ISU to evaluate feasibility of 2020-21 skating season

[taz'smum]

Another thing to consider is the skaters themselves.

The one thing that is keeping Tiff going in the strict Moscow lockdown, where they aren't even allowed out to exercise, is the thought that when she is eventually able to get back on the ice, there will be competitions to go to.

So for the athletes, it is better the competitions get cancelled one by one, so they don't have the demotivating situation of training with no competitions for many months ahead.

 

[mjb52]

<3 @taz'smum I hope they all know how excited we are to see them again and that we are thinking about them and wishing them the best!

 

[starrynight]

I do think in the current climate they are right to be skittish.

Yeah I am a part of a small committee that organises fundraising events and we are too skittish to try to organise anything because we can’t afford to lose things like deposits for venues or be out of pocket if events get cancelled.

My concern is that if Feds lose money organising events that end up being cancelled it could hurt local skaters more in the long term.

 

[misskarne]

ISU can't win with the posters here about this. If they cancel early they're too skittish, if they cancel later they're "not doing anything".

The problem is that once you start cancelling one GP, you've got to cancel the rest or it's drastically unfair - unless you un-GP them and just run them as individual comps and not part of the GP series.

 

[tony]

ISU can't win with the posters here about this. If they cancel early they're too skittish, if they cancel later they're "not doing anything".

The problem is that once you start cancelling one GP, you've got to cancel the rest or it's drastically unfair - unless you un-GP them and just run them as individual comps and not part of the GP series.

Exactly this. I think that was one of the talking-points in the initial comments in the SA thread. Or maybe here. And if one major skating powerhouse (Russia or Japan, for example) isn’t able to compete, you are possibly wiping out 25% or more of the competitors in any given event and throughout the series. I’m not saying that should completely shut down a season, but it’s shutting down at least one Grand Prix and making international-level planning difficult.
Again, this would all be after the 100 or so variables that have to happen for the ISU to step in and come up with a plan. I know feistiness is at a high with all this quarantine time, but really, people need to look past the skating bubble and A) stop expecting definitive answers or plans from the ISU at this time when the entire world doesn’t have answers yet B) stop worrying how this shutdown is going to ruin all of the current skaters and stop all potential future skaters. We are all being shut out of hobbies or work in some way.

ETA- the ISU could’ve come out with no tentative schedule at all and said ‘well we don’t know anything! We’ve cancelled it all but will maybe add things back in later!’ But they’ve given a tentative start to 2021 season, and they are playing it by ear just as every. single. one. of us is doing.

 

[starrynight]

B) stop worrying how this shutdown is going to ruin all of the current skaters and stop all potential future skaters.

I don't believe any of the talk about the elite skaters not being able to come back after a couple of months off ice and missing part of a season.

If Isabelle Delobel can give birth in October 2009 and come 6th at the Olympics in February 2010 --- the skaters will get through a break from competition.

I actually think there are some skaters who will have massively benefited from being forced to get off the ice and hard training for a couple of months. Yuzuru's ankle will be very grateful for example.

 

[MsZem]

I don't believe any of the talk about the elite skaters not being able to come back after a couple of months off ice and missing part of a season.

If Isabelle Delobel can give birth in October 2009 and come 6th at the Olympics in February 2010 --- the skaters will get through a break from competition.

Delobel was a returning world champion and her last result before getting injured was winning the GPF. She was not in good shape, and even though 6th place was not up to their old standards, DelSchoes got some help from the judges to even accomplish that.

But obviously, skaters have returned successfully from extended breaks due to injury and illness, and they'll come back from an enforced hiatus like this one. The question is how much time will they have to train; if it's a little, we might get something like Slutskaya in 2004. If it's more, maybe we'll get the 2005 version

 

[taz'smum]

I don't believe any of the talk about the elite skaters not being able to come back after a couple of months off ice and missing part of a season.

If Isabelle Delobel can give birth in October 2009 and come 6th at the Olympics in February 2010 --- the skaters will get through a break from competition.

She went to hell and back, I saw her actually pass out on the ice through exhaustion.

 

[starrynight]

She went to hell and back, I saw her actually pass out on the ice through exhaustion.

I think I read somewhere that she was basically on par with the record set by some military studies for the fastest possible time to return to full fitness after child birth (except Isabelle spent a longer period at home with her baby prior to starting training again than they did in the studies).

The question is how much time will they have to train; if it's a little, we might get something like Slutskaya in 2004. If it's more, maybe we'll get the 2005 version

My hope is that the timing of events is such that it is as fair as it can be. Hopefully skaters from all countries can get enough training under their belts so it's at least somewhat of an even playing field. As long as World Champs doesn't look like the first senior B of the season.

 

[skategal]

The question is how much time will they have to train; if it's a little, we might get something like Slutskaya in 2004. If it's more, maybe we'll get the 2005 version

Ontario Canada is getting ready to let some sports including figure skating begin training again.

I assume that there will be some restrictions to that but I don't know what they are.

But considering large team sports such as hockey and synchro skating are not permitted to start yet, the skaters may find themselves with plenty of ice time for awhile.

 

[missing]

Ontario Canada is getting ready to let some sports including figure skating begin training again.

I assume that there will be some restrictions to that but I don't know what they are.

But considering large team sports such as hockey and synchro skating are not permitted to start yet, the skaters may find themselves with plenty of ice time for awhile.

Maybe like in the movies the handsome arrogant hockey player will make a desperation move into pairs and end up winning the Olympics (and the heart of his beautiful arrogant pairs partner).

 

[Orm Irian]

Ontario Canada is getting ready to let some sports including figure skating begin training again.

I assume that there will be some restrictions to that but I don't know what they are.

These are the general Skate Canada Return to Sport guidelines/restrictions for what to do when skating can start again; I know Skate Ontario is putting together its own documents for when restrictions lift, but I'd presume they'll be broadly similar with some specifics to suit the local situation.

 

[MsZem]

Maybe like in the movies the handsome arrogant hockey player will make a desperation move into pairs and end up winning the Olympics (and the heart of his beautiful arrogant pairs partner).

This is the point where I am required to point out that Jeff Skinner, who is an actual NHL player, finished ahead of Michael Marinaro when they were skating juvenile and apparently he can still do an axel!

 

[flyingsit]

Well yes. But the point is that we are well on our way to having a vaccine and it's very unlikely we won't have one in the near future (near being sometime in 2021).

Well, not exactly. Of all drugs that have a first successful Phase 1 trial, only 10% actually make it to market. So I wouldn’t put too many hopes in this one study.

 

[casken]

Delobel was a returning world champion and her last result before getting injured was winning the GPF. She was not in good shape, and even though 6th place was not up to their old standards, DelSchoes got some help from the judges to even accomplish that.

Sorry to get off track but...they did? People say this, but they got no credit for having like 5 times the choreography and transitions that F&S, B&A, and DomShabs had in their ODs combined. If the judges were "helping" them, they would have got higher SS, TR, CO scores and for sure would been in ahead of Maxim "Skating on bone gristle and can't do any complex choreography" Shabalin, and Federica "Cant skate a compulsory dance without being piked forward at the waist and round shouldered" Faiella.

Who should they have lost to? Novitski, who was almost as bad at thay point as Shabalin? The Kerrs???? Maybe you would have a case for P&B had Zhulin not Frankensteined their FD, but no. If anything, they should have beaten F&S who skated both their OD and FD almost entirely in hand to hand position.

Sorry, rant over.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

ISU can't win with the posters here about this. If they cancel early they're too skittish, if they cancel later they're "not doing anything".

The problem is that once you start cancelling one GP, you've got to cancel the rest or it's drastically unfair - unless you un-GP them and just run them as individual comps and not part of the GP series.

I think it's highly likely that they may have to un-series the GP if any GP events are able to run at all. I think it's quite possible none will run, but almost impossible that all will run, so my guess is that, if they do run, they will just end up being prestigious senior B events with no series attached. That will probably end up being the most fair to the skaters who can skate and those who can't.

 

[mjb52]

Maybe like in the movies the handsome arrogant hockey player will make a desperation move into pairs and end up winning the Olympics (and the heart of his beautiful arrogant pairs partner).

Khuda's next partner lol (I kid b/c I love)

 

[Dobre]

I think it's highly likely that they may have to un-series the GP if any GP events are able to run at all.

Yes, some of these events existed long before there was a GP. While there are many practical reasons for why I think grand prix events are unlikely to happen this season, I don't think "fairness" or "equity" needs to be one of them. Shoot, if Australia and New Zealand want to hold an event & call it a GP, that is perfectly fine with me.

 

[MacMadame]

Agree about the GP not being a series.

Well, not exactly. Of all drugs that have a first successful Phase 1 trial, only 10% actually make it to market. So I wouldn’t put too many hopes in this one study.

You can't compare it to all drugs. You have to compare to all vaccines in this family of vaccines. The nice thing about vaccines is that we have a very good idea of how to make them at this point in history especially if your virus has a stable genome.

Anyway, there are a bunch of companies working on vaccines and the scientists have high confidence that we will have a vaccine and most likely in 2021. So all this "we must all stop all restrictions right now because the only alternative is to cower in our homes forever" talk is silly.

 

[Bellanca]

I know feistiness is at a high with all this quarantine time

As are the pack of Karens.

 

[Deleted member 221]

Anyway, there are a bunch of companies working on vaccines and the scientists have high confidence that we will have a vaccine and most likely in 2021. So all this "we must all stop all restrictions right now because the only alternative is to cower in our homes forever" talk is silly.

We have no concrete timeline and very little certainty. The alternative is to cower in our homes until mid-2021 at the earliest, probably 2022, possibly 2023 or later. Nothing is guaranteed. We can INDEFINITELY cower in our homes, or we can DEFINITELY move forward, cautiously but confident in our resolve to get on with life and with informed acceptance of the risk based on science and data, not on fear. I vote for the latter, and I especially vote for people - skaters and otherwise - having the freedom to decide for themselves.

At some point - and that point is now - people need a choice: cower in your home, or move forward and accept the risk. Some countries may make that choice for its citizens -- e.g., Australia and New Zealand. Maybe Australia and New Zealand skaters decide to sit out a few seasons. Disappointing for them, but if they and their government believe maintaining a virus-free status on their continent is so important that even small risks cannot be tolerated, then so be it. The rest of the world - which isn't thousands of miles from any other civilization - will be learning to co-exist in new ways, with risk management but not avoidance, and skating competitions can and should certainly be a part of that. We can't cater to the lowest common denominator in terms of travel restrictions, etc., and we have to be OK - the same way we have been with boycotts - that international competitions will still be international even if not all countries choose not to send entries.

 

[MacMadame]

Who is "cowering in their homes"? Everyone I know goes out. Like I said, it's a false choice.

 

[Debbie S]

Not ISU, but USFS has now canceled the National Qualifying Series (skaters with top scores from summer comps getting a bye through the first phase of qualifying for Nats), the Solo Dance Series (Final would have been Sept) and the National Showcase Champs (Aug). Each club comp that would have been part of the series is up to the host club whether to hold or cancel.

They seem to be evaluating/deciding on a monthly basis. I expect we'll hear about Regionals and Sectionals by the end of June.

 

[starrynight]

At some point - and that point is now - people need a choice: cower in your home, or move forward and accept the risk. Some countries may make that choice for its citizens -- e.g., Australia and New Zealand. Maybe Australia and New Zealand skaters decide to sit out a few seasons. Disappointing for them, but if they and their government believe maintaining a *****-free status on their continent is so important that even small risks cannot be tolerated, then so be it.

When I read this, all I can see are the posters from countries with very high infection rates shouting at countries who have had good results to just man up and get more 'rona lol. Thank goodness our borders are closed.

 

[overedge]

The problem is that once you start cancelling one GP, you've got to cancel the rest or it's drastically unfair - unless you un-GP them and just run them as individual comps and not part of the GP series.

IMO the events should have been un-GPed years ago. The skaters are overworked with "having" to do events to qualify for the GPF, which isn't drawing the attention it was intended to draw as the culmination of the series. Here is a grand opportunity to try a redesigned competitive schedule that is less harsh on the skaters.

 

[overedge]

We have no concrete timeline and very little certainty. The alternative is to cower in our homes until mid-2021 at the earliest, probably 2022, possibly 2023 or later. Nothing is guaranteed. We can INDEFINITELY cower in our homes, or we can DEFINITELY move forward, cautiously but confident in our resolve to get on with life and with informed acceptance of the risk based on science and data, not on fear. I vote for the latter, and I especially vote for people - skaters and otherwise - having the freedom to decide for themselves.

Understanding the data is not separate from being fearful. And when you are deciding for yourself - you're not just deciding for yourself. As Gov Cuomo says, "the rule of one" - all it takes is one person having contact with you or someone in your social circle for the virus to spread. So all it might take at a skating competition is for one person there to have the v*r*s, and a lot of people could get sick or die.

At some point - and that point is now - people need a choice: cower in your home, or move forward and accept the risk.

Maybe people "cowering in their homes" are accepting the risk too, and making an informed choice.

 

[Coco]

Skate Milwaukee was announced yesterday on Wisconsin Figure Skating Club's FB page:

Wisconsin Figure Skating Club

Wisconsin Figure Skating Club. 749 likes · 2 talking about this. The Wisconsin Figure Skating Club is one of the oldest and most respected skating clubs in Wisconsin.

www.facebook.com

 

[tony]

IMO the events should have been un-GPed years ago. The skaters are overworked with "having" to do events to qualify for the GPF, which isn't drawing the attention it was intended to draw as the culmination of the series. Here is a grand opportunity to try a redesigned competitive schedule that is less harsh on the skaters.

You and I never agree on anything, but a lot of what you constantly post is ‘OMG we need to look out for the skaters! Every country should be at Worlds! More opportunity!’ And then this....

Let me remind you that the challenger series for many of these Grand Prix skaters is totally optional, yet a lot of them still want to get out there and compete in the early-season months. From the beginning of the Grand Prix as a series, most skaters/teams who were in the top 6 at Worlds were competing three times within those 6 weeks, and most had opportunity to compete in cheese fest and/or pro-ams in those early months. MANY skaters on the Grand Prix come from countries with extremely competitive Nationals, so the GPF and/or their GP assignments may be the last international events they have all season.

The skaters WANT to compete. They want to see cities they may typically otherwise not see. They aren’t being overworked. You want to give skaters opportunities, but then you think three events in a series is too much. Do you think regionals and sectionals for qualifying to Nationals is too much?

 

[manhn]

When GPF was in Vancouver a couple seasons ago, I met a good number of FSUers who don't know necessarily attend some random Skate Canada or Canadians Nationals. I think GPF gets a good crowd, even if it doesn't quite result in increased television coverage.

I also think it's a big deal for skaters to qualify for GPF. The top skaters may not get super excited about competing in it for the upteenth time, but you see the reaction from skaters during the GP in the K&C and they see their scores go up, and it confirms that they made the GPF.

 

[overedge]

When GPF was in Vancouver a couple seasons ago, I met a good number of FSUers who don't know necessarily attend some random Skate Canada or Canadians Nationals. I think GPF gets a good crowd, even if it doesn't quite result in increased television coverage.

I also think it's a big deal for skaters to qualify for GPF. The top skaters may not get super excited about competing in it for the upteenth time, but you see the reaction from skaters during the GP in the K&C and they see their scores go up, and it confirms that they made the GPF.

IIRC there's also been skaters who complain that the GPF is at an inconvenient time (too close to Nationals/4Cs/Euros/Worlds) and that they'd sooner stay home and train some more.

Personally I preferred when the now-GP events were not tied to a final, and skaters could choose more strategically as to when and where they participated during the fall.