Introducing new Pro-Am: Medal Winners Open, Oct. 5th in Japan

[gkelly]

But Hubert doesn't have the medals to qualify, does she?

[robinhood]

^doesn't she have any euro medal?

[seabm7]

^doesn't she have any euro medal?

No, she doesn't.

[NONKO]

Special Programs will be broadcasted on TV Tokyo and BS Japan to promote Medal Winners Open, Japan Open and Carnival on Ice.

http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/coi2012/
http://www.bs-j.co.jp/bangumi/html/2...354_22399.html

TV Tokyo
September 17th PM1:00-1:30
18th AM3:35-4:05
22nd PM0:30-1:00

BS Japan
September 5th PM11:54-AM0:25
12th PM11:54-AM0:20
15th PM4:30-PM5:00
16th AM2:10-AM2:40
25th AM0:00-AM0:30
29th PM4:54-PM5:20
30th AM2:10-AM2:40

[NONKO]

Journalist Diary

Kimmie Meisner
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater

Alexei Yagudin
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater

[4rkidz]

Journalist Diary

Kimmie Meisner
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater

Alexei Yagudin
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater

Nice to see Kimmy training so hard for this.. she is one skater that I don't think had the opportunity to really become the kind of skater she wanted to be.. with success so young before her artistic side really developed. She is one skater I wish had come back to the amateur scene but I know she had injuries and stuff..lol..

And Yagudin will always be my favourite.. nobody excited me like he did

[NONKO]

More Journalist Diary

Takahiko Kozuka
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater
Jeffrey Buttle
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater
Patrick Chan
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater

The posters of Medal Winners Open, Japan Open and Carnival on Ice are shown in a lot of stations in Tokyo. They made a lot of different designs of posters for each skater

http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure#!/p...type=1&theater

[aliceanne]

Why is everyone worried about Kimmie? I thought OP said jumps didn't count in this event. She's been doing shows.

[NONKO]

Messages from skaters
http://www.facebook.com/txfigure

Elene Gedevanishvili

I am so happy that I will be a part of this great event ! Thank you for having me ! I am so exited to go to japan !

Irina Slutskaya (Ari Zakarian)

Irina Slutskaya so happy to compete in Japan after almost 7 years, she is looking forward to see Shizuka and all other friends, good luck to everybody (Ari Zakarian) agent

Happy to welcome all skaters in Japan from all over the world

[FigureSpins]

I chuckled at the "Open" in the title since the skaters were invited to compete by the ISU.

I thought it was funny that the USFS Adult Skating Facebook page called Kurt Browning an "Adult Skater." Quick, someone send him an AN bingo card, lol.
Hmmm...they could add a box for "backflips" or "scotty turns."

I like this event idea, especially with it being just the singles for now since those are my favorite disciplines. It opens a door for skaters to prolong their on-ice careers without the grueling training for qualifying competitions. I looked at the ISU announcement and it states the skater can use hand-held/carried props and theatrical lighting. It's being judged under a modified version of the IJS Singles Free Skating rules, "A well balanced program with emphasis on artistic merit will be performed by each competitor."

I'll watch it if I can (no word on US viewing yet) - sounds like a great show/competition!

[operagirl]

Why no Stephan Lambiel? He's perfect for this.

[midori]

Jingu ICE Messangers Grace is now in the cast as a "guest."
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/mwo2012/info.html#cast

Japan Open usually gives us a "surprise" guest skater or two with no advance announcement. I wonder if Medal Winners Open also invite some more guests between the competitions.

[lily]

Why no Stephan Lambiel? He's perfect for this.

Stéphane probably still has those ISU restrictions?

[seabm7]

Stéphane probably still has those ISU restrictions?

If Stéphane still has the ISU restrctions, then those rules apply to Arakawa, too.

It's likely that Stéphane was too busy dealing with Opera on Ice.

[leapfrogonice]

Kurt as an "adult" skater? I could never put a label on him other than ageless!

[Rochelle]

Thanks for the quotes and info, Coral!

A friend sent me the TV Tokyo airdates (thanks midori!):
Station: TV Tokyo
Japan Open Oct. 6th 19:00-20:54
Carnival On Ice Oct. 7th 16:00-17:15
Medal Winners Open Oct. 8th 12:30-14:00

Source: http://news.thetv.jp/article/32785/

Sorry for posting all 3 events' info here, I'm in a hurry and don't have time to go to the other threads.

Also, I received some more information from IMG Japan/TV Tokyo (applies to all 3 events).

Thank you for sharing this!

Is it likely those of us not in Japan may be able to catch TV coverage of this event? Perhaps the "TV Tokyo" coverage, when it's being aired in Japan (live) or on-demand afterwards?

I'm hoping there may be an option other than scouring YouTube for videos after the event concludes (or after the TV coverage airs)... though I'll settle for YouTube videos at the least.

[Willowway]

Thank you for the broadcast details. I can't wait to see the results. It's very nice that a producer is giving a new pro comp a shot - these have disappeared completely in recent years and with them gone we do miss interesting performances by our most experienced talent. While all of these skaters participate in shows (also decreasing in number), a comp however structured is a different animal and a different environment - it should be very good!

[t.mann]

no Lambiel, no Kwan, no Sasha.
A little show.

[l'etoile]

I'm super excited for male contestants but for female contestants, seriously let down except for Irina.

[ioana]

Why is everyone worried about Kimmie? I thought OP said jumps didn't count in this event. She's been doing shows.

She looked well prepared and ready at Evening with Champions last weekend. I know she doubled her (presumably) planned 3toe, but please keep in mind she did this program after a synchro team skated their SP. I thought she handled the awful ice conditions very well and enjoyed watching her skate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWGeAj0UQeg#t=1m00s