Fourth Place Gets a Medal? What Colour?

[Ladskater]

I noticed in the podium pictures for the US Nationals, the 4th place skater - Ashley Wagner for example - is on the podium holding up a medal. I see the mens and pairs also have the 4th place skaters in the picture as well with a medal. Is this something new? Will we see this at the Canadian FS championships next week? What colour is the medal for 4th place skater? I've been away due to illness, but don't recall ever seeing 4 skaters in the winners circle.

 

[blackey]

it's called pewter medal. US national always have that.

 

[brightphoton]

I noticed in the podium pictures for the US Nationals, the 4th place skater - Ashley Wagner for example - is on the podium holding up a medal. I see the mens and pairs also have the 4th place skaters in the picture as well with a medal. Is this something new? Will we see this at the Canadian FS championships next week? What colour is the medal for 4th place skater? I've been away due to illness, but don't recall ever seeing 4 skaters in the winners circle.

It's something unique to the US nationals. 4th place winners get the pewter medal

some say it's because it mirrors the US Nationals qualification competitions, regionals and sectionals. Top 4 from those competitions get to move up to the next level (top 4 from regionals go to sectionals, top 4 from sectionals go to Nationals)

 

[Imagine]

Then what on Earth is a potato medal, which for some reason is what I’ve always thought they called those???

 

[Wilwarin]

A medal of chocolate, seriously.

 

[Mango]

You won't be seeing this at Canadian Nationals.

The only place I've seen these medals in Canada is BC/Yukon for their sectional championships.

 

[TheCzar]

Then what on Earth is a potato medal, which for some reason is what I’ve always thought they called those???

Because really in the grand scheme of things, a pewter medal is as valuable as a potato. Also, its a play on the word pewter.

 

[twirlingblades]

US has always had pewter medals because of how regionals/sectionals go.

 

[Crossover]

Then what on Earth is a potato medal, which for some reason is what I’ve always thought they called those???

I've learned its existence from Michal Brezina's fanfest that it was coined from a Tennis forum in Czech republic.

 

[Jammers]

Pewter medals are mostly worthless as far as i'm concerned. Most of the time when you win the pewter medal you know even with 3 spots for Worlds or the Olympics you aren't going unless it's a Ashley or Adam situation. It must suck to have to go out there when you finish 4th and not really be on the podium but pretend you are. Why US Nationals does it i don't know why. I guess for skaters or teams that don't really think they have a chance at the podium it's a big deal though.

 

[gkelly]

As I understood (from reading old 1980s Skating magazines in the 1990s), sometime in the 1980s, they started taking top 4 from regionals to sectionals and from sectionals to Nationals. The official photos in Skating magazine showed the 4 qualifiers. Since they were also presenting medals at the same time they took the photos, they started awarding a pewter medal to the 4th place qualifier. I don't know why they chose pewter in particular.

Then they decided they might as well be consistent and award pewter medals at Nationals as well.


And at non-qualifying events connected with qualifying competitions. I'm very proud of the pewter medal at I once won at adult sectionals, because I had to beat 4 other skaters to earn it, unlike better-colored medals I earned in smaller events.

 

[TontoK]

Pewter medals are mostly worthless as far as i'm concerned. Most of the time when you win the pewter medal you know even with 3 spots for Worlds or the Olympics you aren't going unless it's a Ashley or Adam situation. It must suck to have to go out there when you finish 4th and not really be on the podium but pretend you are. Why US Nationals does it i don't know why. I guess for skaters or teams that don't really think they have a chance at the podium it's a big deal though.

At USNats, I agree. I don't see a reason to bother with a pewter medal. But at lower level events, where the 4th place finish is important, I don't see a problem.

None of the medal contenders really participate in sectionals/regionals anyway, so those medals are nice recognition for skaters who are working themselves up the ranks.

I'm certain they're proud of them. I would be.

 

[gkelly]

None of the medal contenders really participate in sectionals/regionals anyway,

At novice and lower levels, pretty much all the skaters have to participate in sectionals (and regionals for singles skaters) to make it to Nationals.

At junior level, the majority of medalists get there through regionals and sectionals. Only JGP finalists get byes.

If top 4 advance to Nationals at those levels and receive medals (including pewter) when they qualify, should only top 3 get medals actually at Nationals?

And if you do give a medal to 4th-place finishers at Nationals below senior level, is there a good reason not to also give it to the 4th-place seniors?

 

[TontoK]

At novice and lower levels, pretty much all the skaters have to participate in sectionals (and regionals for singles skaters) to make it to Nationals.

At junior level, the majority of medalists get there through regionals and sectionals. Only JGP finalists get byes.

If top 4 advance to Nationals at those levels and receive medals (including pewter) when they qualify, should only top 3 get medals actually at Nationals?

And if you do give a medal to 4th-place finishers at Nationals below senior level, is there a good reason not to also give it to the 4th-place seniors?

My point, poorly made, was that the pewter medal probably means quite a bit to up and coming skaters, and even to those who are longtime skaters who may not climb the ranks to Senior medalist.

And I really don't disagree with your point about a Senior pewter medal - simply that I wouldn't imagine it's something that they'd cherish. It doesn't bother me that they actually get it, and I don't really object.

 

[shyne]

It's something unique to the US nationals. 4th place winners get the pewter medal

some say it's because it mirrors the US Nationals qualification competitions, regionals and sectionals. Top 4 from those competitions get to move up to the next level (top 4 from regionals go to sectionals, top 4 from sectionals go to Nationals)

WOW~ that's good to know.

 

[Manitou]

A medal of chocolate, seriously.

That would be probably more value than the pewter! lol

 

[Skater Boy]

It is not the monetary value that is significant but it signifies or represents a fine skater who has worked hard and come in fourth. I have no problem with it; it makes the US unique and really it is a fine accomplishment to be one of the top four skaters in the nation. Wow. Too bad we won't see it in other events.

 

[Weathergal]

It is not the monetary value that is significant but it signifies or represents a fine skater who has worked hard and come in fourth. I have no problem with it; it makes the US unique and really it is a fine accomplishment to be one of the top four skaters in the nation. Wow. Too bad we won't see it in other events.

Yeah, I'm fine with it as well. Just to make it to Nationals is such an accomplishment for many skaters, and to give one more person in each division and discipline a chance to get a medal...well I just don't see a problem with that. And knowing it mirrors Regionals and Sectionals, well...that makes even more sense. I've always wondered why so thank you brightphoton, twirlingblades, and gkelly for the explanation!

And as an extra thought, in Seniors even if the US has three spots for Worlds in a particular discipline, it's not unusual for the pewter medalist to at least get a 4CCs assignment since another medalist might decline to go to Worlds or not be eligible.

 

[leafygreens]

Here's a fun article about a man who made 4th place medals to award those that just missed the podium in London:
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/olympics/fourth-place-olympic-medals-miss-podium/story?id=16950407