Aurora Games, Albany, NY, August 24

Debbie S

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Ashley Wagner posted on her Instagram that she is competing at something called the Aurora Games in Albany, NY, August 20-25. I went searching and found info: https://www.timesunioncenter-albany.com/aurora-games

An all-women's comp, featuring multiple sports. The figure skating comp will take place August 24 and is a team format (sounds kind of like the old Ice Wars format). No mention of any other skaters besides Ashley. If it is not sanctioned by USFS (my guess is it isn't), there wouldn't be any currently competing skaters. Will be interesting to see who else they get.

Tickets go on sale on Friday through Ticketmaster but Ashley has a presale code listed: FIGUREAG. Nothing on the website about a TV/webcast network - I'm hoping it will be shown somewhere.

The explanation of the origin:

The Aurora Games were conceived of and created by Jerry Solomon. Mr. Solomon has been one of America's top sports marketing executives for more than 30 years. The Aurora Games, named in honor of the Roman goddess of the dawn, will be held every two years beginning with the inaugural edition at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY, August 20-25, 2019.

Jerry Solomon is Nancy Kerrigan's husband/agent. I don't see her competing, but who knows.
 

Tinami Amori

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Oh, good, Ashley is competing. It is not an ISU event as it looks. So now it is her chance to do a programme with all 6-7 triples and back-load it into the 2nd half, like she was challenges in 2018... prove to the "Russian Sonograms" you can do it too, not just critique.. :lol:
 

missing

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Debbie S

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Interesting that Alysa is competing....that means it must be sanctioned by USFS. Glad she is getting the opportunity, but I hope competing in back to back weekends (LP JGP is the next week) doesn't exhaust her. OTOH, she doesn't have far to travel to LP.
 

Sylvia

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Albany Times Union article (July 26, 2019): https://www.timesunion.com/auroraga...nal-champion-figure-skater-joins-14173634.php
... [Alysa] Liu and [Mirai] Nagasu will join previously announced Ashley Wagner on Team Americas, consisting of athletes from North and South America, in a matchup against Team World at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at the downtown arena [Times Union Center].

Headlining the figure skaters for Team World is two-time Olympian Mae-Berenice Meite. The remainder of the Team World roster will be announced later.
Official website: https://auroragamesfestival.com/

ETA that Jerry Solomon is the Creator and Executive Producer: https://auroragamesfestival.com/about/

This is one week before the JGP in Lake Placid, so I assume Alysa will skate one of her competition programs here and then head north to LP.

ETA on July 30... Thanks to the Admin. for merging my thread (this post) with the earlier one I didn't see.
 
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sk9tingfan

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Albany Times Union article (July 26, 2019): https://www.timesunion.com/auroraga...nal-champion-figure-skater-joins-14173634.php

Official website: https://auroragamesfestival.com/

ETA that Jerry Solomon is the Creator and Executive Producer: https://auroragamesfestival.com/about/

This is one week before the JGP in Lake Placid, so I assume Alysa will skate one of her competition programs here and then head north to LP.
I have to figure out if it's worth it to kill two additional nights in the greater Albany area until heading up to Lake Placid. Should be interesting to see how all of the American women do.
 

sk9tingfan

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I have to figure out if it's worth it to kill two additional nights in the greater Albany area until heading up to Lake Placid. Should be interesting to see how all of the American women do.

I'm going with a friend since it's less than a two hour drive to Albany; more than OK for a day trip! I paid $65 for a dead center seat about 8 rows up!
 

Coco

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Too bad they can't get Med and Daleman for the international side.
 

Sylvia

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* = New figure skating additions: https://auroragamesfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Athlete-List-2.pdf

Team Americas:
Alysa Liu (United States)
*Andrea Montesinos (Mexico)
Mirai Nagasu (United States)
Ashley Wagner (United States)
*Isadora Williams (Brazil)

Team World:
*Ayaka Hosoda (Japan; landed 3As at Nationals)
*Stanislava Konstantinova (Russia)
Maé Bérénice Meite (France)
*Akiko Suzuki (Japan)
 

Sylvia

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Tweeted on Aug. 7: https://twitter.com/AuroraGamesFest/status/1159179006882865152
the @AuroraGamesFest will be broadcast on @ESPNU live each day. more details to be released soon including a great lineup of stars providing commentary in the booth and sidelines. and the whole schedule will be available at http://www.auroragamesfestival.com
Figure Skating is Saturday, August 24 at 1 pm Eastern (searched & found this link but don't know if it will be goeblocked outside USA): http://www.espn.com/watch?id=c654a9e8-804b-439d-9f2b-5ba260e5a87a
 

aftershocks

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Sounds like fun. Liu, Wagner and Nagasu on a competitive team! :watch:

U.S. Champs Camp starts on August 24 too.

Aurora Games press release:
"The event also will also feature competition in women’s tennis, gymnastics, basketball, ice hockey and beach volleyball. The overall winning team of the six-sport Aurora Games competition will receive the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Trophy..."
 
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Sylvia

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Aurora Games' official Twitter account replied to a Russian skating fan's question :D: https://twitter.com/AuroraGamesFest/status/1162838478259986441
"@AuroraGamesFest will be available on Eurosport and ESPN International"

For those in the Albany area... Aurora Games NY Kickoff at the Plaza: https://empirestateplaza.ny.gov/aurora-games-ny-kickoff-plaza
Monday's free festivities (August 19):
5:00 p.m. DJ and Food Vendors
5:30 p.m. Event Begins
6:00 p.m. March of athletes followed by athlete meet-and-greets and autographs
6:15 p.m. Amanda Mena performance
6:30 p.m. Madison VanDenburg performance
7:15 p.m. Official Aurora Games kickoff ceremony and display of Babe Didrikson Zaharias Trophy
7:30 p.m. Screening of A League of Their Own
9:40 p.m. Fireworks
 

Sylvia

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Sylvia

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Alysa Liu, Mirai Nagasu and Maé-Bérénice Méité attended a press conference for the figure skating team event earlier today:
Méité’s season gets underway this weekend when she competes at the Aurora Games in Albany, New York. Aurora Games is a showcase for multiple women’s sports. In addition to figure skating, there will be gymnastics, basketball, tennis and more. Méité will perform her competitive short program and an exhibition style free skating program.

“It’s very interesting because it’s unusual,” said Méité. “It’s more like an exhibition style, but you compete for a team, so I’m very excited to see everybody else and to see what they’re doing. I want to have a little feedback from the audience regarding the short program. I’m very excited.”

Aurora Games on CBC: Figure Skating - The World Team vs The Americas Team: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/aurora-ga...the-world-team-vs-the-americas-team-1.5249804
 
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rfisher

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Not yet. :D


Women's gymnastics will be shown live on ESPNU's broadcast tonight (7 to 10 pm Eastern).

ETA: For those outside USA, check your Eurosport and ESPN International channels.
Not on TV. ESPNU is showing high school football.
 

Debbie S

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Not on TV. ESPNU is showing high school football.
Do you mean the skating or the gymnastics? The gymnastics was Wed night - I watched, and was very bummed that the sound wasn't coming through well for the floor ex music, hope they fix that for the skating - and the skating is tomorrow. I just checked the ESPN website and the Aurora Games skating is listed for 1 pm tomorrow on ESPNU.
 

rfisher

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Do you mean the skating or the gymnastics? The gymnastics was Wed night - I watched, and was very bummed that the sound wasn't coming through well for the floor ex music, hope they fix that for the skating - and the skating is tomorrow. I just checked the ESPN website and the Aurora Games skating is listed for 1 pm tomorrow on ESPNU.
Oh, sorry. I didn't pay attention to the date. I thought it was tonight
 

Tinami Amori

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Stanislava Konstantinova said "I will not be skating this season's FS, due to organizational issues. For FS you will see me skate to another piece of music, one of my old long-forgotten programmes. I will skate my new SP. But my "Moulin Rouge", while all is ready, the music and the dress, will first be seen at Test Skate".

"Я сейчас нахожусь в Олбани на фестивале Aurora Games, завтра будет мое выступление с короткой и произвольной программами.

К сожалению, я не смогу показать свою новую произвольную. Короткая будет новая, в новом платье – все окей.

Насчет произвольной – все в силе, новая программа для нового сезона, платье готово, программа тоже. По организационным причинам здесь я не смогу прокатать программу из «Мулен Руж». Завтра будет другая музыка, другая постановка, контент и платье тоже будут другими. Будет хорошо забытое старое."
 

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