WTT at the OLY question

[johndockley92]

Will each nation send different skaters to the team event than they do at the normal event? IE if the US sends Abbot and Rippon to the Olympics in men, would they send a different man to compete in the team event? I'd rather see it that way, tbh. Only the deepest countries would be competitive and it would make it so that more skaters got a great opportunity and that the skaters competing individually would have less to prepare for.

Anyways, I'm wondering which way it's going to be... And which way you think is better?

[Jemestone]

I think the Olympic team comes from those who already qualified. So some people will just have to skate 4 times.

ETA: I have no opinion on which way works best. I don't think a skater deserves a medal if they couldn't qualify for the main events though. I just think this whole thing is dumb.

[Rob]

This article suggests that the skaters would be those who already qualified for the individual events, but substitutions could be made.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/...ic-events.html

[Sylvia]

This Reuters article (dated March 29, 2012) doesn't mention the possibility of substitutes; instead, Cinquanta states that the short programs of the 10 qualified teams will take place the day before the opening ceremony in Sochi: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8ET8WL20120329

[RFOS]

What if a country doesn't qualify a skater in a discipline? For example, if Takahashi & Tran were injured at Worlds and/or the Olympic qualifying event, and the other team (if any) who competed didn't earn the spot? We already known T&T won't likely be able to compete themselves. Assuming Japan still did qualify a team I wonder if they would be allowed to send a pair who didn't qualify for the actual pairs event (and wouldn't be a substitute for it either).

[manhn]

The day before? That sounds awful, particularly for the Russian skaters.

[Rob]

I am surprised they get to try this "experiment" out at the Olympics, instead of at the World Championships.

[Visaliakid]

If my memory serves me correctly Speedy made reference to the Team event in Sochi as a possible Mixed-Team format with qualified singles, pairs and dancers being put on different teams instead of the same format used in WTT. If that is the case, then just please scrap the whole idea as an olympic event. Makes no sense as the Olympic Movement is all about Nationalism and national teams competing against one another.

[pingu]

This is another article about the Team Event: http://www.artonice.it/?q=en/node/11950

[Fridge_Break]

Good grief, this sounds like it's going to be a huge mess.

[Eislauffan]

If my memory serves me correctly Speedy made reference to the Team event in Sochi as a possible Mixed-Team format with qualified singles, pairs and dancers being put on different teams instead of the same format used in WTT. If that is the case, then just please scrap the whole idea as an olympic event. Makes no sense as the Olympic Movement is all about Nationalism and national teams competing against one another.

This only referred to the Youth Olympic Games. At the Olympic Winter Games, the teams will be formed from one country only.
I think it is good to have a team event and thus giving more skaters an opportunity to win medals. However, the timing is bad. The team event should take place after the individual event. I think in most other disciplines this is the case.

Ten teams will qualify according to the result of the World Championships 2013. All compete in the short program but only the top ranked five teams will compete in the free skating of the Olympic team event.

[Theatregirl1122]

This only referred to the Youth Olympic Games. At the Olympic Winter Games, the teams will be formed from one country only.
I think it is good to have a team event and thus giving more skaters an opportunity to win medals. However, the timing is bad. The team event should take place after the individual event. I think in most other disciplines this is the case.

I can't think of anything it IS true for. Team is before individual in gymnastics, relays are interspersed with individual in swimming, I think in track cycling they are interspersed. Athletics the relay's are sort of at the end.

And I don't see how "figure skating is just not a team sport!" makes sense. Gymnastics is a team sport and the only real difference between that and figure skating in this context is that people are used to gymnastics as a team sport.

[manhn]

The difference between gymnastics is NOTHING in figure skating is as bad as the floor exercise. Gymnastics sucks!

[allezfred]

Athletics the relay's are sort of at the end.

They are at the end and well after the individual events have finished.

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

Am I the only one who really HATES the WTT idea?

[carriecmu0503]

Am I the only one who really HATES the WTT idea?

I am sure the athletes appreciate the chance to win another medal (or only medal!!) at the Olympics. This event may even be added to the world championships. It gives skaters more opportunities to win medals. I do not see how that can be a bad thing.

[pingu]

Am I the only one who really HATES the WTT idea?

Oh come on, don't be grumpy, it's FUN!!!

[MarieM]

Am I the only one who really HATES the WTT idea?

Well I don't dislike the idea, the thing is I don't think it's a good idea to add another competition for athletes who already are worn out after the olys ... But still it can be a nice way to make all countries go and developp all disciplines !

[FigureSpins]

Am I the only one who really HATES the WTT idea?

I didn't think I'd like it, but after watching online, I do think it's a nice way to incorporate team events into figure skating and give additional athletes a chance to be on an Olympic team. I could see each country's team having different skaters for this event than the other four disciplines, so the spectators could see different programs and skaters.

My favorite part is the cheerleader section where the teammates wait and watch with flags and pompons. A little cheesy, perhaps, but I like the team spirit.

The Synchro advocates hate the WTT idea being brought across to the Olympics because they'd rather see Synchro be included instead of this event. I can understand their point, but I don't enjoy synchro as much as I like the other disciplines, singles being my favorite.

[rfisher]

If they're going to do this, I'd rather they drop the exhibition and use this in it's place and even let the skaters use their exhibition programs.