2017 ISU Challenger Series

[allezfred]

the rink will be left almost empty

So it would be like practically all other Senior B events then.

 

[barbarafan]

I wonder if Skate Canada is going make a limited number of daily tickets available for local area folks? Someone should contact them and ask.

The entries by name submission deadline dates for 5 of the first 6 Challengers are:

U.S. Classic/SLC: Friday, August 11, 2017– 20:00 h (Colorado Springs, USA – Mountain Time)
Lombardia/ITA: Announcement not yet online that I can find
Autumn Classic/CAN: Friday, August 18, 2017 – 20:00 h (EST)
Nepela/SVK: Friday, August 18, 2017 – 20:00 h (local time Bratislava).
Nebelhorn/GER: Friday, August 25, 2017 (20:00 local time)
Finlandia/FIN: Friday September 1, 2017 – 8 pm (local time Espoo)

thank-you for your suggestion. I have just emailed them and asked 1) about any livestream and 2) about tickets for locals..I explained I live 10 mins away in Pierrefonds and just heard tickets are on sale. I will let people know what kind of response I get.[/QUOTE]

 

[barbarafan]

thank-you for your suggestion. I have just emailed them and asked 1) about any livestream and 2) about tickets for locals..I explained I live 10 mins away in Pierrefonds and just heard tickets are on sale. I will let people know what kind of response I get.

[/QUOTE]


Sylvia...I rec'd reply from Skate Canada..can I copy and paste or just write the gist.

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ I think summarizing their reply would be better unless you have permission to share the whole thing.

 

[barbarafan]

^^^ I think summarizing their reply would be better unless you have permission to share the whole thing.

ok
competition will be livestreamed. Info will be posted on event site...I am to keep checking the site for tickets as they MAY
release some tickets closer to the event.

 

[clairecloutier]

I'm just re-posting here some of the Japanese skaters' Challenger Series assignments, which were previously posted in the Japanese skating news thread:

Yuzuru Hanyu: Autumn Classic
Shoma Uno: Lombardia Trophy
Marin Honda: U.S. International Classic
Satoko Miyahara: Finlandia Trophy
Mai Mihara: Autumn Classic
Wakaba Higuchi: Lombardia Trophy
Kaori Sakamoto: Asian Open Trophy & U.S. International Classic

http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASK6R4VWLK6RUTQP015.html
https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/1844761.html

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

USFSA published its Team A, B, C, D and Reserve envelopes for 17-18 competition season.

http://usfsa.org/story?id=84023

Have a look.

 

[kiches]

The major difference for Autumn Classic this year is that they did an official ticket sale before the event.

Last year you could email to "reserve" tickets but otherwise everything was sold at the door. I did this about 1 week out as I decided last minute to attend and they allowed me to reserve an all-event ticket and pay at the door, saying it was no problem. I think a lot of fans didn't want to make the trip and risk tickets not being available when they arrived and you had some fans line up early in the morning to buy tickets.

Prior to the sale I did email and ask how many tickets would be available and if they planned to still sell some at the door. The answer I got via email was that my customer service rep didn't know how many all-event and single day tickets were available on Eventbrite or if they would still sell tickets at the door. The Sportsplexe in Montreal is small and not an arena, it's basically a sports complex with multiple rinks and enough seating for locals and families to watch some competitions so seating is limited, they may have decided to be conservative in the number of tickets they initially chose to put out on Eventbrite for sale.

As a note, I purchased my all-event ticket as soon as the sale opened and all-event tickets probably sold out in about 10 min, but at the time all single day tickets were still available for purchase but later Friday and Saturday sold out same day.

Forgot to add that there may have been a larger influx of Hanyu fans planning to attend Autumn Classic as he isn't assigned to Skate Canada this season (Skate Canada is relatively easy to get tickets for). Since it's so difficult to get tickets to competitions in Japan and even the Olympics the only other competitions his fans can try and watch him are at Autumn Classic, Cup of Russia, and Worlds in Milan (he will probably compete there, but no guarantee). I heard Cup of Russia was also difficult to get tickets for so that leaves Autumn Classic as the only chance many will get to watch him compete this year.

 

[Sylvia]

The entries by name submission deadline dates for the first 7 Challengers (Lombardia & Minsk dates now added below):

U.S. Classic/SLC: Friday, August 11, 2017– 20:00 h (Colorado Springs, USA – Mountain Time)
Lombardia/ITA: Friday, August 11, 2017 – 20:00 h (local time Bergamo)
Autumn Classic/CAN: Friday, August 18, 2017 – 20:00 h (EST)
Nepela/SVK: Friday, August 18, 2017 – 20:00 h (local time Bratislava).
Nebelhorn/GER: Friday, August 25, 2017 20:00 (local time)
Finlandia/FIN: Friday September 1, 2017 – 8 pm (local time Espoo)
Minsk Ice Star/BLR: Friday, September, 29, 2017 – 20:00 h (local time Minsk).

 

[danafan]

US Figure Skating posted the US entries for the US Classic. Quite the field.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/story?id=90758&type=media

Mariah Bell
Karen Chen
Mirai Nagasu
Paige Rydberg

Men
Max Aaron
Nathan Chen
Tim Dolensky
Sean Rabbitt

Pairs
Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier
Chelsea Liu/Brian Johnson
Alexa Scimeca Knierim/Chris Knierim
Deanna Stellato/Nathan Bartholomay

Ice Dance
Julia Biechler/Damian Dodge
Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker
Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue

 

[clairecloutier]

Wheeee!!! I'm going to SLC & what a list of skaters for the U.S.!!

All this & Marin Honda too! (Please skate gods, do not let her withdraw )

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Pairs
Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier
Chelsea Liu/Brian Johnson
Alexa Scimeca Knierim/Chris Knierim
Deanna Stellato/Nathan Bartholomay

Wish I could have front row seats for this, but hopefully @clairecloutier comes through for me

I guess this will be Scimerim's only competition until NHK.... thats over 2 months in between... sigh...OK, I hope for amazing performances!!!!

Also curious to see Nagasu and Chen go up against each other!!!!

 

[Lara]

ok
competition will be livestreamed. Info will be posted on event site...I am to keep checking the site for tickets as they MAY
release some tickets closer to the event.

Thanks for asking - I hadn't considered the possibility of it selling out either.

 

[Bellanca]

US Figure Skating posted the US entries for the US Classic. Quite the field.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/story?id=90758&type=media

Mariah Bell
Karen Chen
Mirai Nagasu
Paige Rydberg

Men
Max Aaron
Nathan Chen
Tim Dolensky
Sean Rabbitt

Pairs
Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier
Chelsea Liu/Brian Johnson
Alexa Scimeca Knierim/Chris Knierim
Deanna Stellato/Nathan Bartholomay

Ice Dance
Julia Biechler/Damian Dodge
Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker
Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue

This is going to be so good. The lineup is Good luck to all!

 

[misskarne]

Max vs Chen very early indeed.

dammit, I'm going to have to buy IN now, aren't I?

 

[Karpenko]

at the Hanyu fans, to be frank they are AWESOME. keeping our sport looking like soccer or basketball, even the senior B's are the Olympic Games! They keep our sport alive and are about ten notches above us all as fans. We should be sending them thank you cards for keeping our sport so popular. They deserve tons of respect.

Thanks in advance for any reports @clairecloutier Ladies and Pairs are going to be a mini-Nationals!

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I wish we were utilizing the fourth dance spot. Would've loved to see one of the Wheaton teams get it.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

That is a great field for the US Classic, and that's only the American roster. I hope there won't be any problems getting tickets.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

That is a great field for the US Classic, and that's only the American roster. I hope there won't be any problems getting tickets.

When D/W and Gracie were there in the last Olympic year there was a nice crowd on Saturday, but there was no issue getting tickets.

 

[jamesy]

dammit, I'm going to have to buy IN now, aren't I?

Yes, but I think this is the comp IN has had issues with in the past. So, fingers crossed and buyer beware and all that.

 

[icellist]

is anyone else bothered that Mariah and Mirai are going head to head at least 4 times this year? US Classic, GP's, and nationals. It's a great line up at US Classic, but what is USFSA thinking?

 

[Jeschke]

but what is USFSA thinking?

what is the problem with the head-to-head?
it might make things easier to decide/explain regarding nominations later.

it's the best/most fair way to compare the scores/results.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

is anyone else bothered that Mariah and Mirai are going head to head at least 4 times this year? US Classic, GP's, and nationals. It's a great line up at US Classic, but what is USFSA thinking?

Also for Denney & Frazier and Scimerim

I would like to see more of a mashup of whom goes up against each other but C'est La Vie

oopsieeee... never mind they are only together at SkAm.

 

[Vagabond]

is anyone else bothered that Mariah and Mirai are going head to head at least 4 times this year? US Classic, GP's, and nationals. It's a great line up at US Classic, but what is USFSA thinking?

The USFSA doesn't decide assignments for either the Rostelecom Cup or the NHK Trophy. Nationals is Nationals, and both Nagasu and Bell earned their byes.

As for the U.S. Classic, why not send them? They were medalists at Nationals last year and will have quite a long trip to Moscow. It's easier for them to go to Salt Lake City than a Challenger Series competition in Europe.

 

[peibeck]

Yes, but I think this is the comp IN has had issues with in the past. So, fingers crossed and buyer beware and all that.

Ah but I still remember it working well enough the first year to get to see one male skater upchucking in the kiss-n-cry.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

US Figure Skating posted the US entries for the US Classic. Quite the field.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/story?id=90758&type=media

Mariah Bell
Karen Chen
Mirai Nagasu
Paige Rydberg

Men
Max Aaron
Nathan Chen
Tim Dolensky
Sean Rabbitt

Pairs
Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier
Chelsea Liu/Brian Johnson
Alexa Scimeca Knierim/Chris Knierim
Deanna Stellato/Nathan Bartholomay

Ice Dance
Julia Biechler/Damian Dodge
Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker
Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue

I wish I could go!!

 

[Jarrett]

The USFSA doesn't decide assignments for either the Rostelecom Cup or the NHK Trophy. Nationals is Nationals, and both Nagasu and Bell earned their byes.

As for the U.S. Classic, why not send them? They were medalists at Nationals last year and will have quite a long trip to Moscow. It's easier for them to go to Salt Lake City than a Challenger Series competition in Europe.

Exactly since they are both at the first GP they need to be at and early CS series event.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

When D/W and Gracie were there in the last Olympic year there was a nice crowd on Saturday, but there was no issue getting tickets.

Good to know, TanithandBenFan. I'd love a big crowd but I'm glad to hear I shouldn't worry about tickets during the week.

 

[insideedgeua]

Good to know, TanithandBenFan. I'd love a big crowd but I'm glad to hear I shouldn't worry about tickets during the week.

Parking on the Saturday may be the bigger issue as there is also a football game on and the ice rink uses half their parking lot for the tailgate party.

The selling of car spaces is a fundraiser for the figure skating club.

 

[misskarne]

Yes, but I think this is the comp IN has had issues with in the past. So, fingers crossed and buyer beware and all that.

Which is precisely why I was hoping none of my favourites would be there (Except I think there's a bunch of Team Australia there as well)