2012-13 Grand Prix Pre-announcement Thread

[barbk]

I wish they'd just drop the 3rd GP option. How many times has the third GP ended up dropped? Given the reduced number of GP entries, and the number of folks who could well medal at the one GP they're entitled to, we could easily see the GP final feature lesser-accomplished skaters because some of the best are locked out of the necessary 2nd GP.

[Rob]

At what point does the location for Skate America normally get announced?

There is no such thing as normally. Recently, it was announced sometime between January and March. 5 or 6 years ago, it was announced at least a year in advance. This year, rumors are mid-June. They must be strong-arming someone into taking it.

[JasperBoy]

I wish they'd just drop the 3rd GP option. How many times has the third GP ended up dropped? Given the reduced number of GP entries, and the number of folks who could well medal at the one GP they're entitled to, we could easily see the GP final feature lesser-accomplished skaters because some of the best are locked out of the necessary 2nd GP.

Yes

[NMURA]

Hmm, which federation actually wants that? Maybe the smaller ones? I imagine the bigger ones with promising juniors would rather push them out early than not. For example, Russia'd surely want Julia Lipnitskaya to skate on the senior GP an extra season before Sochi?

That proposal was from the ISU council (which means it's likely to be passed). Any proposals have certain supporting bases. Maybe some (major) federations don't want Lipnitskaya on the senior GP. Even for Russia, it would be better to promote Sotnikova (and Tuktami) for the crucial pre-Olympic season rather than hurting their reputations. Having a world medal is the de facto prerequisite for a Olympic medal.

[euterpe]

I think they're changing the GP age rule in conjunction with another proposed rule change that will prohibit moving from Senior competitions back to Junior ones. Under current rules, a 14-year-old can skate in the GP but cannot go to Worlds, 4CC or Euros, so JW is the only championship option. Changing the GP age makes the rules uniform.

[Dave of the North]

I think that will only happen if Hanyu wants to do three events as I'm fairly sure that Takahashi won't (probably NHK and then one out of Skate America and Skate Canada. Europe ).

Likely not Skate Canada as Chan would (should) be there.

[allezfred]

Likely not Skate Canada as Chan would (should) be there.

I'd forgotten about that. So Chan does Skate Canada and TEB, Takahashi Skate America and NHK and Hanyu Cup of China and Rostelecom. Who needs to have a meeting to decide the spots anyway?

[love_skate2011]

I think they're changing the GP age rule in conjunction with another proposed rule change that will prohibit moving from Senior competitions back to Junior ones. Under current rules, a 14-year-old can skate in the GP but cannot go to Worlds, 4CC or Euros, so JW is the only championship option. Changing the GP age makes the rules uniform.

hmm and this will take out the privilege of some skaters like S/H who enjoyed doing seniors and juniors for a while, but will this be 100% implemented ?
Chinquanta has most of the support on this one, but I'm assuming some of the fed like in Russia might make a consideration for Lipnitskaya or would it be too much of a burden just for the sake of a one to be 14 year old.

[Zemgirl]

I wish they'd just drop the 3rd GP option. How many times has the third GP ended up dropped?

I think the only ones who asked for three GPs but only did two were P/B, because of his bronchitis. There's a bonus for doing three, and if you sign up for three but skip the third there's supposed to be a fine.

I'd forgotten about that. So Chan does Skate Canada and TEB, Takahashi Skate America and NHK and Hanyu Cup of China and Rostelecom. Who needs to have a meeting to decide the spots anyway?

Will the FFSG want to have Chan at TEB, seeing as how he was probably the least popular medalist with the audience at Worlds?

[Anya]

I seriously doubt that FFSG cares about audience reaciton at the Worlds. It might be better for them not to invite Chan, if they believe that Joubert (who presumably will be doing TEB) has better chances of defeating Takahashi or Hanyu, but I doubt that they will factor audience support into their decision.

As for the age rules, I think the ISU wanted it already at the last Congress, but it did not work for whatever reason (I remember some rumours that Polina Shelepen was not named for the Senior GP two years ago, because the RFSF expected the age rules to change and make her ineligible for it. It might be just a rumour, though, because they were not keen to move her up to Seniors this year, either). It does look better and makes more sense to have just one age of 'majority' than two (or will they still keep 14 years as a requirement for B-list competitions?).

The RFSF will surely be against it, with Lipnitskaya being the new start and everything. Does any other NGB have a stake in the matter? Gold is old enough. What about Japanese girls?

[HisWeirness]

The ISU Council proposal would make 15 the minimum age limit for all senior competitions.

Thread discussing the 2012 ISU Congress proposals:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82441

[Dave of the North]

Will the FFSG want to have Chan at TEB, seeing as how he was probably the least popular medalist with the audience at Worlds?

I want Chan to be at TEB and mix in Sharapova saying "Allez up your f****** ass" with his "Elegie" exhibition...

[NMURA]

The RFSF will surely be against it, with Lipnitskaya being the new start and everything. Does any other NGB have a stake in the matter? Gold is old enough. What about Japanese girls?

I don't think Russia will SURELY be against it. Their #1 priority of the next season is to win a world medal of the best possible value. Lipnitskaya's presence can put unnecessary pressure on Russian "senior" ladies.

Miyahara is surely going to compete as a junior. The JSF seems still wanting to favor Murakami. Miyahara's emergence is not welcome, to be honest. Shoji has probably finished, I'm afraid.

[feraina]

I don't think Russia will SURELY be against it. Their #1 priority of the next season is to win a world medal of the best possible value. Lipnitskaya's presence can put unnecessary pressure on Russian "senior" ladies.

In particular, I think they probably want to promote Tukt and Sotnikova, who will finally be eligible for senior championships. Having one more young lady to share the limelight with them may not be their best strategy. Younger girls like Elena Radionova won't make Sochi anyway, so maybe they don't mind keeping them back a year.

I can't think of that many amazing young skaters in the U.S. who'd benefit from going up to senior GP's early. Caroline won two GP medals and qualified for GPF when she was 14, but then her career didn't exactly thrive after that. Among the younger girls, only Karen Chen seems particularly precocious. But she will be a good position for 2018 even if she goes up to senior at 15.

China kept Zijun Li back by a year anyway, though she would've qualified for a GP last year, given her bronze at JGPF. It probably was good for her to consolidate her 2A-3T and 3-3's in the low-pressure junior events.

Sui/Han really benefitted from GP's last season though, as in China they have to overcome a lot of political obstacles to get expensive costumes, foreign choreographers, and other resources -- proving their worth on the GP really helped them getting somewhere with the Chinese federation.

Miyahara is surely going to compete as a junior. The JSF seems still wanting to favor Murakami. Miyahara's emergence is not welcome, to be honest. Shoji has probably finished, I'm afraid.

Shoji is probably going the way of Yuki Nishino, who never recovered. Shoji has real technical issues with her jumps, and puberty seems to be really hurting her.

[pinky166]

Shoji was injured most of this season. She has technique and UR issues, but she can maybe bounce back. And actually, she can do GP next season and probably get 2, her SB is in the top 24 to get her one, then she could get the host spot at NHK. I don't think a few bad competitions while she was injured are a clear indication that she's "finished". Anyways, I'm not sure puberty is even the issue, because she looks about the same size as last season when she was doing quite well. I still think she has more promise than Imai, and Miyahara's jumps are miniscule to the point that I think they will be very problematic once she grows. She like doesn't even jump, more like spins around 3 times on the ice.

Also Zijun Li is not eligible by age for Worlds and 4CC until next season anyway (she is the same age as Liza) so it's not shocking she did JGP again. This way she can move up to seniors fully in the upcoming season, rather than doing senior GP then JW and having to train 2 long programs all season long.

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

Sorry, I don't agree. I want Takahashi at either TEB or CoR.

[Jammers]

I always thought it was ridiculous that skaters not old enough to skate at Senior Worlds or the Olympics could nevertheless skate on the Senior GP. The whole BS of protecting the younger girls was just that BS. Caroline Zhang skated on the GP when she was only 14 how was that protecting her from burning out? I say make the rule if you turn 15 before Oct 1st of the previous year you can compete at Worlds and the Olympics. Push the deadline forward a few months so more of these girls can compete. Adelina was hosed for being born on July 1st.

[Ziggy]

I wish they'd just drop the 3rd GP option. How many times has the third GP ended up dropped? Given the reduced number of GP entries, and the number of folks who could well medal at the one GP they're entitled to, we could easily see the GP final feature lesser-accomplished skaters because some of the best are locked out of the necessary 2nd GP.

That.

It's good to give the best a chance to earn money but it's even more important to spread the wealth and give more skaters the opportunity to compete IMO.

[Cherub721]

It makes sense to have one age standard for all senior competitions (either that or get rid of age restrictions in seniors altogether). I just hope they will save major changes like that until after the Olympic season. A skater like Lipnitskaya, who has been competing senior at Nationals successfully for years, is operating under the impression that she'll have two senior GP seasons under her belt before the Olympics. If the rules suddenly change, that would totally throw off her Olympic plans and she won't get any senior experience until just a few months before the Olympics.

[misskarne]

I think they're changing the GP age rule in conjunction with another proposed rule change that will prohibit moving from Senior competitions back to Junior ones. Under current rules, a 14-year-old can skate in the GP but cannot go to Worlds, 4CC or Euros, so JW is the only championship option. Changing the GP age makes the rules uniform.

Thank god! It's about time they did something like that. Frankly, I've always thought it's criminal that Denis Ten is still allowed to go to Junior Worlds. He's been to the Olympics, FFS.

Once a Senior, always a Senior IMO. You shouldn't be able to just pick and choose.

If I read it right, someone like Artur Gachinski (DOB 13/08/1993) would still be eligible for Junior Worlds next season. The very fact that Artur, who is a silver medallist at Europeans and a bronze medallist at Senior Worlds, would be able to go back to Junior Worlds is somewhat laughable. Can you imagine if he'd decided to get in an extra competition between Euros and Worlds this year and gone to Minsk?

I'm glad they're changing the rule.