Body of Work history

[skateboy]

Now that most countries take "Body of work" into consideration when choosing their Olympic team, it got me thinking: when did the whole BOW thing start?

I remember, as a kid watching US Nationals in an Olympic season, it was whoever places in the top 3 at Nationals goes to the Olympics, period. There was the option for an ailing skater to petition for one of those spots (Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan).

Later, I remember being pretty shocked when Japan started using BOW to choose their Olympics team, regardless of how a skater may have placed in their Nationals. I get it now, but a part of me wonders what it would be like if all countries stuck to "whoever places in the top 3 goes" (or 1, or 2, given available spots), but allowing for injured petitioning skaters.

I was really upset in 2014 when Japan chose Daisuke Takahashi (who placed a generous 5th at Nats and wasn't skating all that great) over Nobunari Oda, who medaled in every international event that year, including 3rd in the GPF.

Anyone know when BOW became the deciding factor?

 

[Plusdinfo]

I would say that the answer really varies by country. In the U.S., it wasn't really a thing until... hmm... Ashley Wagner got selected in 2014. Before then, it was simply the case that an "injury petition" could be filed if nationals was missed, but if you showed up at nationals and you did poorly, you wouldn't get a body of work pass to join the Olympic team.

My memory may be off, but that's my contribution.

 

[Skate Talker]

Back in the "olden days" it made more sense to send skaters based on national results, especially in North America where participation in high caliber international events was really spotty. There was no Grand Prix, no Challenger Series, no world ranking system etc. (It was harder to create a bow until fairly recently.)
Even with those things in place, North American skating federations were slow to take anything but the Grand Prix series seriously enough to spend all the extra money to send skaters over to Europe and Asia.

 

[honey]

One of my favourite old skating clips is from 1994 Canadian nationals, which opens its men’s free skate broadcast with an interview with then CFSA president. Kurt Browning, then 4 times and current world champion, had royally mucked up his short program and was laying in 4th place. They ask the CFSA president point blank if they will name Browning to the team if he’s not in the top 3 after the event and he flat out says no they will not.

https://youtu.be/oGNMssXO8m8?si=JoF2yeeWzUZqQqoY

(About 5:30 into this)

Can you imagine . It was written into the rules that the top 3 went to the games. They must have had injury petition language though because Browning didn’t compete at nationals in 1992 and was named to the team.

Kind of interesting how black and white Canada was with this at the time. I’m not sure exactly when it became more grey with a broader selection process.

I’d also say though that those days it was even easier for the judges to just ensure that the “right” team was selected. I feel like Kurt could have gone out and done a couple triple toes and stood on his head and would have been placed ahead of Christensen on the presentation mark alone.

This is of course still possible to a degree today, but less so. But i usually think that you can figure out who the team is “supposed” to be by looking at who is getting the generous GOE or maybe a caller looking the other way on a suspiciously rotated jump.

 

[tony]

Canada also did this in 1996 when Jennifer Robinson won Nationals and was named to Worlds over Josee Chouinard, who had won a medal at the first-ever Champions Series [now Grand Prix] Final and looked to be a medal threat at Worlds in her comeback year.

But then somewhere along the way, they started opening it to naming teams whenever they wanted. Annie Bellemare in 2001 over Nicole Watt by using Four Continents, and then attempting to give Cynthia Phaneuf every chance against Amelie Lacoste in 2012 (and then Lacoste beating her by tenths of a point at Four Continents) are two examples.

ETA- but then Jeff Buttle not being named to the team in 2004 after Ben Ferreira placed better at Nationals, and Jeff had two Grand Prix medals that season, including a gold. He went on to win Four Continents.

The US had typically gone with results at Nationals, but they always left the injury or petition option open when they wanted: Bowman in 1990, Eldredge in 1992, Meno/Sand in 1998, etc. But then they also sometimes went against the grain such as reigning World bronze medalist Nicole Bobek not being named in 1996. A 13-12 vote gave Lipinski the ticket.

 

[Seerek]

One of my favourite old skating clips is from 1994 Canadian nationals, which opens its men’s free skate broadcast with an interview with then CFSA president. Kurt Browning, then 4 times and current world champion, had royally mucked up his short program and was laying in 4th place. They ask the CFSA president point blank if they will name Browning to the team if he’s not in the top 3 after the event and he flat out says no they will not.

https://youtu.be/oGNMssXO8m8?si=JoF2yeeWzUZqQqoY

(About 5:30 into this)

Can you imagine . It was written into the rules that the top 3 went to the games. They must have had injury petition language though because Browning didn’t compete at nationals in 1992 and was named to the team.

Kind of interesting how black and white Canada was with this at the time. I’m not sure exactly when it became more grey with a broader selection process.

I’d also say though that those days it was even easier for the judges to just ensure that the “right” team was selected. I feel like Kurt could have gone out and done a couple triple toes and stood on his head and would have been placed ahead of Christensen on the presentation mark alone.

This is of course still possible to a degree today, but less so. But i usually think that you can figure out who the team is “supposed” to be by looking at who is getting the generous GOE or maybe a caller looking the other way on a suspiciously rotated jump.

In 1984, Skate Canada sent Junior Champion Jamie Eggleton to the Olympics in Sarajevo over senior bronze medalist Gordon Forbes (who became first alternate for the second consecutive Olympics).

And even more infamous than that was national bronze medalist Tracey Wainman (coach of Roman Sadovsky) being given the sole available berth to 1980 Worlds as a 12 year old.

 

[kwanette]

I would say that the answer really varies by country. In the U.S., it wasn't really a thing until... hmm... Ashley Wagner got selected in 2014. Before then, it was simply the case that an "injury petition" could be filed if nationals was missed, but if you showed up at nationals and you did poorly, you wouldn't get a body of work pass to join the Olympic team.

My memory may be off, but that's my contribution.

BOW only was used for #TheLadies in 2014. It certainly was not used for Pairs..

 

[Chen40]

Canada also did this in 1996 when Jennifer Robinson won Nationals and was named to Worlds over Josee Chouinard, who had won a medal at the first-ever Champions Series [now Grand Prix] Final and looked to be a medal threat at Worlds in her comeback year.

But then somewhere along the way, they started opening it to naming teams whenever they wanted. Annie Bellemare in 2001 over Nicole Watt by using Four Continents, and then attempting to give Cynthia Phaneuf every chance against Amelie Lacoste in 2012 (and then Lacoste beating her by tenths of a point at Four Continents) are two examples.

ETA- but then Jeff Buttle not being named to the team in 2004 after Ben Ferreira placed better at Nationals, and Jeff had two Grand Prix medals that season, including a gold. He went on to win Four Continents.

The US had typically gone with results at Nationals, but they always left the injury or petition option open when they wanted: Bowman in 1990, Eldredge in 1992, Meno/Sand in 1998, etc. But then they also sometimes went against the grain such as reigning World bronze medalist Nicole Bobek not being named in 1996. A 13-12 vote gave Lipinski the ticket.

I actually Chouinard could have won bronze that year but only if perfect. The judges loved Slutskaya, so she would have had to have been perfect. A very tall order for Chouinard.

 

[Private Citizen]

Canada also did this in 1996 when Jennifer Robinson won Nationals and was named to Worlds over Josee Chouinard, who had won a medal at the first-ever Champions Series [now Grand Prix] Final and looked to be a medal threat at Worlds in her comeback year.

Very late to the thread but the GPF was in February 1996, after Canadian Nationals. Robinson was named to the team before Chouinard won her bronze at the GPF. She knew she wasn’t going to Worlds, which is perhaps one of the reasons she had a semi-decent skate. (SP great, FS rough with four triples).

Chouinard did win bronze at 1995 Skate Canada and gold at Lalique after Lu Chen bombed the short program. She had falls in three out of four programs, though, and didn’t look particularly good. IIRC she fell twice in the free at Lalique and only landed three triples.

I still think it was foolish to name Robinson to the team, but Chouinard’s performances were not as strong as they seemed on paper. She also botched the SP combo at Canadian Nationals before imploding in the free skate with one clean triple. She also had a foot injury iirc.

I think the CFSA at the time probably thought she was never going to get past her tendency to fall repeatedly in competition. They did look extra foolish after her medal at the GPF but it was a low pressure event in many ways, plus it was new, less prestigious than today, and after Nationals.

Josee’s programs that year were gorgeous and I do think she could have medalled at hike had she delivered six or seven triples. But I think she landed six once in her life?

 

[Chen40]

I agree Chouinard took advantage of either a weak field or poor skates by others to medal that season, but still skating poorly herself especially in the LP. She also received generous marks at the GP events for some of her skates which as you said almost never went without a fall, the judges obviously loved her style and glide across the ice.