2022 Four Continents Comes To Rude Euro Land (Relocation to Tallinn)

[allezfred]

From the ISU:

https://www.isu.org/media-centre/press-releases/2021-2/26132-isu-four-continents-figure-skating-championships-2022-tianjin-china-cancellation-relocation/file

 

[clairecloutier]

I think that is now the 4th or 5th ISU event that China has dropped out of hosting in the past couple years.

 

[Taso]

Yikes....

 

[Colonel Green]

Yeah, I figured this was kind of likely, when you consider the crazy measures they're putting in place for the Olympics and that 4CC was scheduled to be somewhere else.

Norwood didn't get its wish to host a Grand Prix, now's your chance for an ISU event!

 

[marbri]

If one were to guess wouldn't the US be the most likely to remain open to travel of the possible hosting countries?
I think any other country is a huge risk and I would be surprised if any of those federations would take it on.

But its a lot to expect the US to offer, a lot more involved in hosting 4CC versus a GP event.

 

[clairecloutier]

Norwood would work for the typical Taipei- or Seoul-level attendance at 4CCs. LOL.

For turnout like Anaheim 2019 4CCs, though, it would be too small.

Las Vegas again??

P.S. It will be a bit ironic if Taipei comes to the rescue ....

 

[Sylvia]

Original bids for ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2022 were submitted by:

CHN Tianjin January 17-22, 2022
TPE Taipei City January 17-22, 2022
USA Colorado Springs or Lake Placid (eta: 2 of the rinks are being renovated this year) January 17-22, 2022
UZB Tashkent January 17-22, 2022

2022 U.S. Nationals will end on Sunday, January 9, and I think it's unlikely USFS will want to take on hosting an ISU Championships event so soon afterwards since they will be focused on getting their team ready for the Olympics.

 

[PRlady]

Trying to decide if I’d consider Lake Placid in January.

I think most Oly-bound skaters would skip it.

 

[Coco]

Couldn't hurt to help the ISU, though. And if it was local, it would then be easier for any US skaters/teams who need to raise their standing. I believe points earned at continental championships count towards standings used to determine start order at the Olympics.

 

[Colonel Green]

2022 U.S. Nationals will end on Sunday, January 9, and I think it's unlikely USFS will want to take on hosting an ISU Championships event so soon afterwards since they will be focused on getting their team ready for the Olympics.

I mean, they did originally bid on it, so it's clearly not a dealbreaker.

 

[genevieve]

I mean, they did originally bid on it, so it's clearly not a dealbreaker.

when was the bidding process, though? Years ago, right? That's different from putting together a competition 4 months out, even without the current considerations.

 

[Sylvia]

Starting the organizing process of hosting such a major event less than 4 months out is not ideal. But we'll see.

 

[Karen-W]

Original bids for ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2022 were submitted by:

CHN Tianjin January 17-22, 2022
TPE Taipei City January 17-22, 2022
USA Colorado Springs or Lake Placid January 17-22, 2022
UZB Tashkent January 17-22, 2022

2022 U.S. Nationals will end on Sunday, January 9, and I think it's unlikely USFS will want to take on hosting an ISU Championships event so soon afterwards since they will be focused on getting their team ready for the Olympics.

I disagree about the USFS not wanting to host an ISU Championships so soon after Nationals. If that was the case, they wouldn't have submitted a bid in the first place back in pre-C19 days.

Norwood would work for the typical Taipei- or Seoul-level attendance at 4CCs. LOL.

For turnout like Anaheim 2019 4CCs, though, it would be too small.

Las Vegas again??

P.S. It will be a bit ironic if Taipei comes to the rescue ....

How good are the Raiders this year? If they're likely to make the playoffs then we can probably rule Vegas out.

Trying to decide if I’d consider Lake Placid in January.

I think most Oly-bound skaters would skip it.

Do we know what the timeline for the Lake Placid rink repairs is? If they weren't able to host LPIDI this year because of the renovations then they probably aren't an option for January.

From a travel perspective, be the easiest/most accessible for most athletes competing. Boston is a major travel hub and the SCoB facility looks gorgeous from the pictures and their website.

From an organizational perspective, Colorado Springs would probably be the easiest though it's not as easy to travel there for many athletes - multiple flight transfers, etc.

My guess, though, if the USFS does submit a bid, it will be either Norwood or Colorado Springs, since both of the sites in question would be very easy to organize not only a competition bubble and both have secondary practice rinks on site.

 

[clairecloutier]

From my colleague at Figure Skaters Online, a list of competitions that were originally scheduled for China but then cancelled:

2018 Shanghai Trophy
2018 Cup of China
2020 Asian Open
2020-21 Grand Prix Final (ISU or joint ISU/China decision: CV19)
2021 Junior Worlds (ISU or joint ISU/China decision: CV19)
2021 Cup of China
2022 Four Continents

 

[Colonel Green]

when was the bidding process, though? Years ago, right? That's different from putting together a competition 4 months out, even without the current considerations.

Nothing about this is ideal, obviously, but it's also not ideal to not have a continental championship to send your skaters to.

 

[Karen-W]

From my colleague at Figure Skaters Online, a list of competitions that were originally scheduled for China but then cancelled:

2018 Shanghai Trophy
2018 Cup of China
2020 Asian Open
2020-21 Grand Prix Final (ISU or joint ISU/China decision: CV19)
2021 Junior Worlds (ISU or joint ISU/China decision: CV19)
2021 Cup of China
2022 Four Continents

The 2018 events were due to China being pissed off that one of their judges got sanctioned for national bias, IIRC. Or something like that - they were pissed at the ISU and pulled out of hosting all their events (I think speed skating and short track as well). I can't fault them for the 2020-21 events since so many events were cancelled. This season, though, especially 4CCs, it isn't a good look for them, even if it is still due to C19 related travel restrictions. Unlike Sydney being awarded 2023 4CCs after last year's event was cancelled, I think it will be a good many years before China is given hosting rights to any other major ISU events.

 

[clairecloutier]

The 2018 events were due to China being pissed off that one of their judges got sanctioned for national bias, IIRC.

Which is totally normal, accepted behavior by ISU member federations ....

 

[Karen-W]

Which is totally normal, accepted behavior from ISU member federations ....

LOL! Agreed. I said this in the 2021 GP thread when Italy was announced as the new host for the cancelled CoC GP and it bears repeating, I think the ISU GP Commission should take away China's permanent host status and award it to Italy or turn it into one where any ISU federation can bid to host it each season. China isn't so vastly superior and stronger as a skating nation than several other countries, IMO, except in Pairs.

 

[Frau Muller]

So does everybody truly think that the Beijing Olympics will happen? If so...at the current dates in Feb?

As for a rescheduled 4Cs event - Las Vegas seems to be the “old Reliable” that has the “***** hosting” down to a science.

 

[clairecloutier]

Yes. As much as China is a potential big growth market for skating and the ISU, I cannot imagine that ISU leadership is terribly pleased with this latest development.

Four Continents is officially a major ISU championship and, as such, a key property of the ISU.

 

[PRlady]

LOL! Agreed. I said this in the 2021 GP thread when Italy was announced as the new host for the cancelled CoC GP and it bears repeating, I think the ISU GP Commission should take away China's permanent host status and award it to Italy or turn it into one where any ISU federation can bid to host it each season. China isn't so vastly superior and stronger as a skating nation than several other countries, IMO, except in Pairs.

Not even pairs anymore, Russia is clearly the world pairs leader (as it is in ladies.)

 

[allezfred]

Four Continents is officially a major ISU championship and, as such, a key property of the ISU.

On the other hand, it’s Four Continents and in an Olympic year innit.

 

[Colonel Green]

So does everybody truly think that the Beijing Olympics will happen? If so...at the current dates in Feb?

Yes, there's no comparison between the Olympics and 4CC or any other event. The Chinese state has invested enormous resources in the former for the sake of prestige, it will happen.

 

[Frau Muller]

Yes, there's no comparison between the Olympics and 4CC or any other event. The Chinese state has invested enormous resources in the former for the sake of prestige, it will happen.

You so sure? Lord Green hath spoken!

 

[Karen-W]

So does everybody truly think that the Beijing Olympics will happen? If so...at the current dates in Feb?

As for a rescheduled 4Cs event - Las Vegas seems to be the “old Reliable” that has the “***** hosting” down to a science.

Yes, there's no comparison between the Olympics and 4CC or any other event. The Chinese state has invested enormous resources in the former for the sake of prestige, it will happen.

I'm with Colonel Green on this one. There is no way that these Olympics are being canceled. If that was even a consideration then Asian Open Trophy, the official FS test event, would have been cancelled. It's happening and so are the Olympics.

 

[clairecloutier]

On the other hand, it’s Four Continents and in an Olympic year innit.

Still don't think the ISU will appreciate this situation one bit.

 

[skategal]

Canada is open or will be soon to all foreign travellers who are fully vaccinated.

So competitors could come if vaccinated.

Many provinces have vaccination passports in place for large events so an audience would be possible.

Not sure if Skate Canada would do it on such short notice though.

 

[Taso]

It's really a shame - placing 4CC in such close proximity to the Olympic site in an Olympic year was such a good attempt by the ISU to make the Olympic-year 4CC more than a Challenger Series-level event.

 

[Frau Muller]

I'm with Colonel Green on this one. There is no way that these Olympics are being canceled. If that was even a consideration then Asian Open Trophy, the official FS test event, would have been cancelled. It's happening and so are the Olympics.

Hope you guys are right but I’ll believe it when I see that cauldron lit.

 

[Colonel Green]

Just to add regarding the Olympics -- Japan has already successfully hosted the Summer Olympics; the CCP will never tacitly say that they're less capable than the Japanese government.