Article about reinstating Qualifying Rounds | Golden Skate

Article about reinstating Qualifying Rounds

Eevun

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
My first reaction was "Boo!", but maybe he has a point...
"If the standard of skating is so poor, the ISU should change. ... This is a championship, not a festival,"
 

NatachaHatawa

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
I believe that certain skaters should have to pass by a qualifying round, not all of them though. Maybe there should be some system in which there should be minimal requirements, either a score obtained during a season, or a place obtained something like that. But I don't belive that the top 15 skaters should have to go though QR, it just makes them use too mush energy for such an insignificant part of the competition.
 

skatingbc

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
I believe that certain skaters should have to pass by a qualifying round, not all of them though. Maybe there should be some system in which there should be minimal requirements, either a score obtained during a season, or a place obtained something like that. But I don't belive that the top 15 skaters should have to go though QR, it just makes them use too mush energy for such an insignificant part of the competition.

I agree with you. Maybe they should look at Grand Prix results from earlier in the season and World Champs results from the previous year to determine who can bypass the Qualifying Rounds. I think this would make it easier on the judges too. No more sitting through 8 hours of short programs!
 

yelyoh

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I think they should do it according to ranking. I think the top 24 skaters, who presumably could normally make it to the free skate (or maybe 20 with a few wild cards as they do in tennis) be automatic entries and the others, say in this recent case of Worlds, the remaining 30 skaters, have to do their short programs in a qualifying round with the top 12 of those making it to the general competition short program. The scores of this qual round would of course not carry over.

It is nice to have international representation but many of the skaters live in the US and are probably US citizens so it's not in fact totally representative of an international pool. I mean the young lady representing India could only hop around and land on two feet. If there were such a thing as a Worlds novice comp she wouldn't even make it past the short program there. I do not think that every skater should have to do all three rounds if they bring back the q round.
 

castmembersonly

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Having sat through an entire week at Staples as a volunteer I have a divided opinion. I worked in costume repair and got to meet skaters from all skill levels as their various "wardrobe malfunctions" were attended to. Some medaled and some didn't even get into the final run. I felt very uncomfortable watching the huge gap between the high skilled competitors and those with lesser abilities. However the skaters from places that only have one ice surface in the entire country have no illusions regarding the outcome. They were universally proud to be at the event and willing to accept their spot in the first warmup. The spirit of this sport is so much more important than tv coverage and commercials. It's alive and well on the ground... er....ice. I was privileged to repair their shabby stuff because they wore it with such esteem. They also received great enthusiasm from a gracious SoCal audience. I hope they carry their love of skating throughout their lives and practical careers.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
maybe there should be a qualifying round, but those who were in the top 12 last year at world should get a bye.
 

tae04

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
No to qualifying. He was complaining it took 8 hours to complete the shorts. Well having a qualifying round would be an extra waste of time and energy in my opinion.
 

enlight78

Medalist
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
I say just use the results from 4CC and Europeans. If the federations doesn't score a certain amount they don't quallify for worlds. All feds send there skaters to 4CC or Europeans but not all feds participate in the GP's.
 

Mafke

Medalist
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Basically there has to be an elimination process before the SP.

The question is how:

Maybe countries will have to qualify skaters for the WC based on european/4C grand prix and second tier international events. Figuring out how to do this will be difficult and complex and there will be lots of complaints no matter how fair (and nb, I trust the ISU to come up with a fair and rational system about as much as I trust elephants to fly, maybe less)

A qualifying round that doesn't kill the skaters and/or judges. This means a separate judging panel just for quals and some skaters are exempt. I would suggest a qualifying round based on the SP (not the LP a typical stupid, stupid idea from the ISU).

Or ... maybe the ISU should deal directly with individual skaters (with their federations on the sideline). That way, let's say the top 36 skaters by the end of february are invited to worlds with no country limits so that the Japanese federation doesn't have to decide whether to leave Suguri or Nakano home.

The current system is unworkable and unfair in many ways. (But again 'workable' doesn't seem to be a concern of the ISU anymore than 'fair' is)
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
Or ... maybe the ISU should deal directly with individual skaters (with their federations on the sideline).

This is exactly what should happen. Results from 4 Continents/Euros and the Grand Prix should determine who gets to go to Worlds. If you receive a certain score at any of those competitions, you should be eligible for Worlds that year. If 10 Japanese and 10 American skaters are eligible, so be it. They deserve to be at Worlds because they are the best in the World.
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
This is exactly what should happen. Results from 4 Continents/Euros and the Grand Prix should determine who gets to go to Worlds. If you receive a certain score at any of those competitions, you should be eligible for Worlds that year. If 10 Japanese and 10 American skaters are eligible, so be it. They deserve to be at Worlds because they are the best in the World.

But what determines entry into the GP? It becomes circular unless there are other criteria for getting into the GP because selection for two GPs is based on results at worlds and seasons best scores. The GPs would need to become more of a free for all to allow all skaters equal chance to get the scores meaning everyone has to have the opportunity to skate at least once on the GP.

Also if you did make it a score that had to be met it would open a can of worms in terms of the fact you can't compare scores from different competitions - imagine the skater who draws the caller and judging panel at the notorious Skate America where triples were downgraded more than they were called?

Ant
 

StickyFumblings

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 24, 2007
I would suggest they do a system similar to that of track and field, have a certain number of skaters from Euros and 4CCs qualify (let's say the top ten 10 from each) and then the next set highest scores from both competitions qualify as well (let's say 10 again, making 30 total). Then, top 24 from the SP qualify for the LP.

I also agree that the spots should go to the skaters, not the country or federation, unless that skate can't compete. That way, for example, the U.S. sends it's best skaters to 4CCs, not team B.
 

dewey

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Would making qualifying for Worlds more difficult work against encouraging new federations to develop their programs? After all, Yu-Na Kim is the first major Korean competitor, the Chinese pairs have only emerged in the last decade, etc.
 

enlight78

Medalist
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
Would making qualifying for Worlds more difficult work against encouraging new federations to develop their programs? After all, Yu-Na Kim is the first major Korean competitor, the Chinese pairs have only emerged in the last decade, etc.

I believe that it can go either federations would be force to develope their program to the fullest or won't bother to do it at all. It depends what the qualification would be. It could be based on rank. scores ,or skills(can do level two spins, footwork ,and 4 differnt triples). I think going by scores or skills wiil be the fairest since it is so hard to gather ranking points.
 

MagicFairy

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 31, 2008
I would suggest they do a system similar to that of track and field, have a certain number of skaters from Euros and 4CCs qualify (let's say the top ten 10 from each) and then the next set highest scores from both competitions qualify as well (let's say 10 again, making 30 total). Then, top 24 from the SP qualify for the LP.

I also agree that the spots should go to the skaters, not the country or federation, unless that skate can't compete. That way, for example, the U.S. sends it's best skaters to 4CCs, not team B.

:mad: Hallo?? Do you understand the reason for "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS"??? :banging::banging::banging:
The worlds are NOT only for USA, Russia, Japan and Canada!!!!!! I love to see short programs from India, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Ireland, South Africa or Monaco and i think Worlds should keep this SP (early group and later group) system!!
I don´t understand the problem about the gowing number of competitors and exotic countries at the world championships! It´s a positive evolution!!

I really hope the qualification at worlds will be no change and this sill... Cinquanta will retire!!!
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
But what determines entry into the GP? It becomes circular unless there are other criteria for getting into the GP because selection for two GPs is based on results at worlds and seasons best scores. The GPs would need to become more of a free for all to allow all skaters equal chance to get the scores meaning everyone has to have the opportunity to skate at least once on the GP.

Well, yes, qualifications for the Grand Prix should be changed a bit. Every country should be able to send at least one skater to one Grand Prix event. Every country also automatically gets one entry to 4 Continents/Euros as well. That provides two chances a season for any country to get a skater to Worlds.

Also if you did make it a score that had to be met it would open a can of worms in terms of the fact you can't compare scores from different competitions - imagine the skater who draws the caller and judging panel at the notorious Skate America where triples were downgraded more than they were called?

If a skater is world-class they ARE going to get the necessary score at one of the competitions. A few of the lesser skaters might be "unfairly" left out because of relative scoring between events, but it's much more important for Worlds to actually showcase the best skaters in the World. Yukari Nakano, Akiko Suzuki, Johnny Weir, Alban Preaubert, Caroline Zhang, Ashley Wagner, and various other skaters absolutely should have been at Worlds this year. Limiting entries to a certain number per country needs to stop. It's such a backwards way of thinking.
 

Luna89

Spectator
Joined
Mar 23, 2009
:mad: Hallo?? Do you understand the reason for "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS"??? :banging::banging::banging:
The worlds are NOT only for USA, Russia, Japan and Canada!!!!!! I love to see short programs from India, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Ireland, South Africa or Monaco and i think Worlds should keep this SP (early group and later group) system!!
I don´t understand the problem about the gowing number of competitors and exotic countries at the world championships! It´s a positive evolution!!

I really hope the qualification at worlds will be no change and this sill... Cinquanta will retire!!!

I agree!:yes:

I have afraid of Cinquanta because he plans to reduce the number of competitors at worlds and that would be horrible :cry::cry::cry:
That would be go back in the past and not in the future :disapp:
 

StickyFumblings

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 24, 2007
Okay, then include Africa and call it the 5CC. Or you allocate a few wildcard spots. Regardless of how it comes about, the point is, the number of competitors should be reduced to at least 36 for singles and 28 teams for pairs and dance, IMO.
 

Kimmie Fan

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 6, 2008
I don't get this.
So what if the SP round takes 8 hours?
Nobody is forcing anyone to sit through all of it.
Doesn't really affect the TV coverage.
And the fans have the choice of watching the lesser talents or head over to the practice rink.

Again, I don't understand what the problem is? :scratch:
 
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