Canadian Olympic Figure Skating Team Announced; also World/4CC/Junior World teams

[overedge]

AFAIK Canadian National team choices are based on placements at Nationals.

 

[Sylvia]

Does anyone know how National Team placement works in regards to retirements? 3 of the top 5 men are retiring and 1 or 2 of the top 5 pairs are as well. Will there just be 2, 3, 4 national team members or do the lower placed skaters get to fill the remaining spots?

AFAIK Canadian National team choices are based on placements at Nationals.

"To be named to the National Team a skater must finish in the top five in senior singles, pair and ice dance disciplines at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, or be added at the discretion of Skate Canada."

 

[RoseRed]

They skate more as one than A/W.

ETA: looking at G/P's WS points, they're currently 10th. S/B need 158 incremental points at Euros to pass G/P. 5th or above will do it. They're going to be in the last three of the middle group, instead of the penultimate group for the SD. (C/L bump H/D to the penultimate group with Euros bronze.)

This isn't correct. H/D are currently 4th. C/L getting bronze would bump them to 5th, which is still in the final group. G/P will be bumped though.

 

[coppertop1]

If Messing were to compete in the Team Event, how do his scores compare with the others who would be competing?

 

[skatingguy]

If Messing were to compete in the Team Event, how do his scores compare with the others who would be competing?

He would be middle of the pack in the short and probably at the bottom in the free skate, but since we don't know which teams will make the free skate and which skaters will skate which programs it's a little hard to judge.

 

[Anemone]

Personally, I appreciate how Canada managed their Nationals with all 4 disciplines finishing on the same day. No reason to drag a Nationals competition out forever.

I can tell you that as a fan, I hate it. It used to be spread over a day or two more, and I liked that much better.
As much as I love skating and want to watch every skater, having all the free programs in every discipline on Saturday is brutal. I watched every skater live in the arena last year, and via online stream & tv this year. 12 straight hours of skating with no break other than zamboni breaks & judging panels filing in & out is just too much. My eyes hurt last night after staring at a screen for that many hours in a row.

I do think we have a strong Olympic team and I'm content with the choices. As much as I/M were my sentimental favourites to make the Olympic team, I completely understand why SC went with MT/M2. I don't envy the committee who had to make that choice and the choices on the 3rd ladies & 2nd men's spots.

 

[screech]

In his Facebook Live interview with PJ, Patrick said getting the best results for the team event is his priority, and that he'd love to skate both the short and long programs for both the team and individual events. He thinks it would be a great experience to have 2 shots to skate at the Olympics, feeling like it's normal. (About 7:30 into the video)

He also confirms the story about recently having to leave a Liquor Barn in Vancouver because his baby face and not having his ID on him.

 

[Cherub721]

ETA: looking at G/P's WS points, they're currently 10th. S/B need 158 incremental points at Euros to pass G/P. 5th or above will do it. They're going to be in the last three of the middle group, instead of the penultimate group for the SD. (C/L bump H/D to the penultimate group with Euros bronze.)

But C/L are already fifth so wouldn't that put both them and H/D into the final flight?

 

[Dobre]

If Messing were to compete in the Team Event, how do his scores compare with the others who would be competing?

We're talking about the men. Where scores fluctuate by epic amounts based on what you rotate. But here are the current SB rankings for athletes likely to be in the team event.

Short Program Season's Bests
1. Hanyu 112.72
2. Chen 104.12
3. Kolyada 103.13
4. Jin 93.89 (Patrick's SB of 94.43 would slide in here)
5. Bychenko 86.79
6. Messing 86.33

Free Program Season's Bests
1. Uno 214.97
2. Chen 193.25
3. Kolyada 185.27 (I do think there's a good chance Kolyada skates both the SP and LP. If Chen doesn't do the LP, Kolyada's SB slides up to 2 and Rippon's or Zhou's SBs slide in at #3)
4. Yan 172.39 (Han Yan has a slightly higher LP score this season than Jin at this point in time. Jin slides into the same spot, though it sounds like he is healthy now so this could certainly change after 4CCs. If Kolyada doesn't skate the LP, everyone would move up one spot & Samarin's SB of 166.04 would slide in here).
5. Messing 161.97 (Patrick's SB is 151.27)

If any of the above countries do not make the LP cut off, most plausibly in exchange for Italy or France, Messing's SB score would be one spot higher. Rizzo has 157.34. Besseghier has 136.65 but essentially hasn't had a season so I wouldn't read much into that number.

 

[Sylvia]

There's a thread in the Trash Can for discussing Olympic team event strategy & subs: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/olympic-team-event-strategies-and-subs.102251/

 

[4rkidz]

Has Skate Canada always waited until the end of their Nationals in an Olympic year before making team selections, and has it always been conducted in this way, with skaters receiving their Olympic team jackets? SC certainly organized their announcement with more of a team spirit in mind, and with encouraging words for the athletes.

U.S. fed is clueless having conducted their announcements separately and prematurely. They brought out the athletes in each discipline separately and shortly after the respective events ended, treating the announcements like more haphazard medal winner press conferences. Is USFS learning anything at all? (that's always a question)

SC had the promotional videos and all the athletes announced together for the team, with nice comments from the veterans on the team. It gives off more of a family feeling, even though of course the athletes are also competitive with each other. It was still handled nicely with photo opportunities and breaking out into one-on-one interviews afterward. I'm thinking that one of the reasons for the differences we see in the handling of this type of event between USFS and SC, is that former figure skaters are more directly involved in SC's decision-making and administrative processes. At least that appears to partly account for the more positive handling of this team selection announcement.

This happens with most of the sports, they did the same last week for the long track speed skating team. The presentation of the jacket is a big deal and the reinforcement that they are all a team.

 

[screech]

Ok, this is just cruel. On Skate Canada's twitter, they have a link (from earlier today) saying to check their website to see who makes the O's team (which would have been decided by the time the post was made). Who's picture do they attach to the link? LUBOV AND DYLAN!

Also, cute photo of the first-time Olympians on Skate Canada's instagram.

 

[shan]

Ok, this is just cruel. On Skate Canada's twitter, they have a link (from earlier today) saying to check their website to see who makes the O's team (which would have been decided by the time the post was made). Who's picture do they attach to the link? LUBOV AND DYLAN!

 

[barbarafan]

As said before, no, but he skated senior all season. He’s first alternate for 4CC so I think he has a decent chance of going there as I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one of Reynolds or Balde withdrew.

I also expect Nam will go to Worlds as I think it’s likely Patrick pulls out.

Congrats to Keegan and Larkyn. I personally am glad SC just went with the podium in all disciplines, it makes everything seem more fair and objective as opposed to biased, political, or personal.

Still gutted for Lubov/Dylan, I feel they were underscored, though not by enough to alter the results.

They went with the podium because it produced the results they were looking for. They gave diff. stories on what the criteria would be until they saw how it stacked up. For pairs Lubov/dylan were marked down on PCS and a bit on GOE. With the mistakes (which seemed to be due to Dylan's hand more than anything)they just had to say National results were the criteria and they were good. They said at one pt this yr's BOW -which really should have been back to end results last yr. Where IM were 6th in the world and got the 3rd spot at worlds. He was newly injured but still did a great job. It is just a shame that this is their last year competing and it finished so low. So skate Canada will have their darling at Olympics and we will see how this turns out. All things happen for a reason but sometimes you never find out what that reason is. And then sometimes you do.

 

[tylersf]

Congratulations to Keegan Messing on his first Olympics!

 

[Bloom13]

I was expecting some new blood in the Canadian junior pairs for the ISU championship... then I realized Andrew/Knott (2nd in Junior) and all the podium in Novice are having too young girls. They will become eligible only in a few months, when all the above (except Gabrielle Levesque/Pier-Alexandre Hudon) will became too old... I guess the Boys-Eddy will also finally have their chance.

 

[Bloom13]

Some young Juniors Canada will be having in Pairs next season
Wonder if any will have assignments

 

[kwanfan1818]

But C/L are already fifth so wouldn't that put both them and H/D into the final flight?

Oh,

 

[fsfann]

I can tell you that as a fan, I hate it. It used to be spread over a day or two more, and I liked that much better.
As much as I love skating and want to watch every skater, having all the free programs in every discipline on Saturday is brutal. I watched every skater live in the arena last year, and via online stream & tv this year. 12 straight hours of skating with no break other than zamboni breaks & judging panels filing in & out is just too much. My eyes hurt last night after staring at a screen for that many hours in a row.

I do think we have a strong Olympic team and I'm content with the choices. As much as I/M were my sentimental favourites to make the Olympic team, I completely understand why SC went with MT/M2. I don't envy the committee who had to make that choice and the choices on the 3rd ladies & 2nd men's spots.

Totally agree. I much prefer a Thursday night start.... then a lighter day on Friday & Saturday. Back in the day they used to end with Dance on Sunday afternoon....

I also DESPISE breaking up the competition to make for better live TV. Drives me nuts. I also feel bad for lower ranked skaters who end up having an empty rink because people NEED to find a bit of time to grab a bite to eat. This year we wanted to make it to the 8am start time, but it just didn't happen and we missed skaters that we would have liked to have seen...but you just can't do it all when you have 12-13 hrs of skating, travel time, late dinners etc...

 

[paskatefan]

Thrilled that Keegan is going to the Olympics , heartbroken for Lubov & Dylan !

 

[Frau Muller]

I hope someone can interview Keegan Messing's mom at some point. She must be so proud.

Exactly my thought. Also Piper Gilles. Sometimes this country-switching pays off.

 

[nimi]

Meagan tweets:

Can we take a moment and appreciate the fact that my husband @brunomarcotte is going to his first Olympics

His first Olympics... Whoah.

A "wait, what?!?" moment indeed!

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

Meagan tweets:

His first Olympics... Whoah.

A "wait, what?!?" moment indeed!

And he goes alongside his former coach, Josee Picard. That's a nice image, passing the torch...

 

[vesperholly]

Totally agree. I much prefer a Thursday night start.... then a lighter day on Friday & Saturday. Back in the day they used to end with Dance on Sunday afternoon....

I also DESPISE breaking up the competition to make for better live TV. Drives me nuts. I also feel bad for lower ranked skaters who end up having an empty rink because people NEED to find a bit of time to grab a bite to eat. This year we wanted to make it to the 8am start time, but it just didn't happen and we missed skaters that we would have liked to have seen...but you just can't do it all when you have 12-13 hrs of skating, travel time, late dinners etc...

I agree, I think it's terrible. I also think it messes with PCS marks for lower groups.

 

[Rafter]

Meagan tweets:

His first Olympics... Whoah.

A "wait, what?!?" moment indeed!

He wasn’t with them in 2014?

 

[Catherine M]

He wasn’t with them in 2014?

I'm pretty sure you are only allowed one coach to be part of the team and march in the opening ceremonies, etc and Richard Gauthier was with Meagan & Eric. I remember seeing Bruno in some of Meagan's social media pictures so he was there in Russia but not as a coach.

 

[barbarafan]

Glad they went with the podium and so glad it’s the same team for worlds as the Olympics

That's not what the announcement says...it says results 2016/17 17/18 plus national results...what a bunch of bullsh**it. They went with national podium after monkeying with some of the marks to make it look closer to who they had decided was going. They got rid of a lot of people at Skate Canada....they need to get rid of more as well as judges who go along with it.

 

[Erin]

He wasn’t with them in 2014?

Someone asked about that and Meagan responded that they were only allowed one accredited coach and went with Richard. Bruno paid for a ticket and sat in the stands.

 

[kwanfan1818]

He wasn’t with them in 2014?

Downstream in the Twitter discussion, she said that she bought him a ticket, and he watched from the stands.

 

[aftershocks]

^^ My thoughts exactly @Rafter. D/R were in Sochi. If Bruno wasn't there, why wasn't he there?

Ah, okay I see @Catherine M's remarks. Olympic rules that only one coach can be part of the team eh! Well now that would also partly explain D/R changing it up for the Olympics season and deciding to part ways with Gauthier to take from John Z/ John K, but with only Bruno as their main coach. Yet probably the main reason they made that switch to train part-time in Florida was to get fresh ideas, a new approach and some spark back into their skating. Gauthier and Bruno may have earlier decided among themselves to give Gauthier the coaching honor in 2014, and then Bruno would coach D/R at their next Olympics (if they made the team, which has never been in question).

I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one of Reynolds or Balde withdrew...

... so Nam can probably book his flight.

Nam needs to keep training too so booking the flight will be worthwhile. Still, it's not a given that Balde and/or Reynolds will not go to 4CCs. When do they need to let SC know?

I think Tessa has more than skating there in Milan...

What do you mean? Family? A boyfriend? Close friends? A wine vineyard?

I was not a fan of how they separated the earlier and later groups of skaters for ladies and men, shunting them off to early in the day as if those groups didn't really matter.

They do that in the U.S. too, in order to benefit live television broadcasts. I also think it isn't the best choice to separate the same discipline so many hours apart, and to treat the earlier flight as if they don't matter. USFS' (and other feds') decisionmaking and the way the sport is run in general by ISU likely often makes skaters feel like they are scum of the earth. It takes a lot of determination and self-belief to continue trudging forward, to find the money to keep training, to try and break through to some recognition and fed funding in order to be able to land competitive assignments (which are necessary for growth and experience). Which brings me to the below:

Congratulations to Keegan Messing on his first Olympics!

Yep! Keegan is so talented, and it's great to see him be able to finally break through in Canada at a time when there aren't even three spots available on their men's team for Worlds and Olympics. Keegan would have continued to be frustrated in the U.S. With his talent, it's possible he might have gotten a chance or two like Grant Hochstein has achieved. But that path is so frustrating: being right there but still never being able to break through to being considered a top medal contender for your country. Grant made the Worlds team a couple of times, but it was in third position, or truthfully as a sub who came in fourth but got the team assignment. And that doesn't always help your confidence when you get to the big show. Still, working hard to master the quad has given Grant a lot to be proud of. It's nice he will have the opportunity to end his eligible career at 4CCs.

It's such a great accomplishment for Keegan that he will compete at Olympics and Worlds for the first time in his career. It's been a long, hard-fought struggle. He is looking more polished and in control of his skating, as Tracy discussed so well in her commentary.

And then, the situation for I/M is one more example of the quandaries faced by skaters. Having to deal with injuries and other setbacks (such as finding a new partner, and having to work through the process of that partner becoming a citizen of the country you skate for, if they are from a different country). It's got to be so hard for I/M, but I will take that discussion to Canadian pairs thread.