2023-24 Challenger Series

[TanithandBenFan]

The Challenger events for next season were announced. No US event

https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/isu-communications/communications/31026-isu-communication-2548/file

September 8-10, 2023 Bergamo, ITA (including Pair Skating)
September 14-16, 2023 Pierrefonds, Quebec, CAN (including Pair Skating)
September 20-23, 2023 Oberstdorf, GER (including Pair Skating)
September 28-30, 2023 Bratislava, SVK
October 4-8, 2023 Espoo, FIN (including Pair Skating)
October 13-15, 2023 Budapest, HUN
November 2-5, 2023 Almaty, KAZ
November 7-12, 2023 Graz, AUT
November 15-19, 2023 Warsaw, POL
December 6-9, 2023 Sisak, CRO (including Pair Skating)

 

[clairecloutier]

It's interesting that the Croatian event is in Sisak, rather than the usual Zagreb.

Does this mean we might actually get a decently organized event with a livestream?!

 

[Sylvia]

The Golden Spin competition has been in Sisak since December 2021 (March 2020 earthquake in Zagreb damaged the main arena that previously was used for GS & Euros). The skaters still stay in Zagreb and the practice rink is there - from the Announcement: "The distance between the main [in Sisak] and practice rink is about 52 km."

 

[danafan]

So glad Canada is hosting an event again. Please maximize the women’s entries

 

[clairecloutier]

Another hope dashed (wrt Croatia)

 

[Karen-W]

Another hope dashed (wrt Croatia)

Seriously! I was thinking that when I read the ISU Communication earlier, that it was shameful the ISU awarded Challenger status to Golden Spin again next season after the mess the organizers made of it last season with both results and livestream.

 

[shah]

Warsaw

 

[Frau Muller]

The Challenger events for next season were announced. No US event

https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/isu-communications/communications/31026-isu-communication-2548/file

….
October 13-15, 2023 Budapest, HUN
….

Especially looking forward to this one and any other special meet in BUDAPEST!

 

[Sylvia]

Autumn Classic International event page (volunteer applications are open): https://skatecanada.ca/2023-autumn-classic-international/

Finlandia Trophy all event tickets already are on sale (day tickets available from August 1): https://www.finlandiatrophy.com/en/liput/
For knitters :

Let's knit again! - Finlandia Trophy

Former figure skater Mila Kajas-Virtanen launched this mitten campaign on 2015 for Finlandia Trophy. The purpose of this campaign was to bring fans closer to the skaters. We want to bring this successful campaign back to life! Knitting is cool! Covid pushed many of us to ditch screen time for...

www.finlandiatrophy.com

 

[Frau Muller]

Ice Challenge in Graz will return - filmed by Ryan/On the Rocks!

 

[4rkidz]

Autumn Classic International event page (volunteer applications are open): https://skatecanada.ca/2023-autumn-classic-international/

Finlandia Trophy all event tickets already are on sale (day tickets available from August 1): https://www.finlandiatrophy.com/en/liput/
For knitters :

Let's knit again! - Finlandia Trophy

Former figure skater Mila Kajas-Virtanen launched this mitten campaign on 2015 for Finlandia Trophy. The purpose of this campaign was to bring fans closer to the skaters. We want to bring this successful campaign back to life! Knitting is cool! Covid pushed many of us to ditch screen time for...

www.finlandiatrophy.com

As of July 5th Skate Canada will no longer be using initlive for their volunteer management. It will be with with Bloomerang volunteers.

 

[Sylvia]

@text_skate posted that DEU has published their info page for 2023 Nebelhorn Trophy:

Nebelhorn Trophy

Die Deutsche Eislauf-Union e.V. ist nationaler Spitzenverband für Eiskunstlaufen, Eistanz und Synchroneiskunstlaufen und einer von nur 7 olympischen Wintersportverbänden.

www.eislauf-union.de

Competition Announcement as of June 27: https://www.eislauf-union.de/files/users/997/NHT2023_Announcement_f-1.pdf
"The Entries by names must be made ... not later than: Friday, August 25th, 2023 – 20:00h (local time Oberstdorf)"

 

[Sylvia]

ISU Challenger Series event info page: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/events/challenger-series

First 5 Announcements have been published.

[#1] Lombardia Trophy Announcement: https://www.isu.org/docman-document...eries-lombardia-trophy-2023-announcement/file
"The Entries by names must be made ... not later than: Friday August 11, 2023– 20:00 h local time Bergamo"

[#2] Autumn Classic International Announcement: https://www.isu.org/docman-document...enger-series-autumn-classic-announcement/file
"The Entries by names must be made ... not later than: Friday, August 11, 2023 – 20:00 h (EST)."

[#4] 31st Ondrej Nepela Memorial Announcement: https://www.isu.org/docman-document.../31368-nepela-memorial-2023-announcement/file
"The Entries by names must be made ... not later than: Friday, 1st September 2023 – 20:00 h (local time city of event)."

[#5] Finlandia Trophy Espoo Announcement: https://www.isu.org/docman-document...nger-series-finlanda-trophy-announcement/file
"The Entries by names must be made ... not later than: Wednesday, 6th of September 2023, at 8pm UTC (local time in the city of event)."

 

[platniumangel]

Is the challenger series the only events to earn European and World minimums? If not, what other events are eligible? I couldn’t find this information when I searched on ISU. Thanks!

 

[skatingguy]

Is the challenger series the only events to earn European and World minimums? If not, what other events are eligible? I couldn’t find this information when I searched on ISU. Thanks!

Minimum scores can be earned at any international event recognized by the ISU.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Challenger Series scores are included in the Season's Best list, for GP selection the following year. ETA:and the current year's alternates list.

There's also some money for the top three in the CS results for each discipline. (Top.two.scores count.)

 

[Andrea82]

Is the challenger series the only events to earn European and World minimums? If not, what other events are eligible? I couldn’t find this information when I searched on ISU. Thanks!

The events in which minimum TES can be achieved are those listed in the following document:

https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/31308-isu-communication-2565/file

Requirements needed are:
a) at least two competitors from two different ISU federations must be entered.
b) the technical panel members should come from three different ISU federations and they must have ISU or International qualification (in exceptional cases, one "national" technical specialist is accepted).
c) the panel of judges should have at least 5 judges. No ISU federation should have a majority on the panel. Judges must have ISU or International qualification (in exceptional cases, one "national" judge is accepted).

 

[Sylvia]

DAY TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR 2023 AUTUMN CLASSIC INTERNATIONAL (Sportplexe Pierrefonds, in Montreal, Quebec, from September 14-16, 2023):

Day Tickets on Sale Now for 2023 Autumn Classic International

OTTAWA, ON (July 13, 2023) – Day tickets for the 2023 Autumn Classic International are now on sale! Day tickets are priced starting at $35, plus applicable taxes and fees. Please note that seating will be general admission. Tickets can be purchased online at Eventbrite.com. The 2023 Autumn...

skatecanada.ca

"The 2023 entries will be announced in late August."

Direct link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2023-au...classiques-dautomne-2023-tickets-648081287577

 

[YukiNieve]

The Exec. Committee for the JSF just approved the skaters to participate for CS:

Lombardia Trophy
Yuma Kagiyama, Nozomu Yoshioka, Hana Yoshida

Autumn Classic International
Sota Yamamoto, Kaori Sakamoto, Mone Chiba, Riku Miura & Ryuichi Kihara

Nebelhorn Trophy
Koshiro Shimada, Kazuki Tomono

Finlandia Trophy
Kao Miura, Shun Sato, Mai Mihara, Rinka Watanabe

https://twitter.com/SponichiF/status/1681541113096830976

 

[Hedwig]

No Japanese women to Nebelhorn? What a pity

 

[Dobre]

And no Komatsubara & Koleto during the Challenger preseason at all?

K&K don't skate on the GP until NHK, which made sense based on their ranking; but maybe they need the time for some reason as well? They could use the WS points obviously.

 

[Karen-W]

And no Komatsubara & Koleto during the Challenger preseason at all?

K&K don't skate on the GP until NHK, which made sense based on their ranking; but maybe they need the time for some reason as well? They could use the WS points obviously.

Yes, I would have expected them to compete at Autumn Classic since they're based in Montreal. Maybe they'll be assigned to Budapest Trophy and IceChallenge?

 

[Hedwig]

Maybe this is only initial assignments and more are to come? With their wealth in singles, Japan can ill afford to let spots go to waste, non?

 

[Karen-W]

Maybe this is only initial assignments and more are to come? With their wealth in singles, Japan can ill afford to let spots go to waste, non?

Well, it isn't as if most non-European countries, even the US, assign the 3 max skaters allowed per country to the Challengers. It gets awfully expensive to send that big of a team to those competitions. But, at least they're assigning 1-2 to the early Challengers ahead of the GP.

 

[Karen-W]

IceChallenge Graz has been cancelled -

Icechallenge on Instagram: "Icechllenge - Cancellation! After careful consideration, we, the Icechallenge team, have made the decision to cancel the Icechallenge 2023. In the last year 2022 we were able to record a record of 139,000 hits on the live

11 likes, 1 comments - icechallenge_graz on July 27, 2023: "Icechllenge - Cancellation! After careful consideration, we, the Icechallenge team, have made the..."

www.instagram.com

 

[Wyliefan]

"Our credo is always to appear professional and to develop positively after constructive criticism, we don't see this as currently possible in the sporting environment. Anyone who is constantly struggling with headwinds will eventually lose the desire to do their best for others!"

What is that about?

 

[Frau Muller]

"Our credo is always to appear professional and to develop positively ….

No more scores & sketches on Post-it Notes? Oh darn!

 

[Miezekatze]

Are they the ones with the bad internet connection?

Maybe they were demanded to be able to provide a Live Stream AND live results and can't deliver.

 

[SidelineSkater]

Which one was with the cameraman talking on the phone to his mom/sister/girlfriend?

 

[Karen-W]

Are they the ones with the bad internet connection?

Maybe they were demanded to be able to provide a Live Stream AND live results and can't deliver.

If that's the case, then we can expect Golden Spin to also be cancelled...