ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating
- Thread starter Eevun
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"The “ISU World Team Trophy” is an ISU Event that is unprecedented in the long ISU history. The competition will involve representative teams from the 6 highest ranked ISU Members, including the host ISU Member."
I knew that individual skaters were ranked, but how are entire countries ranked?
I knew that individual skaters were ranked, but how are entire countries ranked?
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Very good question. And what are they going to do with a country like Japan that does not field a pair team at all, which is why Inoue is skating for the US and Kawaguchi is skating for Russia, but which is a powerhouse in singles? Assign a pair team to them?
However, this format will encourage countries to field a pairs team, which I think is a good thing, as the number of pairs' entries seems ever declining.
However, this format will encourage countries to field a pairs team, which I think is a good thing, as the number of pairs' entries seems ever declining.
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Yes, it answers a great many questions except Who Is Going to Skate Pairs from Japan?
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The preliminary announcement issued earlier mentioned that one of the purposes of the competition was to give incentive to various countries to rush a pairs team up the ladder and into competition. If they don't have any youmgsters to push, maybe Japan will try to make Yukina Ota into a pairs skater.
The section on penalties for non-participation were interesting. Basically, the ISU is trying to insist on having the top people show up by relying on whatever muscle thay can bring to bear (not much, I think), just like in the Grand Prix.
I see that skaters from non-top six countries can be invited to skate in the exhibition and make $10,000 for their appearance.
Also, that the Japanese federation is committed to paying the hotel costs and meals for all the skaters, caoches, judges, etc. The Japanese federation must already have substantial sponsorship lined up. The total purse is $US 1,000,000, and the expenses will double that.
The section on penalties for non-participation were interesting. Basically, the ISU is trying to insist on having the top people show up by relying on whatever muscle thay can bring to bear (not much, I think), just like in the Grand Prix.
I see that skaters from non-top six countries can be invited to skate in the exhibition and make $10,000 for their appearance.
Also, that the Japanese federation is committed to paying the hotel costs and meals for all the skaters, caoches, judges, etc. The Japanese federation must already have substantial sponsorship lined up. The total purse is $US 1,000,000, and the expenses will double that.
japan does have a junior pair, would they be allowed to skate? http://www.isufs.org/bios/isufs00010548.htm
Narumi Takahashi/Mervin Tran placed 15th at Junior Worlds - they would be eligible.
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The guidelines the ISU published does allow Juniors to be counted. And the top 24 yield points that count toward the team score to qualify for the event.
It sounds like it would be allowed. In fact, it looks like one of the ISU's purposes for the event is to encourage the stronger federations to enter teams in all 4 disciplines if at all possible. Additionally, they appear once again to be encouraging federations to send teams to Four Continents, since 4C's points count the same as Europeans' points.
Plus Takahashi & Tran are old enough to skate in seniors, too. Their bio says they are training with Richard Gauthier, so this is a serious team.
Given that entries in pairs at 4C's are often rather thin, I wouldn't be surprised to see this Japanese team entered next year.
It sounds like it would be allowed. In fact, it looks like one of the ISU's purposes for the event is to encourage the stronger federations to enter teams in all 4 disciplines if at all possible. Additionally, they appear once again to be encouraging federations to send teams to Four Continents, since 4C's points count the same as Europeans' points.
Plus Takahashi & Tran are old enough to skate in seniors, too. Their bio says they are training with Richard Gauthier, so this is a serious team.
Given that entries in pairs at 4C's are often rather thin, I wouldn't be surprised to see this Japanese team entered next year.
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- Nov 2, 2005
Not excited about this at all
Well I was so excited about this until I read the regulations. They are going with a track and field format. I was thinking that it would be like the Japan Open. Instead there is no chance for strong skaters to make up for the weak skaters because the point increment between places is only one point. Track and field at least had higher increments to make it more competitive. This is just riddiculus. There is no reward for doing very well. And there no downfall to doing badly. They took all the tension and fun out of the comepetion. And you automatincally get money for just for having your fed qualify, all you have do is skate in circles. If this is ISU way of motivating, I'm not following. What were they thinking?This is such a let down for me.
Well I was so excited about this until I read the regulations. They are going with a track and field format. I was thinking that it would be like the Japan Open. Instead there is no chance for strong skaters to make up for the weak skaters because the point increment between places is only one point. Track and field at least had higher increments to make it more competitive. This is just riddiculus. There is no reward for doing very well. And there no downfall to doing badly. They took all the tension and fun out of the comepetion. And you automatincally get money for just for having your fed qualify, all you have do is skate in circles. If this is ISU way of motivating, I'm not following. What were they thinking?This is such a let down for me.
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- Jul 11, 2003
First of all, I do not believe a Federation can Rush a new team into competition. It takes a while for the Pairs to adjust themselves to just skating edges and trying to do those silly pair spins, not to mention all those side by side elements. Lifts are team work in themselves and some of the plain lifts might be there, but those Lassos are not coming that easy.
Second and more important is that who really cares about a make shift Team Championship? Does anyone really remember the results of the recent contests of these informal two sided just mens and ladies team? And when will Bulgaria have a full team of 4 events?
Like the cheesefests. The winners of those contests were soon forgotten when the GPs started their end-of-season rounds. So will this unless there is a golden placard kept in Lausanne of the winners' names so that we can all visit that city as pilgrims.
IMHO, I don't believe in Team Honors in a Sport dedicated to the individual. The only exception is The Olympics. Peggy Flemming was the sole winner of that Grenoble event while Jean Claude Killy (France) won 3 Gold medals . Even the Olys are not in sync with team sports. There are teams in Hockey which isn't enough to win the placard of team honors except for that sport ONLY, and as it should be.
But the fans of figure skating will want this because it is an excuse to see their favorite skater again and dare I say; who cares about the nationality?
Joe
Second and more important is that who really cares about a make shift Team Championship? Does anyone really remember the results of the recent contests of these informal two sided just mens and ladies team? And when will Bulgaria have a full team of 4 events?
Like the cheesefests. The winners of those contests were soon forgotten when the GPs started their end-of-season rounds. So will this unless there is a golden placard kept in Lausanne of the winners' names so that we can all visit that city as pilgrims.
IMHO, I don't believe in Team Honors in a Sport dedicated to the individual. The only exception is The Olympics. Peggy Flemming was the sole winner of that Grenoble event while Jean Claude Killy (France) won 3 Gold medals . Even the Olys are not in sync with team sports. There are teams in Hockey which isn't enough to win the placard of team honors except for that sport ONLY, and as it should be.
But the fans of figure skating will want this because it is an excuse to see their favorite skater again and dare I say; who cares about the nationality?
Joe
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- Jul 28, 2003
Team Event?
You make a good point. Keep in mind the Olympics have a Team Gymnastics event. This is another individualistic sport with a team event. I've always been of the opinion that the Team Gymnastics event be eliminated for your above stated reasons. There is no group routine as in Rhythmic Gymnastics, Synchronized Swimming or Skating. This is more of a Ryder Cup/Davis Cup type of event(very popular BTW but not of the Olympics).
I wonder how many of the big guns would participate given that it seems to be scheduled after the 2009 Worlds. Maybe the ISU just wants an eligible only Ice Wars.
You make a good point. Keep in mind the Olympics have a Team Gymnastics event. This is another individualistic sport with a team event. I've always been of the opinion that the Team Gymnastics event be eliminated for your above stated reasons. There is no group routine as in Rhythmic Gymnastics, Synchronized Swimming or Skating. This is more of a Ryder Cup/Davis Cup type of event(very popular BTW but not of the Olympics).
I wonder how many of the big guns would participate given that it seems to be scheduled after the 2009 Worlds. Maybe the ISU just wants an eligible only Ice Wars.
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- Jul 11, 2003
I'm not enthused with the team championship of the Olys. Yet I have to recognize that there are a number of teams in gymnastics vying for that honor. I don't see a number of teams in figure skating which have complete enrolments in the four divisions. The way things are now, it will resurrect the old North American championship,
Speaking of the Ryder Cup, Davis Cup, those competitions can stand on their own. They also have a lot of money to back them up. If sponsors want to start a specialty truly open competition for figure skating, that could grow in the years to come especially if trophy's are awarded in each division, that would be nice, but very iffy. Skating fans will love it. Non skating fans will not care at all.
The Japan Open every Spring is fine and may grow in the years to come. Hopefully it will be open to all countries and not just the invited ones. Maybe this is what Cinquanta is aiming for. A long range plan.
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- Jun 21, 2003
I think its more like, let's "try eveything and see if anything works," rather than a true long range plan.
Someone had the bright idea a couple of years ago of having a phone-in-the-vote cheesefest, cashing in on a format that was successful for American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. It didn't generate much interest (but I don't think the format was the problem -- I think the U.S. general public was just not interested, period.) Shows like this have been successful recently in Russia, however.
Anyway, if the Japanese public will support a show with team Japan against teams from other countries, more power to them.
BTW, the way the scoring system works, a country is not at a terrible disadvantage even if they don't have much of a dance team or pairs team. Japan could easily come out ahead of both the Americans and the Canadians by clobbering the field in ladies and also winning men's with Takahashi and Oda, even if their dance and pairs teams are last.
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- Jul 11, 2003
Why not? He needs the money.
The interest of the American in Figure Skating is at a long time LOW. Let's hope NBC can stir it up. Interest in Russia is much higher even without a formidable lady skater. My Russian barber tells me, Tarassova is a riot on that show.
Well, with both formidable Ladies and Men, they are happy.
Big Question. Aside from the more wealthy Feds, which countries will pay for their skaters to attend it? I believe only the 'usual suspects' will make it to Japan.
International Competition? or Limited Competition?
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- Jun 21, 2003
The Japanese federation and their corporate sponsors will pay all the expenses of the skaters, judges, officials, and even a couple of coaches per team. This includes air fare, hotel and meals, in addition to fairly generous prize money even for the last place team. So the expense to the skaters, to their home federations, and to the ISU should be minimal.
Basically, Japanese television and Japanese commercial sponsors will foot the bill for the whole shebang.
It is pretty much guaranteed to be a competition among U.S., Canada, Japan, Russia, France and Italy, as far as I can tell by looking at rankings of various skaters. To qualify, a team must be ranked in the top six in terms of adding up international rankings of your top skaters.
Only the top six teams are invited; no one else need apply.
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- Jul 11, 2003
OK. Kind of like Cambells where no more than 6 skaters, probable, one each from US (Bebe), Canada (Joannie), and Italy (Carolina plus Mao, Nakari and maybe YuNa.
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- Jun 21, 2003
I think the plan is for two men and two ladies from each of the six national teams, plus one pairs team and one dance team from each of the six countries. This will make a total of 48 skaters in all.
The ISU is doing everything it can to force all the top-ranked skaters from the invited countries to show up. This includes threatening them with rule something-or-other which says they can skip this event only in the the case of "documented" injury, and if they do, they cannot skate in any other competition or show, ISU-sponsored or otherwise, for a month.
Yu-na Kim cannot compete (Korea is not one of the top six counties), but she can skate an exhibition number ($10,000 guaranteed.)
The ISU is doing everything it can to force all the top-ranked skaters from the invited countries to show up. This includes threatening them with rule something-or-other which says they can skip this event only in the the case of "documented" injury, and if they do, they cannot skate in any other competition or show, ISU-sponsored or otherwise, for a month.
Yu-na Kim cannot compete (Korea is not one of the top six counties), but she can skate an exhibition number ($10,000 guaranteed.)
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