Why was Skate America moved to November?

[NanaPat]

There were lots of Canadians in Boston for Worlds, and I didn’t hear anyone concerned for their safety.

I think a lot of that travel was booked before things started to unravel. Canada now has advisories about travelling to the US.

I am going to the US next month for a pre-planned trip, and we're not too happy about it. We planned the trip in December, and it involved entering (and winning) a lottery to get a date to make a reservation in a National Park Campground. Three of us entered (only one entry per person) and I was a lucky winner. We plan to be in the US for about 25 days, and my husband is freaking out about what will happen if the car breaks down and we have to stay more than 29 days. There is a new regulation about staying longer; in theory we can register online for a longer stay, but in practice we can't get onto the website. And the possible penalty for overstaying includes jail!

We may just cut the trip short at the end. Our most precious reservation is at the beginning, so we have that option.

I feel very unpatriotic going, but will do my best to avoid spending any more money than necessary there. I've already bought 3 new pairs of boots/shoes for the trip, so won't have to worry about shoe emergencies.

 

[Mathman]

There were lots of Canadians in Boston for Worlds, and I didn’t hear anyone concerned for their safety.

I think that the issue is not fear of gun violence but rather of being detained at the border if your passport has the wrong "gender" designation.

 

[Diana Delafield]

There were lots of Canadians in Boston for Worlds, and I didn’t hear anyone concerned for their safety.

The ones who were concerned didn't go. I know several people here who had bought tickets when they first went on sale, and then resold their tickets and cancelled their flights and hotels closer to the event out of concern for safety and border hassles.

 

[labgoat]

I am going to the US next month for a pre-planned trip, and we're not too happy about it. We planned the trip in December, and it involved entering (and winning) a lottery to get a date to make a reservation in a National Park Campground. Three of us entered (only one entry per person) and I was a lucky winner. We plan to be in the US for about 25 days, and my husband is freaking out about what will happen if the car breaks down and we have to stay more than 29 days. There is a new regulation about staying longer; in theory we can register online for a longer stay, but in practice we can't get onto the website. And the possible penalty for overstaying includes jail!

We may just cut the trip short at the end. Our most precious reservation is at the beginning, so we have that option.

I feel very unpatriotic going, but will do my best to avoid spending any more money than necessary there. I've already bought 3 new pairs of boots/shoes for the trip, so won't have to worry about shoe emergencies.

I am so sorry that such a wonderful trip now feels a bit sour. I share your reservations in the reverse direction, wondering if I will ever see my Canadian cousins again as I am now afraid of flying and driving crossing borders.

 

[Mathman]

It is a tragic situation. Growing up in the state of Washington, I vividly remember that for decades Americans and Canadians didn't even need a passport to visit, Just drive across the border, then drive back. Americans (and I assume, also Canadians) took pride in the fact that we shared a three thousand mile border with no soldiers stationed along it.

The only restrictions had to do with things like bringing in fresh fruit. One time we bought a crate of Logan berries at a farmers market in British Columbia, but then we had to sit at the border and eat them all before we could cross.

 

[labgoat]

It is a tragic situation. Growing up in the state of Washington, I vividly remember that for decades Americans and Canadians didn't even need a passport to visit, Just drive across the border, then drive back. Americans (and I assume, also Canadians) took pride in the fact that we shared a three thousand mile border with no soldiers stationed along it.

The only restrictions had to do with things like bringing in fresh fruit. One time we bought a crate of Logan berries at a farmers; market in British Columbia, but then we had to sit at the border and eat them all before we could cross.

I remember eating berries and other fruits at the border. We learned afterwards buy them on the way in to eat with family - leaving the leftovers as a thank you.

 

[Diana Delafield]

It is a tragic situation. Growing up in the state of Washington, I vividly remember that for decades Americans and Canadians didn't even need a passport to visit, Just drive across the border, then drive back. Americans (and I assume, also Canadians) took pride in the fact that we shared a three thousand mile border with no soldiers stationed along it.

The only restrictions had to do with things like bringing in fresh fruit. One time we bought a crate of Logan berries at a farmers market in British Columbia, but then we had to sit at the border and eat them all before we could cross.

Growing up on the border on the BC side, we'd drive to Bellingham to shop and back on a Saturday. Once my mother forgot about the "fruit rule" and we sat in the car within sight of the border crossing and ate a whole big basket of apricots. It was years before any of us could look an apricot in the eye again.

 

[FlossieH]

It is a tragic situation. Growing up in the state of Washington, I vividly remember that for decades Americans and Canadians didn't even need a passport to visit, Just drive across the border, then drive back. Americans (and I assume, also Canadians) took pride in the fact that we shared a three thousand mile border with no soldiers stationed along it.

The only restrictions had to do with things like bringing in fresh fruit. One time we bought a crate of Logan berries at a farmers market in British Columbia, but then we had to sit at the border and eat them all before we could cross.

I wonder what is going to happen with people like Liam Kapekis who live in the US and train/work in Canada...

 

[Diana Delafield]

I wonder what is going to happen with people like Liam Kapekis who live in the US and train/work in Canada...

There's some talk of him just boarding here in Richmond fulltime instead of driving the short distance back and forth over the border all the time, but nothing concrete, just rumours. I don't know what problems that might cause him with the US government so I presume there will be a lot of research and discussion with immigration lawyers before any decisions are made. He makes the local news here as much as any of the Canadian Connaught skaters, so he's sort of an adopted Canadian .

 

[moonvine]

I think a lot of that travel was booked before things started to unravel. Canada now has advisories about travelling to the US.

I think tickets were sold out before things started to unravel.

 

[moonvine]

I am going to the US next month for a pre-planned trip, and we're not too happy about it. We planned the trip in December, and it involved entering (and winning) a lottery to get a date to make a reservation in a National Park Campground. Three of us entered (only one entry per person) and I was a lucky winner. We plan to be in the US for about 25 days, and my husband is freaking out about what will happen if the car breaks down and we have to stay more than 29 days. There is a new regulation about staying longer; in theory we can register online for a longer stay, but in practice we can't get onto the website. And the possible penalty for overstaying includes jail!

We may just cut the trip short at the end. Our most precious reservation is at the beginning, so we have that option.

I feel very unpatriotic going, but will do my best to avoid spending any more money than necessary there. I've already bought 3 new pairs of boots/shoes for the trip, so won't have to worry about shoe emergencies.

I’m so very sorry things are like this right now.

 

[moonvine]

I remember eating berries and other fruits at the border. We learned afterwards buy them on the way in to eat with family - leaving the leftovers as a thank you.

Long, long ago i won a 4-H trip to Europe. Spent a lot of time hanging out with a very cute Canadian boy (we were the only smokers. Don’t worry, I quit 25 years ago). The Canadians left a day before we did. He gave me a beautiful rose. The AirPort people made me throw it away.


I should have stuck it in a book or something and pressed it.

 

[atalide]

I wish it would come to Phoenix! Nothing here since US Nationals in like 1991.

 

[msteach3]

I think a lot of that travel was booked before things started to unravel. Canada now has advisories about travelling to the US.

It was very safe in Boston. The city seemed very relaxed and chill. Nothing like New York.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I think it is to accommodate American TV networks, They want to present Skate America, U.S. Nationals and the Olympics as a package without too much of a time lapse between them.

And apparently, what the networks want, they get. I guess it matters to skaters only in the sense of where they are assigned and how much time they have in-between events to prepare and to pace themselves.

 

[saine]

It was very safe in Boston. The city seemed very relaxed and chill. Nothing like New York.

It's not so much the safety in the cities, it's crossing the border. Like it was mentioned earlier, there's now the requirement to register if staying over 30 days. There's also a warning about how electronic devices can be searched by US border agents. Combine that with stories about people being detained by border agents, that will cause a lot of anxiety about travel there.

 

[Ziotic]

It was very safe in Boston. The city seemed very relaxed and chill. Nothing like New York.

Canadians aren’t worried about the cities. They are worried about crossing the boarders. We are being advised to bring burner phones because they will search our phones/ SM to see if we have anti trump sentiments and then detain us.

Not sure what world you are leaving in but this is the new reality.

 

[Minz]

It was very safe in Boston. The city seemed very relaxed and chill. Nothing like New York.

NYC and Lake Placid are almost 2 completely different worlds.

Now, do I think it would be cool if they held Skate America at Madison Square Garden? Yes. Do I think it’s likely to happen? No.

Also, I don’t know about anyone else, but from NYC, Boston is closer than Lake Placid, and it’s also kind of a pain to get to. Plus, there’s a lot more to do in Boston than there is in Lake Placid.

And I do agree that people are much less likely to come to the US, now, especially since Worlds tickets were bought long before any of the current turmoil began. Spending the money now is a completely different story, and frankly I don’t blame Canadians for not wanting to come here.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Thank you for the correction, I was misremembering the exact location change.

Irrelevant edit: Can Skate America please come back to Las Vegas this year? There aren't any events scheduled at the Orleans Arena during Skate America...

It probably will be. I love that place for SA and I have a cruise in November....rats.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I am going to the US next month for a pre-planned trip, and we're not too happy about it. We planned the trip in December, and it involved entering (and winning) a lottery to get a date to make a reservation in a National Park Campground. Three of us entered (only one entry per person) and I was a lucky winner. We plan to be in the US for about 25 days, and my husband is freaking out about what will happen if the car breaks down and we have to stay more than 29 days. There is a new regulation about staying longer; in theory we can register online for a longer stay, but in practice we can't get onto the website. And the possible penalty for overstaying includes jail!

We may just cut the trip short at the end. Our most precious reservation is at the beginning, so we have that option.

I feel very unpatriotic going, but will do my best to avoid spending any more money than necessary there. I've already bought 3 new pairs of boots/shoes for the trip, so won't have to worry about shoe emergencies.

As an aside, getting a reservation to enter some parks and camp at others and even Nat. Forest Campgrounds is getting ridiculas. Many camp grounds were make in the 1930s to put young men to work during the depression and the feral govt hasnt noticed the demand is through the roof..many campground could easily be expanded and others created. To add insult to injury, if I were to cancel a camp site I reserved, I would hardly get any money back....so many dont cancel and others cant take advantage of that camp site. I am so old I remember when I could litterally ride my motorcycle to any national park or national forest campground and find a site without a reservation.