2022 Grand Prix Espoo: General Info | Pre-game Chat | Page 2 | Golden Skate

2022 Grand Prix Espoo: General Info | Pre-game Chat

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Yes, I attended Finlandia Trophy. Personally, I have never felt cold in Metro Arena. The clothes I normally wear outside in Finnish autumn have kept me warm there. Now, however, it's winter, snow, a few degrees below zero and at least today strong and cold wind so the venue can also be colder but normal winter clothing will do outside and inside too, maybe it is too much inside, we´ll see. Also worth noting that the pavements were slippery in many places today. I think Metro Arena is a nice venue and clearly warmer than the venue in Vantaa where FT was organized in the past.
That is a good point. I studied the crowd at NHK and many were wearing winter coats in the front row during the comp, which would be very unlikely in the US as they turn up the heat. Did your winter come early? We have had snow on the ground for 14 days....AWD vehicles are a good idea here....deicer is not used on most roads. We are probably not as far north as you guys are...our sun now peaks at 23 degrees above the horizon.
sun.jpg
 

Lyyli

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
That is a good point. I studied the crowd at NHK and many were wearing winter coats in the front row during the comp, which would be very unlikely in the US as they turn up the heat. Did your winter come early? We have had snow on the ground for 14 days....AWD vehicles are a good idea here....deicer is not used on most roads. We are probably not as far north as you guys are...our sun now peaks at 23 degrees above the horizon.
View attachment 6032
We got first snow in Helsinki just two days ago. Usually it falls in October so the winter is a bit late but that´s what the climate change keeps doing. Finland is a long country though and especially in Lapland it gets cold earlier. I had no glue where the sun peaks here in Helsinki now in November but found out that it is 10 degrees above the horizon.
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
We got first snow in Helsinki just two days ago. Usually it falls in October so the winter is a bit late but that´s what the climate change keeps doing. Finland is a long country though and especially in Lapland it gets cold earlier. I had no glue where the sun peaks here in Helsinki now in November but found out that it is 10 degrees above the horizon.
Yeah, climate change is killing lots of my trees...... :(

Forgive me if I dont visit Helsinki this time of year
Helsinki.jpg
 

TT_Fin

The second worst besserwisser in the world
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Country
Finland
There is quite a long break between women and men, but the reason must be the tickets are sold in two sets, pairs-women is one men-dance is another set. So it may mean we who have all-event-tickets cannot stay at our seats or leave our staff there during that break, as it was at worlds during disciplines, but probably we can be inside at the restaurant area. I don't remember if it was allowed in GP 2018. For FT there are only daily tickets, so during it it has not been an issue. But asking costs nothing. I hope they are not so accurate during this than during worlds. And Yuzuru was there in both, for that reason the guards staff had to do their job and be accurate.
 
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CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
There is quite a long break between women and men, but the reason must be the tickets are sold in two sets, pairs-women is one men-dance is another set. So it may mean we who have all-event-tickets cannot stay at our seats or leave our staff there during that break, as it was at worlds during disciplines, but probably we can be inside at the restaurant area. I don't remember if it was allowed in GP 2019. For FT there are only daily tickets, so during it it has not been an issue. But asking costs nothing. I hope they are not so accurate during this than during worlds. And Yuzuru was there in both, for that reason the guards staff had to do their job and be accurate.
In the US, they do things now a bit different, depending on the event of course. They can still clear the arena so you have to go inside again, but many times they just scan both day's tickets at once and pretty much rely on the honor system. Ins and outs are sometimes an issue at an event if you want to go out to eat outside of the arena, but at GPs, where the events run only two days, there is little time to go out and enjoy a meal. If the local restaurant association is helping sponsor an event, there seems to magically be time to eat dinner with friends.
 

Paz

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
What’s the COVID situation in Finland? Mandatory masks, plexiglass partitions, no yelling/only applause?
 

NoNameFace

GS given name - Beatrice
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
What’s the COVID situation in Finland? Mandatory masks, plexiglass partitions, no yelling/only applause?
Not sure, but if Finlandia Trophy was an indicator, masking was voluntary, I haven't seen plexiglass and there was no advisory on cheering..?
 
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moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
I will take them with me for sure (plus handmade cards and hopefully handmade bouquet if I have enough time), but...got an email from organisers that gifts won't be allowed.
So it will be a total freestyle with hope to not get thrown out of the arena :laugh:. I will definitely go for crowning (and gifting) of Piper and Paul, even if those will be the only skaters gifted. But I have plans for much more.
Are you going? Feel free to approach me to talk or see crowns/other stuff in person :), I will probably sit around and make more crowns to probably take them back with me lol).
Isn't this the venue that said "no gifts" and then announced "gifts and flowers given to the skaters must be completely wrapped" on the PA?
 

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
That is a good point. I studied the crowd at NHK and many were wearing winter coats in the front row during the comp, which would be very unlikely in the US as they turn up the heat. Did your winter come early? We have had snow on the ground for 14 days....AWD vehicles are a good idea here....deicer is not used on most roads. We are probably not as far north as you guys are...our sun now peaks at 23 degrees above the horizon.
View attachment 6032
I wear coats at US events (and sweaters and gloves and heavy socks). Even the ones in the summer, where I hit the door to go outside and it's 95 degrees and I start removing layers until I get to the base layer.
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Japan 7 day rolling average has tripled since Oct 10th.
Finland's curve has been flat since Oct 15th.
 

NoNameFace

GS given name - Beatrice
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Isn't this the venue that said "no gifts" and then announced "gifts and flowers given to the skaters must be completely wrapped" on the PA?
Hmmm. I am not aware of that, BUT I really wish that kind of change in the policy would happen lol.
I know I'll look stupid there, carrying extra bag full of flower crowns, but I just can't go empty-handed for some reason. I will just have to be creative and utilise contacts (if possible), because if Espoo has no gifts policy, I will just have to respect it :)
 

TT_Fin

The second worst besserwisser in the world
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Country
Finland
Hmmm. I am not aware of that, BUT I really wish that kind of change in the policy would happen lol.
I know I'll look stupid there, carrying extra bag full of flower crowns, but I just can't go empty-handed for some reason. I will just have to be creative and utilise contacts (if possible), because if Espoo has no gifts policy, I will just have to respect it :)
Did you ask about gifts in general? Finns appreciate handmade things like that so I recommend you to contact the organizers once again and tell about the crowns, pictures from last weekend where a Finnish girl got one may help. Ask if you can have an opportunity to deliver them in one way or another. And be ready if they want to interview you about those Crowns more!
 

NoNameFace

GS given name - Beatrice
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Did you ask about gifts in general? Finns appreciate handmade things like that so I recommend you to contact the organizers once again and tell about the crowns, pictures from last weekend where a Finnish girl got one may help. Ask if you can have an opportunity to deliver them in one way or another. And be ready if they want to interview you about those Crowns more!
You know that this particular idea, including mentioning of Jaana Jyrkinen getting a handmade crown during VC, has crossed my mind? ;)
However, the scaredy chicken I am, I keep thinking that outing myself with gifts beforehand could make staff/volunteers even more vigilant, including Victory Ceremony/time after it.

This is my email and response I got, if anyone's interested:
Screenshot_20221123-075333_Gmail.jpg
 

surimi

Onward and forward, Sota!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
You know that this particular idea, including mentioning of Jaana Jyrkinen getting a handmade crown during VC, has crossed my mind? ;)
However, the scaredy chicken I am, I keep thinking that outing myself with gifts beforehand could make staff/volunteers even more vigilant, including Victory Ceremony/time after it.

This is my email and response I got, if anyone's interested:
View attachment 6039

Aw, that sucks. But I shouldn't be surprised, Finland is a country I wasn't allowed to enter during the pandemic, well maybe I'm still not, who knows, and looks like this mega strict policy is still going strong, if the response above is any indication. Well, it was nice to attend Finlandia two times in the past at least.
I know there was a ban on skater gifts last year in Warsaw inside the arena, but folks were meeting the skaters outside in front of the skater entrance, and noone minded. The Metro Areena skater entrance could be guarded more, though. The parking lot in front of the practice rink could be another option, but skaters seem to board the buses in the back where a security guy prowls. But that one could be more approachable than the officials whose emails could be printed and published anytime (and used against them, if lenient and contradicting the stipulated policy). I'd still recommend learning a few words in Finnish to explain, though, as the English among the security guys wasn't very strong when I was there. Practice rink could be another option - it's easy to just hand a gift over the railing, unless the skater is super short, or unless you are, but it's again best checked in person with the staff sitting there. Hopefully it helps, and fingers crossed for you - I enjoy seeing your crowns at competitions. :)
 
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