Question about hierarchy of competitions

[Longhornliz]

I was wondering if anyone knew how the heirarchy of various competitions work. For example how does one qualify for nationals, what are the differences between novice/jr/sr levels. I'm just curious about how it all works, and how one would get started at making a name for themselves in skating (clearly i dont plan on trying as I am a 22 year old beginner) I just want to understand the sport more fully. It seems that the elitest of the elite skaters no longer attend smaller regional competitions, do they no longer need to to remain on the US team, or are they just busy with grand prix stuff?

Any insite would be helpful, I dont find the USFSA site very explanatory to an outsider.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I've already started a post on The Feds influence in selecting the Worlds. There has been little response as to the workings of the Feds. Probably, no one is sure.

As to Nats, the USFSA does have guidelines of Regionals, Sectionals, Juniors, etc. The others I can only guess are the same.

Joe

 

[lil_icesk8er915]

In the United States, to get to U.S. Nationals you must go through these qualifying competitions at these levels.

For Novice, Junior, and Senior skaters:
-Must place in the top 4 at Regionals to advance to Sectionals
-Must place in the top 4 at Sectionals to advance to U.S. Nationals

There are 9 Regions in the United States and 3 Sections. 3 Regions for each Section.

Pacific Coast
North Pacific
Central Pacific
South Pacific

Midwest
Upper Great Lakes
Eastern Great Lakes
Southwestern

East
North Atlantic
Northeast
South Atlantic

The Senior level at the U.S. Nationals is what you see on TV (Michelle Kwan, etc.)

For Juvenile and Intermediate Skaters:
These level of skaters are not eligible for the U.S. Nationals but are eligible for U.S. Junior Nationals. They must place in the top 4 at Regionals and they advance directly to Junior Nationals. However, you must meet strict age requirements (Novice level and above have no age requirements, excluding International Competitions). Juvenile skaters must be under the age of 13 and Intermediate skaters must be under the age of 16. Junior Nationals are meant to be like a U.S. National experience for younger skaters.

For synchronized skating there are not Regionals, only Sectionals and U.S. Nationals (I'm pretty sure!)

Senior is the highest level in U.S. Figure Skating. Then Junior, then Novice, Intermediate, Juvenile, Pre-Juvenile, Preliminary, Pre-Preliminary.

Hope I could help!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Well done, lil icedskater = that should cexplain the USA Nats. However, no one seems to know about how the Feds chose their team for the worlds. At least there were no relplies except for Finland. The original thread had a lot to do with Tickets rather than the topic and the revised thread has a lot to do withTim and Bobek's missing the Worlds.

Joe

 

[BravesSkateFan]

Also starting next year (I think) they are changing the regions. There will be 12 instead of 9.

 

[RoaringMice]

And I believe that, if you did well enough at the past nationals, you don't have to go through sectionals in order to be able to compete at nationals again. Instead, you get a "bye". So, last year, Michelle Kwan did not go through sectionals. However, Johnny Weir did go through sectionals.

 

[tdnuva]

Afaik (though i'm not involved in the federation or something) in Germany they usually send the champions to the international events (euros, worlds, olympics) resp. silver and bronze medalists if they can send more than one skater. Exceptions have been lately when either skaters are too young or cannot compete for Germany due to their foreign citizenship (like Vlascenko when it comes to the olympics or Savchenko & Szolkowy who have to sit out time cause she formerly competed for the ukraine i think).

But at the end of the day it's a decision of the federation. Last year they had a skate-out between the men to decide cause they were very near to each other in capabilites. This year two men were sent to europeans and the better one there then was sent to worlds (lindemann). They simply can decide what they want but usually don't do it completely crazy. They try to find some reasons for whom they send.

 

[Sylvia]

And I believe that, if you did well enough at the past nationals, you don't have to go through sectionals in order to be able to compete at nationals again. Instead, you get a "bye". So, last year, Michelle Kwan did not go through sectionals. However, Johnny Weir did go through sectionals.

The top 5 (was top 6 last year) in senior ladies (Kwan, Cohen, Kirk, Corwin, Nikodinov), men (Weir, Weiss, Savoie, Jahnke, Lysacek), pairs (I/B, O/L, S/D, D/H, H/A split up), and dance (B/A, G/P, G-R/M, G/B, M/K) at 2004 US Nationals receive an automatic bye to 2005 Nationals. Also skaters that qualify for the Junior or Senior Grand Prix Finals or are assigned to an international that takes place within one week of Sectionals also get a bye to Nationals.

Also starting next year (I think) they are changing the regions. There will be 12 instead of 9.

No, the 12/4 plan did not pass at Governing Council, so the 9 region/3 section plan is still in effect for now.

 

[Sylvia]

I was wondering if anyone knew how the heirarchy of various competitions work. For example how does one qualify for nationals, what are the differences between novice/jr/sr levels.

The main difference among the novice/junior/senior levels is the quality of skating (including jumps, spins, speed/power/ice coverage, presentation and choreography). For example, two Novice ladies and one Junior lady at 2004 Nationals attempted 5 different triples in their respective free skates in Atlanta, while several Senior ladies did not try all the triples in their respective free skates, so it's definitely not just about the jumps.

 

[nthuz]

The age limit for intermediate is 18, not 16.

 

[hockeyfan228]

Some of the European Federations require a skater to place at or above a certain spot at Europeans in order to qualify automatically for Worlds, regardless of whether the skater is the national champion. If the skater(s) doesn't/don't qualify through Europeans, the German Federation has had skate-offs, like they did for the lone Men's spot at '03 Worlds.

This past year, the Japanese Federation awarded spots to Suguri and Arakawa before Japanese Nationals, based on their GPF results. Arakawa may have come in third at Nationals, but she had been guaranteed a spot on the team.

 

[Longhornliz]

Thanks for all the helpfull info!!! Can anyone who wants to attend regionals, or are there qualifying rounds for that as well?

 

[sk8er1964]

There is one more set of qualifying competitions in the US that haven't been listed. To qualify for the championship events at Adult Nationals, you must be in the top four in the qualifying event at Sectionals (Mids, Easterns & Pacifics). There are no regionals for adults. Only the top two levels of freestyle (Gold and Masters) have qualifying events, as does the top level of dance. There are currently no championship pairs events.

You must be at least 25 to skate at an adult qualifying competition. Since you are already 22, maybe we'll see you at AN in a few years, Longhornliz . (Adult Nationals also has non-qualifying events in many disciplines.)

I understand that there is a movement to get adult competitions sanctioned by the ISU so we might someday have an Adult Worlds. That would be great. I know Canada just held its first Adult Nationals this year - yeah!

 

[gkelly]

Can anyone who wants to attend regionals, or are there qualifying rounds for that as well?

[This is regarding the US system.]

Anyone who meets the test requirements and age limits, and is an eligible member of the USFSA, can enter regionals.

There are usually qualifying rounds *at* regionals for most or all of the ladies singles events and occasionally for intermediate men in the larger regions. The qualifying round is the long program.

The maximum number of skaters in a qualifying group or final round is 18 and there are always at least 4 skaters advancing from each group to the next round, so if there are more than 72 entries, they make two cuts, so that the skaters who make it to the final round have to skate three times.

This happens usually in juvenile girls and intermediate ladies. Intermediates skate long program in the qualifying round, short program in the "initial round," and long again in the final round. Juveniles don't have short programs, so they have to skate the same free program up to three times.