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- Thread starter Winnipeg
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- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
I don't know where your high ranking international Canadian coaches get their information - but they are certainly not giving their students the most up-to-date relevant requirements or information. All coaches at Canadians last year in Halifax were aware of the potential changes, and there were coaches meetings at Sectionals or Challenge that made coaches aware of upcoming potential changes.
The first confirmation of the new qualifying system was made at the Skate Canada ACGM last May, and SC issued a memo in July with a summation of the ACGM highlights, including the qualifying system changes for this year. That information has been available on the SC website under Members Only section - Rules/ 2007 ACGM & Rule Amendments dated July 12, 2007.
The coaches I know who were not aware of the bye/senior challenge changes - either did not have skaters at the Senior level or relied on others to pass on information to them rather than attend coaches information sessions....
The Members Only site on the SC website does eventually have relevant documents pertaining to all matters affecting Canadian skaters, so it is a good website to constantly check....as are the section websites as well (COS & WOS are particularly informative!!!)
Personally - I think that the Canadian championships will be a bomb attendence-wise this year, and reducing the number of senior skaters will not provide the experience needed to skaters in order to gain the confidence to move up in the ranks.....but then I've flogged that horse here before!
Since not all forum members have access to Skate Canada Members Only section - try the individual section websites for the same information!!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2007
Do you mind telling us why you think the Canadian will be a bomb? I am quite looking forward to the nationals, in particular, men, dance and pairs.
Other than that, I think you brought up an excellent point about eliminating the skaters through challenges. Let's see how it pans out at the nationals.
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
I think that Canadians will be a bomb from the marketing perspective that Skate Canada made the changes to the senior events for -- "more marketable and manageable' was their rationale. Fewer senior skaters means fewer family and friends filling the stands, buying concession food, filling hotel rooms and buying all that SC boutique stuff. They had enough trouble putting people in the seats in Halifax, and there were 3x the number of senior skaters in some events!!!
Sure the event is a few days shorter - but the events are held a day apart so even if you want to see the new, shorter senior events you have to stay at least 2 nights in a hotel and have a day without your chosen events in between.
Part of the thrill of the senior events for me has always been watching the new juniors as they strut their stuff on the senior stage - and see how skaters improve over the years. Sure the top skaters are often exciting to watch, but it is the sheer grit and determination of the skaters who never will be there - that makes it exciting for me...and seeing how skaters who squeeked through in qualifying rise to the occasion and make it through to the long.....
However - senior men will be a ride this year, with Fedor back in the action! Senior women will not be as much fun, but dance and pairs will be a thrill for those with tickets! Canadians will be a great success for those with tickets and diehard skating fans.....with the top skaters there, how could it not be?
I see the difference between success in terms of skating vs. success in terms of drawing crowds and dollars......and I agree with your prediction. One difference between Halifax and Vancouver though is that Vancouver will be easier to get to and will tempt a larger pool of fans.
I think the skating wil be great in men's and pairs...........dance will be nice too but V and M are a virtual shoe-in for the gold
, with the rest fighting for the silver and bronze.
Ladies...............you never know, Rochette is a given but who knows the others, it'll depend on who falls down the least......
The reason we chose not to attend Canadians this years was due to the location of the venue. It is not n a very good part of the city and since we prefer venues that we can walk to from our hotel.........this dampered it for us (and I know of others who are of the same mind and chose not to go). We went to Worlds in Vancouver in 2001 and the event was at GM Place ----it was fantastic and we would have gone had the Nationals been held there.
SC seems to pick venues to try and spread out over the country from year to year and of course, cost and availability of the rink (s). That makes a lot of sense and they have to put the skaters first but it does not always make for a trip that a fan would want to go to. I'm sure SC must have a list of criteria they use to select venues and 'fan attraction' may not be one of them.
WHy not Montreal? That'd be fun and it hasn't been held there since we started attending in Calgary in 2000 (also was a great venue BTW). We've attended every year since 2000 except this year and last in Halifax (too far and too risky weather-wise at that time of year in terms of making flights etc.).
We plan to go next year in Saskatoon and would go if it was in: Vancouver at GM, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto (not Mississauga), London, Ottawa (Not Nepean), Montreal, QC, ................
Sorry for the rambling but if SC wants to make money, they have to re-assess their criteria for locating events...................otherwise, take what you can get.
In terms of the Q rounds, I could go either way on that one but I found it difficult to sit through some of the more challenging routines..............in erms of staying vertical................
I think the skating wil be great in men's and pairs...........dance will be nice too but V and M are a virtual shoe-in for the gold
, with the rest fighting for the silver and bronze.Ladies...............you never know, Rochette is a given but who knows the others, it'll depend on who falls down the least......
The reason we chose not to attend Canadians this years was due to the location of the venue. It is not n a very good part of the city and since we prefer venues that we can walk to from our hotel.........this dampered it for us (and I know of others who are of the same mind and chose not to go). We went to Worlds in Vancouver in 2001 and the event was at GM Place ----it was fantastic and we would have gone had the Nationals been held there.
SC seems to pick venues to try and spread out over the country from year to year and of course, cost and availability of the rink (s). That makes a lot of sense and they have to put the skaters first but it does not always make for a trip that a fan would want to go to. I'm sure SC must have a list of criteria they use to select venues and 'fan attraction' may not be one of them.
WHy not Montreal? That'd be fun and it hasn't been held there since we started attending in Calgary in 2000 (also was a great venue BTW). We've attended every year since 2000 except this year and last in Halifax (too far and too risky weather-wise at that time of year in terms of making flights etc.).
We plan to go next year in Saskatoon and would go if it was in: Vancouver at GM, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto (not Mississauga), London, Ottawa (Not Nepean), Montreal, QC, ................
Sorry for the rambling but if SC wants to make money, they have to re-assess their criteria for locating events...................otherwise, take what you can get.
In terms of the Q rounds, I could go either way on that one but I found it difficult to sit through some of the more challenging routines..............in erms of staying vertical................
A lot more goes into picking a suitable location than most people think. While I love your idea of Montreal or Quebec city I don't think that will ever happen. The second last time Quebec held Nationals it was the worst event ever in terms of organization, schedules (like transportation was awful etc.) SC was so unhappy that they with held going back there for as long as they could. So a few years back Ste-foy Quebec was host to Junior Nationals and it was terribly run again!!! The lack of volunteers was very apparent, the facilities were bad and transportation was pitiful. It is too bad because it is a beautiful province with lots to offer families once they are done at the rink.
Well, I didn't find Skate Canada International that bad, although it was the first time I attended a live competition, so I have nothing to compare it to...
Kypma
I think since that was an International event, SC kept a much closer eye and was much more in control of the event than they seem to be when it is a National event. I have been involved in many major events over the last 15 years and I see a huge difference between National and International events. I don't think that is right, Nationals is as far as most skaters will get (if they make it that far) but that's the experiences I have encountered.
