2023 GP Espoo Entries

[CrazyKittenLady]

Yay, so happy for Ivan and Nikita. I love their programs and am very excited that they will show them on the GP stage!

 

[lariko]

Yay, so happy for Ivan and Nikita. I love their programs and am very excited that they will show them on the GP stage!

Totally! I haven't even seen Shmuratko this season yet. I am miffed about Litvintzev's WD though. He had a great start at SkAm and seem to enjoy it/interacting with the fans a lot.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

I had not included the Japanese men as I am aware it cannot be a Japanese man so the top three I was referring to = Mark, Maksim and Conrad. Then, still excluding Japanese guys, there is
4)Roman
5)Lucas
6)Ivan
7)Nikita
8)Tomas
9)Matthew
10)Vladimir
11) Jaeseok (don't know him ?)
12) Alex Selevko
13) Torgashev

Of course, there are a bunch of Japanese guys intertwined in there, but I had not counted them. If they are really looking inside the top ten, then Sasha is not in it.

Roman might not be considered as he withdrew from his other GP due to health reasons, even though he is healthy enough to compete again now. Jaeseok retired in April, at the age of 22.

Starostin in now in Warsaw. But not Shmuratko. Is he going to Finland? Does anyone else? So mysterious.

Starostin isn't in Warsaw, though? Or at least he shouldn't be as he was never entered for that competition, and is on the entry list for GP Espoo by now anyway.

 

[4everchan]

Roman might not be considered as he withdrew from his other GP due to health reasons, even though he is healthy enough to compete again now.

I kept Roman there because I don't know the rules when a skater W/D from their only GP but are healthy... Can they be considered again? I would think yes but I am not sure.

Jaeseok retired in April, at the age of 22.

I had put i had no idea who he was... so now I know he is a skater who retired before I ever knew him. Off the list then.

Thanks for the input. With one less skater, Selevko is still outside the top ten even without any of the Japanese men. I know his name has been mentioned but and that his bro is going to NHK but yeah... whatever, I hope they pick someone inside the top ten on the list. At this point, I have given up on the hopes that Conrad will be chosen anyways... NHK could have picked him and they chose Wesley... so why would they pick him now ? I will wait for Nationals and hope that Conrad turns his season around... and doesn't give up.

 

[TT_Fin]

Does Conrad have any personal reason to refuse the spot? This time I understand Finland had to ask skaters who are physically in Europe because probably most skaters are already on they way and Ivan for example had got the message late evening. But when they chose Liam after Andreas wd, I cannot see any specific reason to choose him over higher ranked skaters. I could imagine fed have asked ISU to help because Finns are very compliant with the rules overall and I have noticed Finland's federation also is very much like that. If ISU tells a rule, then Finns obey.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

And as I thought, money was probably one of the driving factors for choosing European skaters as replacements:
https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000009986115.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=toimitus-dlvr
The Finnish skating fed has already made 400k losses so far this year, and has even laid off two full-time employees.

 

[4everchan]

Does Conrad have any personal reason to refuse the spot? This time I understand Finland had to ask skaters who are physically in Europe because probably most skaters are already on they way and Ivan for example had got the message late evening. But when they chose Liam after Andreas wd, I cannot see any specific reason to choose him over higher ranked skaters. I could imagine fed have asked ISU to help because Finns are very compliant with the rules overall and I have noticed Finland's federation also is very much like that. If ISU tells a rule, then Finns obey.

The reason I feel so terrible for Conrad comes from his Skate Canada interview where he expressed doubts about opportunities other than Nationals... his season could end abruptly this year and he has not been out much. So I doubt that Conrad would refuse a spot when he has mentioned his worries.

And yes, it's cheaper for Euro GPs to get European based skaters. At the same time, European based skaters also have cheaper access to Challengers... so it is getting quite difficult for middle of the pack North American skaters... If Orzel/Naumov were based in Europe, they probably would have performed 3-4 times already if not more. I think Adam had 6 events already this year... It is slightly aggravating though I do understand the $$ issues from the host point of view... but $$ is hard to come also for the athletes.

 

[Crowdproud]

... At the same time, European based skaters also have cheaper access to Challengers... so it is getting quite difficult for middle of the pack North American skaters... If Orzel/Naumov were based in Europe, they probably would have performed 3-4 times already if not more. I think Adam had 6 events already this year...

Yes, it's a bit ironic that European skaters often have world rankings that are not commensurate to their performance on the ice, just because they do a ton of events throughout the season and can maximize their ranking points. It's surprising to me that Korea, for example, does not host Challengers, GP, or at least a Jr GP.

 

[lariko]

Roman might not be considered as he withdrew from his other GP due to health reasons, even though he is healthy enough to compete again now. Jaeseok retired in April, at the age of 22.


Starostin isn't in Warsaw, though? Or at least he shouldn't be as he was never entered for that competition, and is on the entry list for GP Espoo by now anyway.

By now, he is in Espoo list. My post was accurate at the time of posting because he was just added to list in Warsaw Cup. I was thoroughly confused at that point of which man goes where, though I support all of them competing somewhere.

 

[TallyT]

And as I thought, money was probably one of the driving factors for choosing European skaters as replacements:
https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000009986115.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=toimitus-dlvr
The Finnish skating fed has already made 400k losses so far this year, and has even laid off two full-time employees.

How does it work, does the host fed pay everything (travel accommodation etc) or does the skater's fed chip in? I notice from @4everchan's posts that the Canadians are not getting sent out a lot so assumed it was the latter paying...

 

[4everchan]

How does it work, does the host fed pay everything (travel accommodation etc) or does the skater's fed chip in? I notice from @4everchan's posts that the Canadians are not getting sent out a lot so assumed it was the latter paying...

GPs hosts pay. Canadians are not sent out for challengers and series B for which Skate Canada should pay. Two different things. The issue though is that if Canadians do not get challengers, they have less opportunities to score high enough to get GP spots the following year. So two different things but somewhat interrelated

 

[TallyT]

GPs hosts pay. Canadians are not sent out for challengers and series B for which Skate Canada should pay. Two different things. The issue though is that if Canadians do not get challengers, they have less opportunities to score high enough to get GP spots the following year. So two different things but somewhat interrelated

Thanks, I think I get it now.

 

[Lyyli]

And as I thought, money was probably one of the driving factors for choosing European skaters as replacements:
https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000009986115.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=toimitus-dlvr
The Finnish skating fed has already made 400k losses so far this year, and has even laid off two full-time employees.

Actually the Fed has not made a loss of 400 000 euros, but as planned such a large minus budget for this year. Since the profit forecast is not good enough, it was recently determined that there is a need to save 250 000 euros. Organizing international competitions is really expensive and there has not been enough audience bringing in money. Actually, the finances of the Fed are not bad. It has investments in the account of more than three million euros but even this money threatens to run out if the activity only grows.

I think it's a shame that the executive director was fired. She thinks it is important to organize international competitions here and says these competitions are the only way to gain large attention for figure skating in Finland. I hope the upcoming GP is not the last one in Finland if ISU would be willing to keep it here.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Actually the Fed has not made a loss of 400 000 euros, but as planned such a large minus budget for this year. Since the profit forecast is not good enough, it was recently determined that there is a need to save 250 000 euros. Organizing international competitions is really expensive and there has not been enough audience bringing in money. Actually, the finances of the Fed are not bad. It has investments in the account of more than three million euros but even this money threatens to run out if the activity only grows.

I think it's a shame that the executive director was fired. She thinks it is important to organize international competitions here and says these competitions are the only way to gain large attention for figure skating in Finland. I hope the upcoming GP is not the last one in Finland if ISU would be willing to keep it here.

Okay, this might be an unpopular opinion, but a planned minus is still a loss in my opinion An expected, calculated for one, yes, but it's still a minus net flow for that year. If they were to plan to lose the same amount each year going forward, they'd be running out of money in 7-8 years.

Considering they are now looking to save 250 k even with a planned minus of 400 k, they're probably even closer to 600 k+ in the minuses this year.

 

[TT_Fin]

I was curious. Probably because prices are now lower therexwill be more audience this time than last year. Some also skipped GP because went to Euro's. They had a lot offers last season, this season there has not been that kind of need to attract the audience as there has been only offer for gala tickets.

I could have accepted anybody, but I have wished from the beginning Nikita get a host spot, so..and Ivan is also nice to see. But if there has been anybody else, it would be also ok. Just most important is the spots are filled as there are not so many skaters.