Skate Canada 2022 Olympics selection criteria

[musdancenow]

Wait... You know that none of her family was there but you were there? Were there other black families there at the event? Or, did you just admit, unwittingly, that, yeah, her family was there?

I did not see any black families at the event. Who knows what your fan friend saw. I just made that assumption based on the fact that Vanessa's mother and sister were not there.

 

[rink_mom]

And Vanessa has a reputation of doing that?

for the entire skating alumni to be speaking out the way they are it has to be for a reason. I haven't personally met Vanessa - nor do I want to but I have met most of those that have spoken out and some of those in particular are the most unlikely people to develop a grudge for no reason. Many of those who have spoken out on this common theme do not usually see eye to eye - you don't find it a sign that maybe that them agreeing on this might have some merit?

Evelyn is a sweet, unassuming, non-confrontational, smart young lady and there is zero chance she would speak out on this if it wasn't the tip of the iceberg. I have seen zero moments of kindness or humility from Vanessa - nor have anyone from the skating world that I have spoken with.

I also know of many, many athletes and their families that are scared to speak up on this because they know Skate Canada will hold a grudge and take it out on the younger athletes - that is a toxic environment. There is a petition with at present 1600+ signatures - if those athletes and their parents weren't afraid to speak out how many signatures would it have?

 

[overedge]

Yes

So we are supposed to believe you saying this but not believe the report from someone else who also was there. I think I'll take your advice about not accepting everything you read online at face value.

 

[Karen-W]

lol! You really think Vanessa would be wasting her time on here when she has the Olympics to be ready for?

All this drama aside can you seriously whisper in Vanessa and Eric's ear to change the music for both programs? They can leave the choreography the same, just change the damn music. It can only help their scores.

Yes! And @marbri had a fabulous suggestion a page back... https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ympics-selection-criteria.108568/post-6162108 But, if that's a bridge too far, we here at FSU would be down with anything peppy that doesn't put us to sleep the way most NA pairs programs do this season. We might even forgive the use of that Canadian musical genius, Bublé, as long as it keeps us awake and entertained.

 

[overedge]

We might even forgive the use of that Canadian musical genius, Bublé

No. Never

 

[Baby Yoda On Skates]

We might even forgive the use of that Canadian musical genius, Bublé, as long as it keeps us awake and entertained.

Let's not get too hasty here.

 

[marbri]

Just a suggestion but there is reason to believe that the whole "family in Finland" is one big misunderstanding. On that basis maybe we should just assume it never happened and Vanessa's family were not there and did no such thing. I think there is enough to focus on without adding in things that may not be true and muddy the conversation.

 

[marbri]

Bublé for the FS would be perfect. And again more points for a Canadian artist.

 

[Mayra]

Oh come on, if they were all Russian we would be the show,

Oh I'm still

Nothing like a good post-Nationals dumpster fire.

 

[musdancenow]

Here's some critical thinking for you then. If someone has privately been assured in advance they're getting an assignment, and knows that assignment might not look justified based on their results to date - one way to make it look justified is to try to make your competitors have a bad performance. Then when your assignment is announced, it looks reasonable because your competitors don't look like they should get that assignment.

Their current season's scores already justify it...no? Who are they trying to make it look justified to? Fans?

All this drama aside can you seriously whisper in Vanessa and Eric's ear to change the music for both programs? They can leave the choreography the same, just change the damn music. It can only help their scores.

HA! I don't know them personally unfortunately. I've just seen how Vanessa carries herself in competitions over the years and having her proclaim something like that, I cannot picture it. I'll wait for more proof to come out before I jump on board.

 

[overedge]

Their current season's scores already justify it...no? Who are they trying to make it look justified to? Fans?

What part of "other skaters publicly disagreeing with the selection" are you missing?

 

[marbri]

Their current season's scores already justify it...no? Who are they trying to make it look justified to? Fans?

HA! I don't know them personally unfortunately. I've just seen how Vanessa carries herself in competitions over the years and having her proclaim something like that, I cannot picture it. I'll wait for more proof to come out before I jump on board.

Damn. Who does a girl have to talk to to make this happen

 

[overedge]

I've just seen how Vanessa carries herself in competitions over the years and having her proclaim something like that, I cannot picture it.

There are many, many skaters who look perfectly charming and personable on the ice but who are completely different off the ice. How someone acts in competition is not always an accurate reflection of how they act the rest of the time.

 

[musdancenow]

What part of "other skaters publicly disagreeing with the selection" are you missing?

No need to be rude...you think Vanessa cares about the approval of the other skaters. Got it. Maybe, I don't know.

 

[overedge]

No need to be rude...you think Vanessa cares about the approval of the other skaters. Got it. Maybe, I don't know.

I'm not being rude, I'm pointing out a fact. It is a fact that several Canadian skaters, including current competitors, have said that they disagree with the selection. That has nothing to do with Vanessa's feelings.

 

[rink_mom]

I'm not being rude, I'm pointing out a fact. It is a fact that several Canadian skaters, including current competitors, have said that they disagree with the selection. That has nothing to do with Vanessa's feelings.

I feel like you are hitting your head off a brick wall trying to explain this

 

[musdancenow]

There are many, many skaters who look perfectly charming and personable on the ice but who are completely different off the ice. How someone acts in competition is not always an accurate reflection of how they act the rest of the time.

very true!!

 

[pat c]

Damn. Who does a girl have to talk to to make this happen

I"m not sure, but when you find out, we'll do a full court press. No more dirges.

 

[Judy]

I’m sure that things can get pretty catty in every country’s figure skating dressing rooms.

 

[Excidra]

The lynch mob led by Megan needs to stop it with the selective outrage. J/R is clearly the better team between them and W/M, just ask any international judge. The Federation has the right to pick who they want to join the Canadian Olympic team and they chose J/R.

As much as I like W/M, nice people, they're not a first rate pairs team, is she taller than him?
When a newly formed team like J/R starts winning against established pairs like MT/M and W/M right out of the gate, that's a cause for concern. That should've been the motivation to get the job done each time they took to the ice. Instead we have pairs team like MT/T who went through an entire season feeling sorry for themselves and trying to have us feel the same for them.

I was one of those who felt sorry for Megan when Eric ended their partnership. I was rooting for her to rebound but now I am seeing that she was no victim. All these social media posts where she takes a subliminal jab at her former partner and telling us that Tessa called her and she isn't too happy about Skate Canada's decison. Is she a gossipmonger?It seems like she has made it her job to be critical of Eric and Vanessa and has no issue mobilizing a lynch mob to go after them. I find that disgusting and maybe it was right for Eric to have ended the partnership knowing the kind of person she is.

I hope Vanessa and Eric do very well at the Olympics because the best revenge is success.

 

[Excidra]

And the parents of every up and coming kid with a dream have just been shown it is pointless putting in the time - Skate Canada may well have shot themselves in the foot with this for future skaters!

Oh the drama,

Look if my kid who competes in a very competitive sport does not produce the results needed, and the Federation decides to promote other athletes, I would hope my kid would have the perservance to dust themselves off and try again rather than create a sense victimhood for them.

 

[karmena]

Meagan truly has gone too far. I to feel sorry for her.
It seems that for Meagan there is no concept of right or wrong, instead, there is either her way or it is a wrong way.
And I very much respect her achievements in the sport.

Kirsten and Meagan are the ones who opened the gates for all the negativity towards new pairing from the very beginning. If they would accepted a new pairing with a true sportsmanship, everything would be fine.

 

[tony]

Meagan truly has gone too far. I to feel sorry for her.
It seems that for Meagan there is no concept of right or wrong, instead, there is either her way or it is a wrong way.
And I very much respect her achievements in the sport.

Kirsten and Meagan are the ones who opened the gates for all the negativity towards new pairing from the very beginning. If they would accepted a new pairing with a true sportsmanship, everything would be fine.

Skating Twitter, which makes up a huge amount of fandom in the sport these days, already hated Vanessa James because of her reaction to the Cipres case, and they hated Eric Radford for a long time because of other things from his own past. Meagan (and Kristen, which AFAIK all she ever said this entire time was that she wasn't skating to Eric's music) didn't have to do much of anything for this team to be disliked. FSU was more split on Radford's method of stopping the partnership with Duhamel, but there are definitely plenty of people here who held James in very low regard prior to the two even dreaming of pairing up.

I'm not really sure what an interaction directed at Walsh (which included more than what is quoted in the article and was witnessed by skaters that have zero pull in the race for defending either side) has to do with either Meagan or Kristen, the former of which wasn't even there in the arena.

 

[Sonata]

I’m shocked at this turn of events in the media. I agree with Purkiss. We have to look at context. Maybe what James said (if she said it) is insensitive. Maybe she was trying to reassure herself that it’s okay to withdraw for her own safety after being out of breath after the SP because she got c-ovid. Maybe she said it in the heat of the moment while feeling disappointed and regretted saying it aloud later for Walsh to hear.

Maybe the other athletes just feel bad for W/M and would have liked J/R to give younger athletes a chance, without actually meaning to shade to J/R.

It’s not like J/R placed 4th here without context, they both caught a virus that is part of a global, historical p_andemic. Had they come in healthy and imploded, I would likely have a different view about sending them. But I find this rush to paint them as vilains in this story mildly disturbing.

 

[karmena]

Skating Twitter, which makes up a huge amount of fandom in the sport these days, already hated Vanessa James because of her reaction to the Cipres case, and they hated Eric Radford for a long time because of other things from his own past. Meagan (and Kristen, which AFAIK all she ever said this entire time was that she wasn't skating to Eric's music) didn't have to do much of anything for this team to be disliked. FSU was more split on Radford's method of stopping the partnership with Duhamel, but there are definitely plenty of people here who held James in very low regard prior to the two even dreaming of pairing up.

I'm not really sure what an interaction directed at Walsh (which included more than what is quoted in the article and was witnessed by skaters that have zero pull in the race for defending either side) has to do with either Meagan or Kristen, the former of which wasn't even there in the arena.

I have not been keen to follow social media. Which article?

 

[overedge]

Kirsten and Meagan are the ones who opened the gates for all the negativity towards new pairing from the very beginning. If they would accepted a new pairing with a true sportsmanship, everything would be fine.

Oh please. The history of Vanessa James' last partnership and how it broke up, and her ill-advised public comments when asked about that history, are at least part of the reason for the negativity toward her.

 

[bcash]

I saw that J/R SP clip with Duhamel commentating and she sounded very factual and objective, giving out praise where it's due, also mentioning how much a competitor Radford is. I have not read anything on social media re. the selection. If Skate Canada has made the selection criteria clear from the start of the season, and J/R met those, I don't see why their selection is controversial. It's unfortunate that they had to withdraw from Nationals due to fitness issues from a very recent viral-infection and loss of training time. And maybe J/R could have shown extra humility and graciousness after the fact. But in the end, separating emotions and meta-narratives from the actual international results that each team have gotten this season, I don't feel "an outcry" as many seem to be describing here is warranted.

 

[Coco]

You are wrong. What she said absolutely meets the definition of bullying. A threat, implicit or explicit, does NOT need to occur for someone to bully another person. Bullying takes on many forms, but harassment and intimidation as well as reinforcing a sense of worthlessness are also included in the definition.

I am a little surprised to see you stating this as fact when there is so much not known about the situation.

And let's say it is bullying. Then what the hell is whatever Duhamel's been doing all year? Her social media and tsl platform are a position of power from which she can lob her bombs and whip her minions into a frenzy.

 

[Rukia]

I am beyond amazed that Canadian pairs has roused up this much passion in people. We all know the most exciting part of Canadian pairs is KMT's bedazzling gun, and that got a ticket to Beijing already.

 

[Karen-W]

I am beyond amazed that Canadian pairs has roused up this much passion in people. We all know the most exciting part of Canadian pairs is KMT's bedazzling gun, and that got a ticket to Beijing already.

Right?! I'm looking forward to KMT and Alexa's bedazzling adventures in the Olympic Village! You just KNOW they've bonded over this shared passion.