World Team Trophy: Teams and Entries

[enlight78]

Does anyone have any news about which feds qualify?

 

[Buttercup]

There is no information on the ISU website, even though it's just three weeks from now. But I read somewhere it was Russia, USA, Japan, Canada, France and China, though I'm not certain how accurate that is.

I think this should be in 2008-9 events rather than in the Worlds folder, as it is a separate event.

 

[coconutpunch]

To be honest with you, I don't even know why the ISU came up with this. They are spending big bucks on the prize money, but it *is* being held in Japan so I suppose a capacity crowd can be expected...

I personally want to give the skaters time to cool down after Worlds. The format of the event isn't quite appealing either, because there's going to be some unbalanced and lop-sided teams as a result of how it's being set-up (the Chinese/French ladies for example are not up to the level of the other 4 teams, or Japan who only have the junior-level Takahashi/Tran as their ONLY competitive pairs team). It would have made much more sense...and more interesting from a spectators' point of view if the teams were continent-based. Meh. hwell:

Official Site in English: www.figurewtt.jp/index_en.html

 

[gio]

1.USA = 4519 + 3140 = 7659
2.CANADA = 4422 + 2333 = 6755
3.JAPAN = 3821 + 2839 = 6660
4.RUSSIA = 4110 + 2260 = 6370
5.FRANCE = 2738 + 2200 = 4938
6.CHINA = 2314 + 1836 = 4150
7.ITALY = 2217 + 1767 = 3984

This is based on my calculations, so I don't know if they are accurate. Italy is out and there will be two Asian, two European and two American teams.

Overall it seems there is some equilibrium amongst the three continents in FS

 

[SamuraiKike]

China, really?? based on the strength of their pairs I guess. I thought Italy would qualify instead with both Contesti and Kostner medalling at Euros and doing reasonably well this season (except for last nights Kostners meltdown) and they have 2 solid dance teams too. China has P/T , Zhangs and then there's a gigantic gap in the field.

I think it was about time they make a team competition for figure skating but I do agree the format is half-assed. I would love separate events with the top 5 countries from each discipline sending 3-4 skaters to compete , it will give a chance for the #2 and #3 skaters to win some titles representing their federation. But i guess the budget for that kind of event is out of the question right now..

 

[enlight78]

I wish the feds could send any skater they want so skater that went to worlds would get a break and other skaters would get a chance.

 

[Kissx3]

Very interested in seeing how a team format works, though I wish they'd at least doubled the number of countries invited. This is a little too elite. Will this be broadcast anywhere though? It seems to have just popped up out of nowhere.

 

[McWicked]

So which skaters get to be here?

 

[Wrlmy]

I wish they had a "united team" for the skaters from "weaker" federations. The team would look like, Yuna Kim, Laura Lepisto, Tomas Verner, Samuel Contesti, S/S, and K/K.

Or, six qualified federations can "borrow" skaters. For example, Japan can borrow S/S since they do not have a senior pair team.

 

[tilak]

Very interested in seeing how a team format works, though I wish they'd at least doubled the number of countries invited. This is a little too elite. Will this be broadcast anywhere though? It seems to have just popped up out of nowhere.

Ice Network has it in their schedule, and most likely it will be available through some other online stream.

 

[tilak]

Just came across the official announcement of which countries qualify:
http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/content/transnews/0,10869,4844-128590-19728-18885-295153-3787-4771-layout160-129898-news-item,00.html

 

[McWicked]

I want Meissner there, I wonder in which shape she is.

 

[Mathman]

Just came across the official announcement of which countries qualify:

http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/content/transnews/0,10869,4844-128590-19728-18885-295153-3787-4771-layout160-129898-news-item,00.html

Thanks for the info. So it's U.S.A., Canada, Japan. Russia, France amd China, just as Gio predicted above. I guess Italy didn't have a chance once Carolina Kostner didn't make the podium at Worlds.

 

[skatingbc]

I'm really liking the idea of a Team competition and I can't wait to watch it! I'm hoping there will be an online stream!

I'm predicting either USA or Canada for the win! The US and Canada seem to be the only countries that are pretty evenly spread across all of the events. Russia has good dance and pairs, with decent singles. Japan has good singles with a mediocre dance team and a junior pairs team. France has good men and dance, mediocre pairs and ladies. China has good pairs and that's about it. This is of course assuming that the participating countries actually send their best teams. Virtue and Moir seem ready to go though!

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/Canadians+skaters+mine+some+silver/1442246/story.html

 

[Buttercup]

The USA has an edge over Canada because each country has to send two skates in the men's and in the ladies. Canada has elite skaters across the board but the US has more depth in all the disciplines except pairs - and there's only going to be one pairs team, so it won't hurt them.

I wonder which ladies the French will send. Even assuming Candice Didier will be well enough to go, the pickings are pretty slim.

Re the Vancouver Sun article, am I the only one who finds the title "High Performance Director" creepy?

 

[skatingbc]

The USA has an edge over Canada because each country has to send two skates in the men's and in the ladies. Canada has elite skaters across the board but the US has more depth in all the disciplines except pairs - and there's only going to be one pairs team, so it won't hurt them.

I wonder which ladies the French will send. Even assuming Candice Didier will be well enough to go, the pickings are pretty slim.

Re the Vancouver Sun article, am I the only one who finds the title "High Performance Director" creepy?

I did some math based on the placements at Worlds. Assuming the countries send their top skaters who they also sent to Worlds, USA has 55 pts, Canada has 54 pts and Japan has 53 pts. That's a pretty big assumption, but it still gives a good idea of how the countries stack up when compared to each other. I would love for Canada or the US to win though, because imo, they really have the best teams. I would not like for Japan to win based on their high singles scores because their dance and pairs programs are really sub-par.

 

[gio]

Italy is out, because Kostner and Contasti medals at Euros didn't count at all, since they went at Worlds.
China surpassed Italy, because the two chinese girls and the two men placed better at Four continents and GP/JGP.

 

[Buttercup]

The French team for this event:

Men: Brian Joubert and Florent Amodio
Ladies: Candice Didier and Gwendolyn Didier
Pairs: Vanessa James and Yannick Bonheur
Ice Dance: Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat

My thoughts:
1. FFSG seems to be taking this event seriously.
2. Have they lost faith in both Alban and Yannick?
3. Apparently James/Bonheur are now the no. 1 pair as far as their federation is concerned.
4. So Candice is expected to be well enough to compete! That's excellent news.

So - who are the other participating federations sending?

 

[tilak]

The French team for this event:

Men: Brian Joubert and Florent Amodio
Ladies: Candice Didier and Gwendolyn Didier
Pairs: Vanessa James and Yannick Bonheur
Ice Dance: Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat

My thoughts:
1. FFSG seems to be taking this event seriously.
2. Have they lost faith in both Alban and Yannick?
3. Apparently James/Bonheur are now the no. 1 pair as far as their federation is concerned.
4. So Candice is expected to be well enough to compete! That's excellent news.

So - who are the other participating federations sending?

From the USA, according to Jeremy Abbott's "Pigs Van Fly" website, he is going.

 

[Eevun]

The organizer will offer a Prize Money amount of US$1,000,000. - to the Skaters/Couples of the awarded teams. This is the highest money prize that has been offered in the ISU history.
1st placed team US$ 200,000
2nd placed team US$ 170,000
3rd placed team US$ 160,000
4th placed team US$ 150,000
5th placed team US$ 140,000
6th placed team US$ 130,000

Holy macaroni! If the event itself doesn't sound very entice, they try with something else...