Should they introduce limits to Grand Prix Final entries.

[GF2445]

Having a look at the entries for both the Senior and Junior Grand Prix finals, I noticed that there are some events where more than half of the competitors are from one country.
Should there be some limit imposed so a greater variety of nations can compete at the Grand Prix Final or should it be kept the same? Is the current way better or would putting limits and allowing other top skaters from different nations compete open opportunities to broadcast skating in other nations?

Junior GPF
Mens
USA has 1 Entry
CHN has 1 Entry
JPN has 2 Entries
RUS has 2 Entries

My Opinion- thats ok- a good amount of nations

Ladies
USA has 2 Entries
RUS has 4 Entries

My Opinion- Not enough nations. We have substitutes from KAZ and JPN.

Pairs
CHN has 1 Entry
RUS has 5 Entries

My Opinion- Not enough nations. First Substitute is from the USA

Ice Dance
RUS has 1 Entry
USA has 3 Entries
UKR has 1 Entry

My Opinion- that is ok but it would be nice to have one more nation. The First Substitute is from CAN.

Senior GPF
Mens
CAN has 1 Entry
JPN has 3 Entries
RUS has 1 Entry
CHN has 1 Entry

My opinion- that is good as there is a good amount of nations- Also, Japanese Men's skating is always thrilling to watch.

Ladies
JPN has 1 Entry
RUS has 4 Entries
USA has 1 Entry

My Opinion- It's ok but this event could use more nations competing. Carolina Kostner is 2nd Substitute.

Pairs
RUS has 1 Entry
GER has 1 Entry
CHN has 2 Entries
CAN has 2 Entries

My Opinion- A good variety of nations but more is always better- Berton/Hotarek are 2nd Substitutes.

Ice Dance
USA has 1 Entry
CAN has 2 Entires
RUS has 1 Entry
FRA has 1 Entry
ITA has 1 Entry

My Opinion- This event has the greatest variety of nations competing. This is going to be a great competition.

 

[Shayuki]

Best skaters should get to the event if they're good enough to qualify. I don't think that it'd be fair to not let a significantly better skater qualify just because she/he represents a certain nation.

It's completely up to the non-Russian pairs to just become better. It's not the russian pairs' fault that the competition isn't as good. Skill should be rewarded. You will just end up with a weaker competition otherwise.

 

[lcd]

The ISU Championship events and Olympics already have country limits. I think the GPF should include the best amongst those who earn a spot, regardless of whether they happen to be from a nation with an overabundance of talent. Otherwise, how else would e.g., the Japanese men whose seasons end at Japan Nationals in December earn any ISU points to maintain international standing?

 

[AlexRus]

Grand Prix (both Events and Final) and JGP Final are the only ISU Events where compete not representatives of nation/federation, but personally skaters/couples.
So no limits for Final - skate they who had better results at Events.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

What's supposedly so good about more different nations competing? It would just punish some of the skaters for their nationalities/the amount fo talent in their own country...

I'd rather have this limitation removed at worlds and Olympics

 

[Rachmaninoff]

No, I wouldn't want to see that changed. I can grudgingly accept the three-per-country limit at worlds and Olympics, since there are a limited number of spots for competitors and it's useful to give the experience to countries where the sport is less developed. But it still sucks to see great skaters being left home sometimes. This way, they still get to compete in a major event if they stack up very well against the rest of the world, but happen to be from a country that is overloaded with excellent skaters. It can also help countries with deep talent pools in certain events make that difficult decision of who to send Olympics/worlds, since they can see how all their top skaters stack up against one another at a major international competition.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I like seeing the best compete so I like the current set up in which spots are earned solely on merit.

 

[sky_fly20]

and get 2nd tier results and quality of Finalists ? No !!!

 

[loopy]

Agreed - let those with the highest placements go.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

It's bad enough that only 3 at most per country can go to Worlds and the Olympics - and even then such spots aren't easily earned. It's a crying shame that Russia only has 1 spot for men at the Olympics and especially for the women with just 2 spots. It was the same for the U.S. when they could only send 2 to Vancouver. I say leave it alone for the GP. Let the best of the best duke it out.

 

[Amei]

I think the best skaters should go, if that means 1 country has more reps than another so be it. the GPF is a competition that you have to earn your ticket to, that shouldn't be changed

 

[LiamForeman]

What's supposedly so good about more different nations competing? It would just punish some of the skaters for their nationalities/the amount fo talent in their own country...

I'd rather have this limitation removed at worlds and Olympics

I can "sorta" understand limiting a country's spots at Olympics (Olys is about bringing countries together) and maybe Worlds, but I don't think it is fair. Can you imagine if Wimbledon limited a country to only two or three spots?

As for GP/GPF, the skaters who scored the highest deserve to go. Why keep one of the Japanese guys off, just so someone less deserving from a different country can go?

 

[SaraM]

Its kindda crazu thought 4 russian ladies in both senior and junior final...

 

[Moment]

Figure skating is not a pro sport, and skaters competing represent their respective federations and countries. It's 100% fair there's a limit to the number of skaters participating in one event, especially Worlds and the Olympic Games.

I think 3 per each country for the GPF is good enogh. Where's the fun if 5 skaters out of 6 entries are from the same country?

There also needs to be more entries for GP events and the GPF but that's another topic

 

[elif]

Best skaters should go. Ths is not fair to skaters. You are in same grand prix and you are better, but because of the your country he or she passing you.:no:

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I think 3 per each country for the GPF is good enogh. Where's the fun if 5 skaters out of 6 entries are from the same country?

It shouldn't be about "fun" but rather rewarding skaters who have shown excellence throughout the GP season.

 

[bigsisjiejie]

I'm for letting the highest achievers on the JGP and GP go to the final, regardless of country. In other words, no limits. For Worlds/Olympics, I despise the limitations that keep some of the best skaters out of the competition. I want to see the best, even if that means some countries are overrepresented. I do understand that the quota limits allow more balanced participation from other federations, and I support that too. But I would like to see an adjustment where there are "Wild Card" ISU picks from the top skaters that lost out under the established country limitations and earned spots. Even if the ISU takes the top 10 achievers per discipline (by some tbd criteria) who did not get selected for the regular spots on their countries' teams, puts their names in a hat, and draws out 4 at random to be added into the competition.

 

[Mathman]

I think the way they do it now makes a certain amount of sense. Individual skaters are not members of the ISU, national federations are. For worlds, each member gets to send its chosen representative to compete, provided they have someone qualified.. This is one of the privileges of membership. Then there are provisions whereby members (not individuals) can earn extra spots.

For the Grand Prix the unit is the individual skater. Skaters are invited as individuals by the hosts of the GP events to compete, in accordance with ISU rules. There is no guarantee that any particular country will be represented at all in the Grand Prix series. The top individuals go on to the finals.

 

[GF2445]

Thanks for your opinions everyone. This was only a thought that came to mind and I think that the current system is fine. We should only send the best skaters/couples to the Grand Prix Final.

 

[spikydurian]

Thanks for your opinions everyone. This was only a thought that came to mind and I think that the current system is fine. We should only send the best skaters/couples to the Grand Prix Final.

:thumbsup: