ISU has lowered the 2013 Worlds minimum scores (TES) for men, ladies & pairs

[Sylvia]

http://isu.sportcentric.net/db//files/serve.php?id=4235

Further to ISU Communication No. 1742, item 7, ISU Communication 1767, item 7 and internal consultations among all competent ISU bodies, it was decided to revise the Minimum Total Technical Scores for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2013 as follows:

Men
SP 32.00 points (changed from 35.00)
FS 60.00 points (changed from 65.00)

Ladies
SP 26.00 points (changed from 28.00)
FS 46.00 points (changed from 48.00)

Pairs
SP 24.00 points (changed from 28.00)
FS 41.00 points (changed from 45.00)

Ice Dance
Short Dance 29.00 points (unchanged)
FD 39.00 points (unchanged)

[victorskid]

I presume this means that not enough skaters had qualified to fill the field at Worlds in these three disciplines.

[SamuraiK]

Exactly what I thought would happen. I was afraid they will not change dance since there is already a potential field of 28 teams, more than 25 which was the limit of entries for the Short dance the last 2 years.

[love_skate2011]

not surprising

glad more teams from smaller federations have a chance to compete again

[Sasha'sSpins]

I presume this means that not enough skaters had qualified to fill the field at Worlds in these three disciplines.

I thought the same.

[Ziggy]

It sucks for dance. Only 28 teams not all of whom will probably be able to complete makes for a very small field.

EVILLE ISU.

[SamuraiK]

Ok with these numbers the ladies with min scores by country would be (I'll add the competitions later if wanted). In the case of countries with more skaters than spots available im highlighting who is the world team member.



SKATERS WHO HAVE REACHED BOTH WORLD MINIMUN SCORES
Country Name TES-SP TES-LP
AUSTRALIA(1 spot)
*AUS Brooklee HAN 27.7 47.6
AUSTRIA(1 spot)
*AUT Kerstin FRANK 28.8 51.7
BRAZIL(1 spot)
*BRA Isadora WILLIAMS 27.2 49.2
CANADA (1 spot)
*CAN Alaine CHARTRAND 26.2 49.5
*CAN Amelie LACOSTE 31.9 48.0
*CAN Gabrielle DALEMAN 30.4 47.3 (not age eligible)
*CAN Kaetlyn OSMOND 33.2 59.2 (world team)
CHINA(2 spots)
*CHN Kexin ZHANG 32.8 58.3
*CHN Zijun LI 33.8 59.4
*CHN Ziquan ZHAO 31.5 52.4 (not age eligible)
ESTONIA(1 spot)
*EST Elena GLEBOVA 31.6 53.1
*EST Gerli LIINAMÄE 29.4 51.8
FINLAND(1 spot)
*FIN Juulia TURKKILA 28.9 47.3
*FIN Kiira KORPI 36.9 56.1 (world team)
FRANCE(1 spot)
*FRA Lena MARROCCO 28.6 51.8
*FRA Lenaelle GILLERON-GORRY 30.5 54.1
*FRA Mae Berenice MEITE 30.7 53.8 (world team ??)
*FRA Yretha SILETE 31.4 55.9
GEORGIA(2 spots)
*GEO Elene GEDEVANISHVILI 31.5 51.2
GERMANY(1 spot)
*GER Nathalie WEINZIERL 30.8 52.2
*GER Sarah HECKEN 30.0 49.4
GREAT BRITAIN(1 spots)
*GBR Jenna MCCORKELL 30.4 56.1
ITALY(3 spots)
*ITA Carolina KOSTNER 36.3 63.2
*ITA Roberta RODEGHIERO 27.7 48.8
*ITA Valentina MARCHEI 30.6 54.8
JAPAN(3 spots)
*JPN Akiko SUZUKI 36.5 64.5
*JPN Haruka IMAI 29.2 56.8
*JPN Haruna SUZUKI 30.2 46.8
*JPN Kako TOMOTAKI 29.3 53.5
J*JPN Kanako MURAKAMI 35.2 55.5
*JPN Mao ASADA 35.7 63.5
*JPN Miu SATO 28.2 54.8
*JPN Miyabi OBA 29.6 50.1
*JPN Rika HONGO 31.8 54.8
*JPN Risa SHOJI 31.0 52.6
*JPN Satoko MIYAHARA 32.8 58.6 (not age elegible)
*JPN Yuka NAGAI 26.9 46.4
*JPN Yuki NISHINO 30.3 48.2
LATVIA(1 spot)
*GBR Jenna MCCORKELL 30.4 56.1
[BLITHUANIA[/B](1 spot)
*GBR Jenna MCCORKELL 30.4 56.1
RUSSIA(3 spots)
*RUS Adelina SOTNIKOVA 37.3 62.4 (world team)
*RUS Alena LEONOVA 34.6 60.6
*RUS Anna POGORILAYA 33.3 60.5 (not age eligible)
*RUS Anna SHERSHAK 28.1 47.8 (not age eligible)
*RUS Elena RADIONOVA 36.8 66.4 (not age eligible)
*RUS Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA 35.0 70.0 (world team)
*RUS Evgenia GERASIMOVA 28.7 52.0 (not age eligible)
*RUS Julia LIPNITSKAIA 36.4 67.3 (not age eligible)
*RUS Kristina ZASEEVA 29.4 52.2
*RUS Ksenia MAKAROVA 31.8 46.0
*RUS Maria STAVITSKAIA 34.5 52.8 (not age eligible)
*RUS Nikol GOSVIANI 29.5 50.5 (world team =????)
*RUS Polina AGAFONOVA 32.3 54.5
*RUS Polina KOROBEYNIKOVA 28.4 63.6
*RUS Polina SHELEPEN 30.3 61.1
*RUS Sofia BIRYUKOVA 32.3 55.5
*RUS Ulyana TITUSHKINA 32.6 48.1 (not age eligible)
SOUTH KOREA(1 spot)
*KOR Hae-Jin KIM 32.7 55.5
*KOR So-Youn PARK 30.0 49.9 (not age eligible)
*KOR Yeon Jun PARK 26.4 48.7
*KOR Yuna KIM 37.4 60.8 (world team)
SLOVAKIA(1 spot)
*SVK Monika SIMANCIKOVA 27.5 47.6
SPAIN(1 spot)
*ESP Sonia LAFUENTE 29.0 53.4
SWEDEN(1 spot)
*SWE Isabelle OLSSON 30.5 54.4
*SWE Joshi HELGESSON 29.8 53.4
*SWE Linnea MELLGREN 27.8 46.6
*SWE Viktoria HELGESSON 29.4 50.7 (world team)
UKRAINE(1 spot)
*UKR Natalia POPOVA 28.3 55.9
UNITED STATES(2 spots)
*USA Agnes ZAWADZKI 35.4 51.6
*USA Alissa CZISNY 33.0 60.1
*USA Angela WANG 34.9 58.9
*USA Ashley WAGNER 35.0 66.6 (world team)
*USA Barbie LONG 30.4 51.3
*USA Caroline ZHANG 32.8 63.3
*USA Christina GAO 31.0 60.6
*USA Courtney HICKS 27.9 55.0
*USA Gracie GOLD 35.3 61.7 (world team)
*USA Hannah MILLER 33.8 56.2
*USA Katarina KULGEYKO 26.7 49.2
*USA Leah KEISER 32.0 58.0 (not age elegible)
*USA Mirai NAGASU 32.4 56.4
*USA Rachael FLATT 29.1 47.4
*USA Samantha CESARIO 31.1 55.9
*USA Vanessa LAM 30.5 58.1

TOTAL WORLDS FIELD SO FAR: 30 SKATERS OUT OF 22 COUNTRIES.

I'll post other cateogories later.

[DarrellH]

Jenna McCorkell looks to be really busy.

I tease. Thank you for putting that list together.

[ehdtkqorl123]

Ha! I have never seen a sport that changes its own rules in the middle of a season!
Ridiculous...

[Ziggy]

Thanks a million, SamuraiK. So of course the EVILLE ISU lowered the minimums as little as possible, to make sure we didn't by any chance end up with more than 30 skaters in the SP.

Ha! I have never seen a sport that changes its own rules in the middle of a season!
Ridiculous...

Yeah, because it would be much better if they didn't lower the scores and excluded a number of skaters.

Once the minimum scores were announced, ISU did say that they were subject to change depending on how many skaters managed to reach them.

[ioana]

I'm pretty sure Denmark should be able to sent Anita Madsen SP 27.29 at Euros, LP 49.66 at Nordics.

[MacMadame]

Yeah, because it would be much better if they didn't lower the scores and excluded a number of skaters.

Once the minimum scores were announced, ISU did say that they were subject to change depending on how many skaters managed to reach them.

What would be best would be to set the minimums to something reasonable and defensible and then not change them. At least they did say they might change them so they aren't at least changing the rules in the middle of the season like they have done in the past. Basically they are saying "we're setting these numbers but we have no idea if they are a good idea or not so reserve the right to change our minds later if it turns out these numbers are shite" which makes them look stupid and our sport look stupid.

[Skittl1321]

Thanks a million, SamuraiK. So of course the EVILLE ISU lowered the minimums as little as possible, to make sure we didn't by any chance end up with more than 30 skaters in the SP.

Almost seems like instead of a minimum score Worlds is should just be opened to the top 30 skaters by combined score over the period of time to gain a qualifying score. It would just become a Japan vs Russia vs USA and a few others contest, but it would seem less impulsive. Or maybe they keep the numbers per country rules the same, but still pick down the list (which would mean federations give up control of who they send- but really, for most federations, is there much of a choice?)

[Coco]

Gymnastics does this all the time, at least in the US. They set a qualifying score, then as the championship gets closer, tweaks it to make sure the size of the field is adequate.

[ioana]

Basically they are saying "we're setting these numbers but we have no idea if they are a good idea or not so reserve the right to change our minds later if it turns out these numbers are shite" which makes them look stupid and our sport look stupid.

I think it would have been far worse if they didn't lower these minimums and kept the smaller fields we had based on the initial numbers. Yes, some skaters will still miss out on Worlds and this is still prohibitive for developing skating countries, but I still feel lowering the min scores was the right move in these circumstances. Maybe we could just go back to skaters/federation who miss making the cut having to pay for their room&board while at Worlds?

[AJ Skatefan]

Could someone explain again why they don't just take the top 20 or 30 or whatever?

[MacMadame]

I think it would have been far worse if they didn't lower these minimums

Worse than not having minimums to start with?

Either the minimums truly mean something or they do not. I can see saying: we don't want any skaters at our World Championships who don't meet a certain skill level. But, if you say that, stick to it.

The problem is that minimum score way of doing things it kind of arbitrary. It's different than saying "no Ladies skaters without at least a Double Axel" which is a minimum you can defend.

[Tony Wheeler]

Ignatenko (BLR), Gorodozha (UKR), Lucine (MON), and Pfeifer (AUT) would all definitely make the qualification for Worlds, too, which means men and ladies are now at 30+ entries (and I am sure other men have also now qualified, but it gets to be a headache looking through all the numbers).

Add Ronald Lam (HKG), Christopher Caluza and Michael Christian Martinez (both PHI) to the above list. Caluza won Nationals by 35 points so I'd guess he goes to Worlds, but maybe they will wait until after 4CC?

Abzal Rakimgaliev (KAZ) now qualifies and will be able to join teammate Denis Ten at Worlds.

AFAIK, Paul Parkinson (ITA) hasn't gotten a 60 technically in the LP yet so Italy would, to this point, still only be able to use one of their two spots (Bacchini).

Also, Balde (CAN) now is qualified and I guess it will come down to whoever places higher between Elladj and Andrei Rogozine at 4CC this week for the final Canadian spot.

[ioana]

Worse than not having minimums to start with?

Either the minimums truly mean something or they do not. I can see saying: we don't want any skaters at our World Championships who don't meet a certain skill level. But, if you say that, stick to it.

The problem is that minimum score way of doing things it kind of arbitrary. It's different than saying "no Ladies skaters without at least a Double Axel" which is a minimum you can defend.

Well, once you get into specific jump requirements, you end up getting into debates about callers and leniency of specific panels. I'm not sure what the best solution would be -other than going back to much lower mins and having skaters who miss out on the cut pay for their own room & board at ISU championships.

I agree lowering the minimums isn't ideal, but I would rather have that happen (especially when the ISU mentioned that could take place), instead of having only 20 entries in one event. I might have misunderstood your original post, but it sounded like you were in favor of maintaining the original mins, arbitrary as they were, instead of having more skaters compete in London.

[Ziggy]

What would be best would be to set the minimums to something reasonable and defensible and then not change them. At least they did say they might change them so they aren't at least changing the rules in the middle of the season like they have done in the past. Basically they are saying "we're setting these numbers but we have no idea if they are a good idea or not so reserve the right to change our minds later if it turns out these numbers are shite" which makes them look stupid and our sport look stupid.

It doesn't make them stupid. You can't expect ISU (or anybody else) to predict the future. And the idea is to reduce the fields down to a manageable size because of financial reasons. If the fields are too big (or too small in this case) scores will have to be adjusted.

Almost seems like instead of a minimum score Worlds is should just be opened to the top 30 skaters by combined score over the period of time to gain a qualifying score. It would just become a Japan vs Russia vs USA and a few others contest, but it would seem less impulsive. Or maybe they keep the numbers per country rules the same, but still pick down the list (which would mean federations give up control of who they send- but really, for most federations, is there much of a choice?)

That (having top 30 skaters regardless of country they represent) would pretty instantly kill figure skating in the vast majority of countries in the world.

Instead of setting a minimum score, they should just have X spots available at Euros/4CC/Worlds and invite X highest scored skaters keeping the number per country rule.

I would open the fields up a little, though. Allow Top 36 singles to compete in the SP (6 warm-up groups) as well as 24 Pairs (6 warm-up groups) and 30 Ice Dance teams (again 6 warm-up groups). But of course that would be too expensive for the organisers so it won't happen. :/