figure skating judges, as well as athletes, coaches, choreographers and/or other professionals associated with figure skating.
2. The names of the jury members will be disclosed at the start of the competition.
3. Discussion of participants' programs by jury members before or after the performance is not planned.

Audience Award
Additionally, the organisers provide Audience Award based on the results of fan voting.

The voting will take place on VK (Vkontakte) on March 18, 2023 from 17.00 (the start of the competition) until the actual time of awarding points to the last participant in the following three categories:

Women's Singles;
Men's Singles;
Pairs / Ice Dance Couples.

The voting results will be announced immediately after summing up the results of the main part of the competition (1-2-3 places).

Special prize from jury
Each of the jury members, justifying their choice, will be able to award a special prize in their name to a participant who has shown on ice the maximum qualities related to the professional activity of the jury member. However, the special prize cannot be awarded to participants who took 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in the competition.

Prize pool
Main competition
1 - 5 000 000 RUB
2 - 3 000 000 RUB
3 - 1 000 000 RUB

Audience Award
1 000 000 rubles for all three categories (women's singles, men's singles, pairs / ice dance couples). The prize pool is distributed equally among the winners.

Special prize from jury
500 000 rubles for each special prize

8. Other
Each invited participant will be paid a fee of 250 000 rubles which can be used for choreographing, costumes and/or props, as well as covering other expenses related to participation in the event.

Travel to the venue of the competition (if necessary) – at the expense of the sending organisation.
Accommodation (if necessary), meals and transportation from the place of residence to the venue of the competition (if necessary) are provided by the organisers.