2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships: General Info

[cheerknithanson]

Where's the link to the results page?

 

[rollerblade]

I wonder if Terry/Johnny/Tara will be casting remotely like they did with SkAm.

 

[ice coverage]

This is the way they do it. Either they split pairs and men groups, or they split pairs and dance. Because more people come to the afternoon sessions, and they get to see the "better half."

... But there are no people coming this time. No need to split them.

Also NBC won’t show all the ladies. They will show the final 2-3 groups.

Television audiences still will be watching 2021 Nats.
For TV programming executives, I think the goal would be similar: To keep as many non-diehard TV viewers interested as possible. From that point of view, combining later groups from the split disciplines would have a greater chance of showing "better" skating/skaters, in the same way that TV coverage of later groups of non-split disciplines would have a greater chance of showing "better" skating/skaters.
(With diehard fans who want to see all skating/skaters having the option of paying for Peacock Premium to see earlier groups as well as later groups.)

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I wonder if Terry/Johnny/Tara will be casting remotely like they did with SkAm.

Terry/Johnny/Tara will be in the arena in Las Vegas -- unlike Skate America.
Per yesterday's Fan Zone article.

(Plus "... Andrea Joyce will be the reporter backstage, while Tanith White will call the ice dance competitions from her home.")

Behind the Scenes with NBC as it Prepares For the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Although we are living through circumstances that are changing seemingly by the minute, when fans tune in for the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships on NBC, their viewing experience will remain unchanged.

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

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Where's the link to the results page?

On the Fan Zone virtual fan experience site.

 

[purplecat]

Direct link to the results page: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2021/27989/index.asp

Nothing there yet but should come up when they get starting orders, etc.

 

[skylark]

Does anyone have videos of the unofficial practices today?'

 

[leoncorazon]

I saw a pic of Tara, Johnny and Terry together today on social media. The post implied that they are already there and working but it could have been an old pic.

 

[Moxiejan]

Does anyone have videos of the unofficial practices today?'

On Twitter, Jackie Wong posted a short clip of Amber Glenn doing her 3A. Looked clean.

 

[Ross74]

Paige Rydberg just withdrew due to a positive Covid test. It's on her instagram. Was she in practice today? Will this impact the other Ladies?

paigerydberg​

I am so heartbroken be to writing this but I am having to withdraw from the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships due to a surprising positive COVID-19 test. I am feeling well and I want to wish all of the competitors best of luck this week! Stay healthy and see you all next season!

 

[CellarDweller]

I haven't had the time to watch much skating this season, so I'm psyched for the start of the Nationals.

I do have a question, though! The time that is posted in the event thread, is that a time different from East Coast? The schedule I've seen says that the Pairs short is on Thursday at 6:00 on NBCSN, but the thread says it starts 3:00.

I want to make sure I don't miss chatting with everyone live while it's going on.

 

[ice coverage]

I saw a pic of Tara, Johnny and Terry together today on social media. The post implied that they are already there and working but it could have been an old pic.

On Twitter, Jackie Wong posted a short clip of Amber Glenn doing her 3A. Looked clean.

Thanks for the perfect excuse to post Weir's tweeted video of Amber Glenn's great triple axel -- which appears to be from practice today at Orleans Arena.

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/1349133753487028225

Although Weir's tweet did not include not an explicit statement that he was in the arena watching Amber with his own eyes, I do take the video as evidence that he was.
(I do not know whether Gannon and Lipinski have arrived yet.)

ETA:

Mini-update that on Instastory just now, Weir explicitly said that he is in Las Vegas.​

What Jackie posted was the video from Weir.

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Does anyone have videos of the unofficial practices today?'

I have seen a few Instastories from skaters with bits of practice video of other skaters (or with reposts of video of themselves).
The skaters are required to watch from suites that are high up.

AFAIK, today's practices are/were not being streamed, so only someone who is authorized to be in the arena would have any chance of sharing video.

IIRC, credentials for on-site journalists at Nats basically were restricted to still photographers and to media rights holders [meaning NBC and the Japanese outlet, I believe].
Mixed zone, press conferences, interviews all are going to be held virtually. Even someone like Jackie is not going to be in Vegas.

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BTW/FWIW, seems that Nats will not have any "Ice Desk" webcasts?

I have seen zero mention from USFS of any.

 

[ice coverage]

Paige Rydberg just withdrew due to a positive Covid test. It's on her instagram. Was she in practice today? Will this impact the other Ladies?

I feel 99.99999% sure that Paige would not have been at practice today.

The rules are that skaters are tested upon first arrival at Orleans Arena (as part of the USFS safety protocols, the hotel check-in process takes place at the arena -- not at the normal front desk of the hotel).
At that time they receive only a wristband (not an event credential), and then they must quarantine in their hotel room until their COVID test comes back negative.
(During the period of quarantine, meals are delivered to their hotel rooms.)

ETA (on Jan 13):

Bending over backward to be clear and accurate:
Delivery of meals from the outside world is not allowed during quarantine or at any other time in the bubble. Ordering from GrubHub or UberEats or anything like that is not allowed.
I should have said that the first quarantine meal for Skate America was a boxed meal that skaters received when going through the hotel check-in process at the arena.
As part of the USFS bubble plan, the hotel also provides any additional quarantine meals, if necessary -- but IIRC, skaters would not receive multiple boxed meals when they go through the hotel check-in process; the hotel delivers its additional quarantine meals to the hotel rooms.​

Skaters do not receive their event credentials until after the test comes back negative.
A positive COVID test would mean that a skater would not be allowed to officially enter the bubble. The person would have no access to the rink for practice or for any other reason.

(Apologies that I originally had posted a link to Paige's Insta announcement before seeing that it already was in the post from Ross74.)

 

[CoyoteChris]

I feel 99.99999% sure that Paige would not have been at practice today.

The rules are that skaters are tested upon first arrival at Orleans Arena (as part of the USFS safety protocols, the hotel check-in process takes place at the arena -- not at the normal front desk of the hotel).
At that time they receive only a wristband (not an event credential), and then they must quarantine in their hotel room until their COVID test comes back negative.
(During the period of quarantine, meals are delivered to their hotel rooms.)

Skaters do not receive their event credentials until after the test comes back negative.
A positive COVID test would mean that a skater would not be allowed to officially enter the bubble. The person would have no access to the rink for practice or for any other reason.

(Apologies that I originally had posted a link to Paige's Insta announcement before seeing that it already was in the post from Ross74.)

Arggghhhhhh......... so sorry for her.....( if I understand you, Paige arrived in Vegas and got a test in the arena and got a wrist band. She then went to her room and waited X hours for the test results??? Having been there, it seems kind of odd as she was in the bubble while positive. And of course she COULD have been shedding virus on the aircraft, if she took one. Hopefully, she wore a quality mask in the bubble and on the aircraft.....
She and her nice mom must be devastated...sat with them at the FOFS Breakfast in Greensboro 2015.....

 

[ice coverage]

Arggghhhhhh......... so sorry for her.....( if I understand you, Paige arrived in Vegas and got a test in the arena and got a wrist band. She then went to her room and waited X hours for the test results??? Having been there, it seems kind of odd as she was in the bubble while positive. ....

She and her nice mom must be devastated...sat with them at the FOFS Breakfast in Greensboro 2015.....

First, I want to add that I too am very sad for Paige.
I spoke to her briefly at 2020 Nats, and she was so nice.
I hope that she continues to feel well. (But to be clear: I am definitely not questioning the need for her to withdraw.)

After going through the hotel check-in process at the arena and receiving their wristbands, skaters are *escorted* directly to their hotel rooms, where they must quarantine until a negative test result.
The wristband does not permit skaters to move about independently within the bubble.
The only exception being that after being notified electronically that they have a negative test result, skaters are allowed to walk back to the arena, where the wristband is cut off. Only then do they receive their event credentials, with which they are allowed to move about within the bubble.
Anecdote: Yesterday Molly Cesanek's Instastory during her quarantine period showed a small accumulation of empty bottles in her hotel room. Although skaters are supposed to take out their own trash to central garbage bins [ETA (on Jan 13): and/or central recycling bins?] on their hotel floor, she explained that she was not permitted to go into the hallway yet because she still was in quarantine.

Plus at almost all times, *everyone* in the bubble is supposed to wear masks and observe social distancing.
Obviously one cannot eat/drink when wearing a mask. But social distancing remains in effect in the USFS dining areas in the bubble. Today on the @skatingclubbos Instastory, Audrey Lu showed the Nats dining area for athletes. Large round dining tables (which normally would have room for something like ten people) have only two chairs each, placed diametrically opposite from each other.
I think the only other exception to mask-wearing in public areas within the bubble is for skaters who are on ice in the arena.

USFS has an arrangement for expedited PCR testing -- with results expected to come back the next day. Depending on what time of day the skater takes the test, the quarantine period for some skaters seems to be far less than 24 hours (and closer to 12 hours).

 

[moonvine]

I wonder if Terry/Johnny/Tara will be casting remotely like they did with SkAm.

On IG they appear to be there in person

 

[moonvine]

I think I am having false memories. I havent been to nats in a couple of years but I went every year before that back to 2007, IIRc. I dont remember much splitting, except for the 2010 Oly year in Spokane when they really went screwy.

Things have really changed for TV. It can get quite annoying.

 

[moonvine]

Does anyone have videos of the unofficial practices today?'

Good luck with video. I’d kill someone for just a verbal update. Is Gracie landing her triple triple?

I have a doctors appointment tomorrow and will have to rely on others to tell me what is going on. Could we have a practice cam chat thread?

 

[Carolla5501]

USFS has an arrangement for expedited PCR testing -- with results expected to come back the next day. Depending on what time of day the skater takes the test, the quarantine period for some skaters seems to be far less than 24 hours (and closer to 12 hours).

Actually I am sure they can get them back fast. My last PCR test took place at 10 AM. Results were in my mailbox by 11 that night and the test was in a parking lot a LONG way from the lab

 

[Jontor]

I feel so sorry for Paige. The only time I've seen her was at Skate America and I was impressed with her. Was looking forward to see her again.

 

[moonvine]

I feel so sorry for Paige. The only time I've seen her was at Skate America and I was impressed with her. Was looking forward to see her again.

I’m always sad when they work so hard all year and have to withdraw.

 

[alexocfp]

Don’t know if it was posted or not, but here is the link to the 60 page program:

2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships Event Program

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It can also be downloaded.