Entries and tickets

[kurama45]

Hi, my first thread here 2017 Ondrej Nepela Trophy will take place in Bratislava in Ondrej Nepela Stadium (as always ) from 21. till 23. september.
Participants (what we know now): Keiji Tanaka, Rika Hongo and Mikhail Kolyada. Also, I belive slovak representants NIcole Rajičová and Lukáš Csölley with Lucie Myslivečková will be there.
Tickets: no info now, it will be out in late August soonest, but last year it was free :eeking:, year before all-day ticket for 10€ :agree:.
I will add more info when it comes out .

 

[MGstyle]

I was there two years ago - mostly to see Jason Brown, but I also got to see Adian Pitkeev shortly before his career as a singles skater came to a premature end, and Mikhail Kolyada for the first time, and had a brilliant time! I would love to return but it all depends on who will be there... please keep us posted!!

 

[kurama45]

In Bobrova/Soloviev GS thread was info that they are planning to go to Nepela. I can’t confirm it (obviously I don’t speak russian) but recently in the interview here on GS they said they would like to do 1 or 2 challenger series events so we will see. There is a hope .

 

[YesWay]

The official "announcement" PDF for the competiton was published today, on the ISU site.

It says closing date for entries is 18th August, so I guess we will know the full list of competitors 19th August or soon after.

And the official hotel is Hotel Lindner Gallery Central Bratislava.
(It seems expensive, compared to many of the other nearby hotels.
And currently no rooms available during the competition anyway LOL )

Also, no gala/exhibition.

I wonder if there is any hope, that the organisers will remove the hockey screens this year?

 

[kurama45]

Ondrej Nepela Trophy has now its own english website: http://nepelatrophy.weebly.com
So far no more entries and tickets info, hopefully more updates soon .

 

[NoNameFace]

I have to confess that I am considering to go this year, it's very close to Poland and where I live, already looked for transportation and now looking for accommodation arrangements. Hope more details will be available soon, if Ice Dance will be similar to last year, then YAY, would love to see Piper and Paul at my first live figure skating experience...

 

[kurama45]

In recent interview (http://fs-gossips.com/valentina-chebotareva-we-try-to-think-less-about-olympics-and-work-more/) Kolyada´s coach Valentina Chebotareva confirmed his participation in ONT .

 

[YesWay]

I contacted the organisers to ask a few questions, using the form on the English website (link posted by kurama45 above).

I thought some parts of their reply might be of interest:

"Whether the entry will be free or will be tickets for sale I can not confirm yet. This is at a stage of solution. For more information about the tickets please send us an email after 18/08/2017."

"Photography will be ok without flash of course."

"Unfortunately the hockey screens will be remove only from the part of ice rink where the judges seats will be. Similar adjustments around the ice are financially very demanding."

I still don't know if I will go or not, it mostly depends on which skaters are entered...

 

[mint78]

It's a good news, kurama45! Thank you for letting us know the news about Mikhail Kolyada
I'll probably go to Ondrej Nepela Trophy this year. It will be my first time to visit the competition. I love Mikhail Kolyada. So I'm happy to hear the news
I would be so happy to watch figure skating competition in Slovakia because I like this country also
I'm curious who will enter the trophy.

 

[kurama45]

Just a random quote from Dmitri Aliev fan thread:

My secret source told me that Dima plans to skate at Nepala Trophy in Bratislava from 21st to 23rd of September 2017 and allowed me to share this info. So those who like to watch him live, may attend this competition.

Thanks a member ewdokia for info

 

[SnowWhite]

Larkyn Austman (CAN) confirmed she's been assigned to this event on Instagram.

 

[kurama45]

Dmitri Aliev confirmed his participation in new interview here on GS. BTW 18. August is approaching, we should be able to know full entries soon.

 

[icedance]

Medvedeva will participate too.
All day ticket is 5 € and 12 €/ 3day. Info by Figure Skating Club Slovan Bratislava

 

[kurama45]

Whoaaa, that's some great info to hear, I was checking ISU site and there was no news, so I was quite worried but now I feel so excited thank you for these wonderful news :luv17:

 

[kurama45]

They also announced that all entries will be known next week and tickets will be in sale soon (via page Ticketportal I will add link then).

 

[YesWay]

Medvedeva will participate too.
All day ticket is 5 € and 12 €/ 3day. Info by Figure Skating Club Slovan Bratislava

Mmm... This competition now very tempting...!

 

[Tulipstar]

They also announced that all entries will be known next week and tickets will be in sale soon (via page Ticketportal I will add link then).

Yes, please do. :agree:

I might go, but wish it was Friday-Sunday, since I have few days off left. If anyone knows the schedule, it would be much appreciated.
I heard Bratislava is amazingly beautiful and of course, I'd like to see Evgenia skate live.

Normally, I wouldn't buy a plane ticket unless I knew I was sure to have tickets. Do you think it's safe to assume I could get one?

 

[YesWay]

I might go, but wish it was Friday-Sunday, since I have few days off left. If anyone knows the schedule, it would be much appreciated.
I heard Bratislava is amazingly beautiful and of course, I'd like to see Evgenia skate live.

Normally, I wouldn't buy a plane ticket unless I knew I was sure to have tickets. Do you think it's safe to assume I would get one?

Preliminary schedule, from the announcement PDF:

Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Arrival of Teams
17:00 Accreditation Hotel Lindner
18:30 Team Leaders Meeting 3rd floor
19:30 Judges Meetings 3rd floor
21:00 Opening Ceremony & Draw 3rd floor

Thursday, September 21, 2017
13:00 Official Practice
Ladies Short Program
Men Short Program
Pairs Short Program

Friday, September 22, 2017
13:00 Ice Dance Short Dance
Pairs Free Skating
20:30 BANQUET Hotel Lindner

Saturday, September 23, 2017
13:00 Ladies Free Skating
Ice Dance Free Dance
Men Free Skating

Sunday, September 24, 2017
Departure​

Those schedules usually don't change much, in terms of which events are on which days. But it could happen.

Also bear in mind, it's risky to book travel etc for any skating competition just to see one particular skater! Especially Challenger events. Withdrawals are always a possibility...

Regarding tickets... Ondrej Nepela arena is pretty big, so unlikely to sell out.
Actually, I don't think Challenger or Senior B events ever sell out, unless Hanyu is going to be there...!

 

[kurama45]

Normally, I wouldn't buy a plane ticket unless I knew I was sure to have tickets. Do you think it's safe to assume I could get one?

IMO it's nearly impossible to expect this event to be sold out. It's quite sad but figure skating in Slovakia isn't popular at all. Sometimes I feel in past there were more figure skaters than spectators... It may sound exaggerative but I just wanted pointed out that there is no chance ONT will be sold out.

Also some more info while waiting for entries and tickets sale:
official poster: https://scontent.fbts2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20881843_1447156155367311_4134964906945264154_n.jpg?oh=df3ac2cc36305afa82f2ed0c497ff44f&oe=5A308DCF

Except for a schedule (I think we can consider it really official now when they even made poster with it) there are written tickets prices (children till 12 yeras, seniors and school trips free entrance) and some interesting event on saturday, here we call it "baptism of the book" I don't know if there is something like this in other countries too, it's a situation where there is the author, "a godparent" (usually some celebrity), journalists and of course some people from the public and the book is really "baptised" - some wine or champagne is poured over it. It also happens when a new CD by a famous music group is launched. Sometimes they use also other stuff not wine, for example where there was a new CD in my music school they "baptised" it with some kind of sweets . The book is called "Ondrej Nepela on Ice and this kind of book launch should be happening (according to poster) somewhere inbetween Ice dance and Mens fp.

 

[kurama45]

Canadian entries:
Larkyn Austman
Nicolas Nadeau
Natasha Purich / Davin Portz