The Event website is up and the Technical panels are:

[dorispulaski]

Dance
Technical Controller Christine Hurth, France
Technical Specialist Marie Bowness, Canada
Asst. Technical Specialist Andrzej Dostatni (represented Poland in ice dance; not sure of his current citizenship)

Ladies
Technical Controller Mr. Alexander Lakernik Russia
Technical Specialist Mr. Shin Amano Japan
Assistant Technical Specialist Ms. Claudia Unger Germany

Pairs
Technical Controller Ms. Hely Abbondati FIN
Technical Specialist Mr. David Kirby USA
Assistant Technical Specialist Ms. Veronique Fleury FRA

Men
Technical Controller Ms. Raffaella Locatelli ITA
Technical Specialist Mr. Ravi Walia ISU CAN
Assistant Technical Specialist Mr. Sarkis Tewanian POL

 

[MasterB]

Are these the people who basically control the fate of the skaters?

 

[isabella duncan]

No, they judge the technical part of the dance, assigning levels 1-4 to the required elements (twizzles, spins, lifts, footwork). There is a judging panel that awards grades of execution for each of the required elements (0-3) and marks for the presentation components (skating skill, choreography, transitions, etc.). Sometimes it happens that the technical panel will assign level 4 to the required elements and the judges only award 5 -6 points for skating skill. This begs the question how skaters could get Level 4 for the required elements, which are all difficult, and still get very low marks for skating skills.

It could also happen that the technical panel will not recognize the existence of the pattern for the required elements of the SD, while the judges will award grades of execution for the non-existent pattern. In short, the left hand (judging panel) does not always know what the right hand is doing (tech panel).

Then there are also gray areas where no one seems to be responsible for. Who marks teams down when there is no recognizable beat in their music? Who dings teams if there is no recognizable change in tempo?

 

[romanoff81]

So basically Doris V&M and Chan would have to have major screwups not to win this thing canada has a technical specialist in two of the four major events.

 

[romanoff81]

I think the tech specialist has more power in ice dance than the rest of the disciplines it is usually sometimes a judgement call that others might not agree on how to assign levels.

 

[sequinsgalore]

Is it true, that Shin Amano is known for downgrading the jumps of Japanese skaters? In that case, Asada and Murakami are screwed.

 

[jiggs]

Is it true, that Shin Amano is known for downgrading the jumps of Japanese skaters? In that case, Asada and Murakami are screwed.

He is very strict with UR and < jumps in general, not only with Japanese skaters. If jumps are borderline (as they are sometimes in Mao's and Kanako's cases) I guess he will downgrade/UR the jump. It didn't happen to Miki last year cause hers were fully rotated. I don't think Akiko will have problems either.

I am ok with him being strict as long as the same rules apply to all skaters.

 

[Srin Odessa]

Is it true, that Shin Amano is known for downgrading the jumps of Japanese skaters? In that case, Asada and Murakami are screwed.

He's a pretty by-the-book caller to begin. As far as targeting Japanese skaters, I kept hearing from Japanese fans that Amano was a bit critical of the Japanese Federation back at home, especially so when the tech panels were getting stricter in 2007-2008. He believed they overlooked flawed technique (flutzing, leg-wrap, mule-kick, axel lunge etc.) in favor of skaters who can perform and land difficult jumps.

Nonetheless, at least another member of the technical panel has to agree with him in order for a decision to be made on a technical element.

 

[Mirunna]

Amano is more than strict. Remember 2010 Worlds. He downgraded 2 out of the 3 triple axels Mao performed. At least the one in the SP was fully rotated. I don't understand why is he again the Technical specialist for the third time in a row.

 

[DianaSelene]

How are the tech panels chosen? Are they picked out of a hat or just assigned a place?

 

[let`s talk]

So basically Doris V&M and Chan would have to have major screwups not to win this thing canada has a technical specialist in two of the four major events.

Lakernik said that he is not in pairs' event because Russia is a candidate for gold. It seems like this unwritten rule works only one way. :disapp:

 

[romanoff81]

Lakernik is wrong for instance in dance the last two tech specialists were american and canadian , and chan is obvioulsy a candidate for gold but germany does not have a tech person on the pairs panel so i guess it evens out.

 

[let`s talk]

chan is obvioulsy a candidate for gold but germany does not have a tech person on the pairs panel so i guess it evens out.

What evens out in what Lakernik is wrong? I don't follow.

 

[romanoff81]

the showdown between the germans and the russians.

 

[let`s talk]

the showdown between the germans and the russians.

So he is right, that is what he was saying- the representative of the country-candidate for gold shouldn't be at least in the tech brigade (unwritten rule, as he put it). And what we see in men.... - no Japanese "to even it out".

 

[romanoff81]

And ice dance as well since V&M are candidates for gold and weaver and poje are medal contenders as well.

 

[Violet Bliss]

So basically Doris V&M and Chan would have to have major screwups not to win this thing canada has a technical specialist in two of the four major events.

Chan habitually doesn't get tech calls so the only direction the prejudice could go is negative. Note also he won last Worlds with no Canadian officials on the panels. V/M don't need Tech and judges' unfair assistance either. These champions should not be devalued by baseless assumptions.

Only the borderline skaters would be affected by strict or prejudicial tech calls, which are quite verifiable and require majority agreements.