1st Senior B in USA to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah in mid-September

[gkelly]

Maybe there are few enough junior dancers that all those who would qualify for this event are already assigned to JGPs, so there's no one to invite? Or if there were two or three who aren't age eligible for JGP, they don't add up to enough to hold an event?

[Tammi]

I think based on the criteria, between 4 and 6 teams would have been eligible for invitations to a junior dance event. In the past few years, the travel expenses for the "developmental internationals" have been paid for by the athletes themselves. That may be part of the reason why some were unable to attend.

These were the junior dance teams from last years Nationals who are not on the ISP list (I'm not sure they're still together):
Roxette Howe / Mark Janhke J10
Jenna Dzierzanowski / Vinny Dispenza J13

These teams were novice last year and competed in juniors at Lake Placid this summer (unclear in the press release if they were required to have already passed their junior tests):
Hannah Rosinski / Jacob Jaffe N3
Chloe Rose-Lewis / Logan Bye N4
Stacey Siddon / Jared Weiss N5

Returning junior dance national competitor with a new partner:
Julia Biechler / Damian Dodge

[peibeck]

Knowing some of you can't wait.... Prediction Contest is now posted in the Kiss-n-Cry section.

Good luck!

P.S. You will need your season subscription for the Kiss-n-Cry area, so now's a good time to get it!

[Visaliakid]

Thx, Sylvia. Now I am curious who will compete as jrs here, and whether that part will be streamed

The Novice and Junior events will be digitally recorded and posted on IceNetwork for Subscribers On Demand viewing.

BTW... there are no international Novice and Junior entrants to the Challenge Skate events, only U.S. novice and junior skaters who received invites and chose to accept their invitations on a first come, first served basis. The Challenge Skate events are organized under the USFS developmental program to give these young skaters a taste of attending an international event. It will serve as kind of a mini champs camp for them.

The following link posted by Sylvia explains the developmental competition for invited U.S. junior and novice skaters/teams: http://skatingmagazineblog.com/2012/...kelly-vogtner/

[Sylvia]

I've posted a U.S. Challenge Skate preliminary roster for the invited U.S. junior and novice singles skaters/teams in my blog: http://unseenskaters.wordpress.com/2...minary-roster/

[A.H.Black]

I've posted a U.S. Challenge Skate preliminary roster for the invited U.S. junior and novice singles skaters/teams in my blog: http://unseenskaters.wordpress.com/2...minary-roster/

Just looked at the Novice Pairs list. Jonathan Horton must have switched sports? Yes, my tongue is firmly in cheek.

[TanithandBenFan]

Couple of questions about the rink:

1) How cold is it in there?
2) Is there a decent snack bar?
3) Is there hockey glass around the rink?

Thanks!!!!

[A.H.Black]

Couple of questions about the rink:

1) How cold is it in there?
2) Is there a decent snack bar?
3) Is there hockey glass around the rink?

Thanks!!!!

Can be cold, but not terrible and you can easily go out in the exercise area to warm up - even outside. Stands are benches so something to sit on (throw or small blanket) usually helps. This time of year, it shouldn't be bad. I am usually very cold in a rink so if you aren't, you should be fine.

Snack bar is good for a neighborhood rink but don't depend on it. Food is a ways away so plan to bring some or take a break.

There is hockey glass but I think it is usually removed for competition. In the main rink you are usually up higher than the glass. In the smaller rink the benches are up over the top - not at ice level.

When you come into the building the ice is on the main level. You will go upstairs to get to the stands. There isn't a public entrance to the stands on the main level. Bye the way - very good restrooms.

[julieann]

Just looked at the Novice Pairs list. Jonathan Horton must have switched sports? Yes, my tongue is firmly in cheek.

Stranger things have happened. Maybe he wants an Olympic medal in this sport too.

[TanithandBenFan]

Can be cold, but not terrible and you can easily go out in the exercise area to warm up - even outside. Stands are benches so something to sit on (throw or small blanket) usually helps. This time of year, it shouldn't be bad. I am usually very cold in a rink so if you aren't, you should be fine.

Snack bar is good for a neighborhood rink but don't depend on it. Food is a ways away so plan to bring some or take a break.

There is hockey glass but I think it is usually removed for competition. In the main rink you are usually up higher than the glass. In the smaller rink the benches are up over the top - not at ice level.

When you come into the building the ice is on the main level. You will go upstairs to get to the stands. There isn't a public entrance to the stands on the main level. Bye the way - very good restrooms.

Thanks! I think I saw a Corner Bakery on the map not too far from the rink? Any other food options relatively nearby?

[Sylvia]

Just looked at the Novice Pairs list. Jonathan Horton must have switched sports? Yes, my tongue is firmly in cheek.

The pair guy Jonathon spells his first name differently than the Olympic gymnast.

[Skittl1321]

The pair guy Jonathon spells his first name differently than the Olympic gymnast.

Whew...good thing it isn't the Olympic gymnast. Any partner he finds would grow to tall for him for sure!

[Triple Butz]

The pair guy Jonathon spells his first name differently than the Olympic gymnast.

Yay! I'm not the only one who spells it that way!

[leapfrogonice]

Hope they are doing something to keep this inaugural Senior B in North America something less than embarrassing from a crowd standpoint. Not seeing much effort on the marketing front for this event. At least they priced tickets it seems on par with your other average entertainment choices, like a move.

[gkelly]

Hope they are doing something to keep this inaugural Senior B in North America something less than embarrassing from a crowd standpoint. Not seeing much effort on the marketing front for this event.

But what is its purpose?

If the primary purposes of hosting the event are to earn money through ticket sales, publicize the sport to the general public, give skaters experience skating in front of large crowds, etc., then it would be important to publicize the event and actually attract large crowds into the arena, and it would be embarrassing to fail to do so.

If those purposes are low on the list of why the federation chose to host the event in the first place, or not on the list at all, then why would they care?

They may be more focused on purposes such as giving U.S. skaters an opportunity to skate against competitors from other countries, in front of international judging panels, and to earn ISU ranking points and minimum scores. If it achieves all of those things, but no one outside the skating community shows up because there was no effort made to attract audiences, why should they be embarrassed?

It takes efforts -- more person hours, which means either coordinating more volunteers or paying more salaries -- to market an event to the public and to provide services to the public including ticket sales, arena staff, etc. If the main purposes of the event are to serve the needs of the participants, then efforts spent on marketing might be irrelevant. Or even counterproductive if they distract from achieving the main purposes. Especially in the first year of a new event.

[leapfrogonice]

gkelly. All fair points. And definitely agree that the primary purposes you cite, should be the priority and be met.

You are probably being realistic and pragmatic. I am being theoretical and aspirational in hoping that these primary purposes can be attended to satisfactorily ... AND some effort can be put into putting people in the stand to support the skaters, and their efforts. It is a performance sport. I was merely expressing a wish that perhaps there might be a shred of hope that a senior international of this calibre might have a chance of finding an audience beyond skaters, coaches, their families.

I know. Unrealistic of me to hope for such.

[TanithandBenFan]

gkelly. All fair points. And definitely agree that the primary purposes you cite, should be the priority and be met.

You are probably being realistic and pragmatic. I am being theoretical and aspirational in hoping that these primary purposes can be attended to satisfactorily ... AND some effort can be put into putting people in the stand to support the skaters, and their efforts. It is a performance sport. I was merely expressing a wish that perhaps there might be a shred of hope that a senior international of this calibre might have a chance of finding an audience beyond skaters, coaches, their families.

I know. Unrealistic of me to hope for such.

I'm in a group of four fans coming from all points across the country to watch. And I've invited a friend who lives in SLC to come watch her first live skating event! I hope there will be other skating fans in the area who'll check it out, too.

[Sylvia]

Official entry lists and schedules are now published for the Senior B and the Challenge Skate: http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=48410&type=media

ETA that I've started an event thread for this competition in Kiss and Cry: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=84887

[Jammers]

I think i need to get another subscription since mine ran out a few months ago and competition is already happening. I was holding off till October for a 6 month subscription to get me through Worlds but i see i need to get it early this year. I'm cheap though i don't want to get full year. LOL

[A.H.Black]

Official entry lists and schedules are now published for the Senior B and the Challenge Skate: http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=48410&type=media

ETA that I've started an event thread for this competition in Kiss and Cry: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=84887

Thanks for posting, Sylvia. It's about time. Also, the schedule is a bit different than the one I posted from the flyer.