2023-24 Canadian Figure Skating

[4everchan]

Fiona didn't underperform, she performed in line with how she usually does. Her nationals result is not her baseline.

How do you know ? It's not like she has much of a historic of international competitions... even domestic in her own career. Also, have you seen her in training? Does she land all her jumps repeatedly but then gets nervous when finally she has an outing?

Our pairs and dance teams get the same basic formula (a Challenger or two, as many Grand Prixes as you can earn) and yet they do very well. Which would suggest that the schedule isn't the issue.

Very big difference for most of these teams with the more mature skaters. 1) they have had experiences accumulating over the years. 2) they are more equipped to deal with pressure just in terms of maturity. Also, our top dance and pair teams get 2 GPS. You can see how the younger pairs teams have not done well this season... that should give some hint about what I am talking about consistency requires experience thus opportunities

 

[saine]

Our pairs and dance teams get the same basic formula (a Challenger or two, as many Grand Prixes as you can earn) and yet they do very well. Which would suggest that the schedule isn't the issue.

Or it may suggest that a one size fits all formula doesn't work for all the disciplines. It may be working for the top ice dance/pairs teams, but it isn't working for singles. The disciplines all have different expectations, they need to be treated differently.

 

[Colonel Green]

How do you know ? It's not like she has much of a historic of international competitions... even domestic in her own career. Also, have you seen her in training? Does she land all her jumps repeatedly but then gets nervous when finally she has an outing?

She has competed plenty domestically. She has a track record. Her Finlandia result is not out of step with it.

You can see how the younger pairs teams have not done well this season... that should give some hint about what I am talking about consistency requires experience thus opportunities

Those teams have plenty of experience relative to their age, especially McIntosh. Their bigger problem is injury and lesser overall skill.

 

[4everchan]

She has competed plenty domestically. She has a track record. Her Finlandia result is not out of step with it.

Those teams have plenty of experience relative to their age, especially McIntosh. Their bigger problem is injury and lesser overall skill.

You and I have a very different idea of what track record/experience means. I will leave it at that. I don't think we will agree on this and that's fine. YMMV

 

[4everchan]

Fiona's track record.
From Skate Canada's website.
Of course, they don't list those summer/sectionals events and they shouldn't. I read it perhaps differently than some, but if we disregard the pre-novice events, there is only one event where she missed the mark, 2022 Skate Canada Chalenge. Note that she didn't get the privilege to compete on JGP. Her experience is truly limited since she "grew up" in the covid times. So one could imagine that given more international events, she may do better. It's not by staying home that she will improve her track record.

Skating Career​

NATIONAL EVENTS
SENIOR WOMEN 2023 Canadian Tire National Championships – 3 2023 Skate Canada Challenge – 1 JUNIOR WOMEN 2022 Canadian Tire National Championships – 2 2022 Skate Canada Challenge – 17 2021 Skate Canada Challenge – 6 PRE-NOVICE WOMEN 2019 Skate Canada Challenge – 28

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
SENIOR WOMEN 2023 Finlandia Trophy – 11 JUNIOR WOMEN 2022 Ice Challenge – 6 2022 Egna Spring Trophy – 3

 

[4everchan]

Shared in the Italian thread

Corey would indeed be skating for Italy.

2023-2024 Italian Figure Skating

It seems Frangipani may have accidentally semi-confirmed Corey's switch in his post skate interview at NHK...

www.goldenskate.com

 

[Jumping_Bean]

That doesn't make sense as a way of looking at it. The federation knows how many total assignments skaters get and factor that into their decisions, not to mention that the federation is typically involved in lobbying to get their skaters invites to other Grand Prix events.

You cannot really "lobby" your skaters into GP assignments. If they aren't high enough in the SB/WS list they are not getting GP assignments and that's the end of it. And Skate Canada certainly didn't lobby their skaters into GP assignments, considering 3 out of 4 initial GP assignments on both the men's and women's side were host spots.

Not to even speak about the fact that Wesley & Stephen were replacements, so no, Skate Canada actually had no way of knowing they'd be getting another GP assignment.

 

[bgg]

So how do you explain Smart/Dieck getting skate America without a sb/ws? Possibly some lobbying?

 

[4everchan]

So how do you explain Smart/Dieck getting skate America without a sb/ws? Possibly some lobbying?

Isn't there a rule for returning skaters ? If that's the case + them training in Canada, they'd be a good pick.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

So how do you explain Smart/Dieck getting skate America without a sb/ws? Possibly some lobbying?

Isn't there a rule for returning skaters ? If that's the case + them training in Canada, they'd be a good pick.

Exactly, there is a rule for so-called “Returning Split Couples”:
"Pairs or Ice Dance Couples, who were previously in the top 7 to 12 of an ISU World Figure Skating Championships in the past three seasons (2021, 2022 or 2023) but who split and now have a new partner, may always be chosen as an Organizing ISU Member Skater as per paragraph 2.2. f) [host spot] and in addition, may be considered as an Organizing ISU Member’s Choice as per paragraph 2.2. g) [top 75 SB]. They will be ranked in the list of Grand Prix Season’s Best scores by taking the season’s points of their partnership with their most recent previous partner, if proof is given in writing by their ISU Member that they intend to continue their competitive career and their return is announced and confirmed by the date of the annual SelectionMeeting. Such Pairs/Dance Couples are defined as a “Returning Split Couple” and such Returning SplitCouples do not need to fulfill the requirement of a minimum Grand Prix score."

Tim never placed that high at Worlds, but Olivia did, so her last SB with Adrian would be the score used (199.11) which placed them very high on the list of skaters without two GP assignments from the get-go (i.e. skaters who weren't guaranteed two GP assignments based on last year's Worlds placements). - And as @4everchan says, they train in Canada, so for the US fed they were a "cheap" couple to fly in, especially with all the other IAM couples.

 

[Andrea82]

Kevin Reynolds will be the Technical Specialist at Challenge for both Senior Women and Men.

 

[Colonel Green]

You cannot really "lobby" your skaters into GP assignments. If they aren't high enough in the SB/WS list they are not getting GP assignments and that's the end of it.

Yes, you can, when they are on the replacement list.

 

[4everchan]

Yes, you can, when they are on the replacement list.

Hypothetically. At the same time, it didn't work out for Conrad who is Skate Canada's highest ranked skater from Nationals (who hasn't retired)... and the poster boy on the Nationals advert for this year... One would assume that Skate Canada would have pushed for him to get a spot no? So what does it say about lobbying - it probably has very little incidence on whatever the hosts end up doing...

Rewind a few years when Osmond won Skate Canada and was hoping to get a second assignment... never happened. If there was any power to these lobbies, she would have gotten a spot when one opened up.

 

[FlossieH]

Hypothetically. At the same time, it didn't work out for Conrad who is Skate Canada's highest ranked skater from Nationals (who hasn't retired)... and the poster boy on the Nationals advert for this year... One would assume that Skate Canada would have pushed for him to get a spot no? So what does it say about lobbying - it probably has very little incidence on whatever the hosts end up doing...

Rewind a few years when Osmond won Skate Canada and was hoping to get a second assignment... never happened. If there was any power to these lobbies, she would have gotten a spot when one opened up.

Wesley Chiu is who Skate Canada seem to view as their future no.1, though. I can entirely see a potential scenario where the Japanese Fed/NHK organisers might approach Skate Canada with a 'we want to invite one of your skaters from the replacement list, should it be Conrad Orzel or Wesley Chiu?' and SC saying Chiu.

 

[NanaPat]

Kevin Reynolds will be the Technical Specialist at Challenge for both Senior Women and Men.

Happy he's doing that, not happy it means he won't be a commentator.

 

[Weathergal]

Happy he's doing that, not happy it means he won't be a commentator.

Yay - go Kevin!

 

[4everchan]

Wesley Chiu is who Skate Canada seem to view as their future no.1, though. I can entirely see a potential scenario where the Japanese Fed/NHK organisers might approach Skate Canada with a 'we want to invite one of your skaters from the replacement list, should it be Conrad Orzel or Wesley Chiu?' and SC saying Chiu.

That's a possibility but of course, it's also hypothetical. I simply thought that Chiu being Vancouver based was a better choice for NHK. I know he is young, but if he had rotated a simple triple instead of popping two jumps at junior worlds last year, he would have medaled. At some point, he will have to do better. I was very impressed with Wesley a couple years ago but I don't feel he has taken his skating much further and struggles with the same issues competition after competition. I also don't find him as charismatic as Roman or even Conrad. He has had more outings than many on top of that.

 

[RatedPG]

Well, Romsky posted another update:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

The footage is dated 11/09/2023. He has all his triples back: 3Lo, 3F, 3Lz and 3A to add to the 4S. I’m not sure about the 4T? But, would rather not have him go for that quad jump. He mentioned he can land these jumps in isolation. So, not sure how consistent his programs are with these jumps. He mentioned he was going to skate Warsaw with watered down content. I was curious to know what layout he would have gone for. What is interesting, is that I no longer see him practicing 3A 2T or 4S-eu-3S. He kept the 3F/Lz 3T combo. But, in practice, he is going for 3A eu 3S and 4S 2A sequence (prefer this combo for him). He should go for his combos in the first half of his free skate.

He also mentioned he has an interesting story about his WD from Warsaw Cup. He will release a separate video for that one. I wish him all the luck at Golden Spin. A score of 221.55 will place him 2nd behind Stephen this season and I think will suffice to be selected for one of the three spots for 4CC. Really want him to score that, podium at Nationals, and then see him at 4CC and Worlds

 

[4everchan]

Well, Romsky posted another update:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

The footage is dated 11/09/2023. He has all his triples back: 3Lo, 3F, 3Lz and 3A to add to the 4S. I’m not sure about the 4T? But, would rather not have him go for that quad jump. He mentioned he can land these jumps in isolation. So, not sure how consistent his programs are with these jumps. He mentioned he was going to skate Warsaw with watered down content. I was curious to know what layout he would have gone for. What is interesting, is that I no longer see him practicing 3A 2T or 4S-eu-3S. He kept the 3F/Lz 3T combo. But, in practice, he is going for 3A eu 3S and 4S 2A sequence (prefer this combo for him). He should go for his combos in the first half of his free skate.

He also mentioned he has an interesting story about his WD from Warsaw Cup. He will release a separate video for that one. I wish him all the luck at Golden Spin. A score of 221.55 will place him 2nd behind Stephen this season and I think will suffice to be selected for one of the three spots for 4CC. Really want him to score that, podium at Nationals, and then see him at 4CC and Worlds

Thanks for the update. We will find out very soon how Roman does in Zagreb.

 

[saine]

I know he is young, but if he had rotated a simple triple instead of popping two jumps at junior worlds last year, he would have medaled.

Wesley talked about feeling the pressure at Junior Worlds after his free. And then he talked about feeling the pressure after ACI after his free there. He is doing better with the 4T this year, but when TSL heard that he had the best performance at HPC due to his 4Lz...

I like Wesley's skating, but not because he's attempted a 4Lz or a 4S this season in addition to the 4T. Good for him for attempting it, but I wish he'd stick with the 4T only for now if he's having issues with pressure.