This has always bugged me. I always thought there should be a month wiggle room on either end. Say the cut-off is December 31. For children born in both December and in January, there should be a choice between when to start school (some December babies might not be ready, but some born in January might be).
I've always been sad that I didn't get to see Denis Ten's initial reaction to learning that he had won the Olympic bronze medal.
@VGThuy I don't know of anything else in addition to what I've copied out from the ISU Congress' published agenda in post #1 of this thread?
I don't really see what difference the so-called start of the season makes (are there any competitions in July?). If 18 is the desired age, make it 18 by 12/31. Whether it's 7/1 or 12/31, there aren't going to be any 15 year olds at the Olympics anymore. And that is definitely a good thing.
We don't know that. Trusova would've been 17 by July 1 of last year anyways, and it's not as if all less than graceful podium/k&c moments of the past came from young teens
Because skaters would start the season in juniors and then in early January they would have to get the senior minimums? It makes perfect sense to start it July 1 because it's in the middle of the off-season and essentially the halfway date of the calendar year (and as Sylvia pointed out below, there is an international in late-July).
The Lake Placid Ice Dance International (27-29 July 2022) will kick off the 2022-23 ISU season: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/isu-calendar-of-international-competitions-2022-23.109711/
Because like others have said, it would make no sense to have an age change in the middle of the figure skating season. Junior and senior competition rules are very different, and it would be very hard for people to get the senior minimums in the middle of the season if they had to start the year as juniors. It’s clear the ISU no longer wants minors competing as seniors, but had they made it be 18 as of July 1, many skaters would have to actually wait until they’re 19 to compete at worlds/Olympics. Honestly, I would’ve been OK if they would’ve made the age 18 by July 1. That would’ve kept minors out of the senior circuit all together, which I think is what should actually be done!
That's true but I think Kwan has really owned that line.
You judge though.
Kwan hasn't competed in 18 years, dear. Time to find a new angle.
True. I do not mind drama; Surya, for example, is a legend.We don't know that. Trusova would've been 17 by July 1 of last year anyways, and it's not as if all less than graceful podium/k&c moments of the past came from young teens
Since she was not suspended because of her age, the problem at the Olympics had absolutely something to do with her age.
LOL. She was hardly the first and most definitely not the last.
And? You also judge... See your comment above about Kwan. The only difference between you and me is that I'm honest about it. And, frankly, even in the moment, at the time of the Beijing Women's FS aftermath, I was pretty flabbergasted by what transpired from the Russian team, and utterly heartbroken for Kamila, Anna and Sasha - they didn't deserve any of what happened to them, even if it did make for epic live viewing. Go ahead, go check out the pbp thread here and review my comments at the time if you don't believe me.
When people say things like this, it makes me wonder how old they are and how long they have been watching skating given that it's a very recent development and doesn't exist at every competition.
There are massive numbers of club comps all summer. And, as has been pointed out, several internationals.
That's interesting because I don't actually recall her saying "I Just want to have fun" at all. I do remember her saying that she just wants to do her best and that she can't control the judging and things like that.
In this instance, I wouldn't be surprised if the poster were the same age as Brenda Bottems.
The cutoff is based on the calendar of the competitive season. The figure skating starts in the summer, which is why July 1 (the midway point of the calendar year) is the cutoff. Having the age cutoff in the middle of the season (December 31) would make zero sense, which is why July 1 is what works for the sport of figure skating.
They do say the mind starts to go as we age.
What is their qualifying procedure for competition? Do they have mandatory required minimum score like figure skating? Do they have significantly different requirements from the junior level to the senior level that would affect qualifying? I am not familiar with that sport, so I do not know. These questions would greatly determine whether it is possible to start the season as a junior and end it as a senior. It is really just not at all possible for figure skating. I actually wish they would have raised the age limit to 18, but I am a lot happier with 17 than 15!
OK, then, make it 16.5 by July 1.
Oh, please. Now you're just playing semantics and over-complicating the rule. We get that don't like the rule and apparently can't handle arbitrary deadlines that aren't based on the calendar year. However do you pay your taxes by April 15th every year?
Wouldn't that make it more complicated? With this suggestion, it's not enough to have a cut-off date, but now they have to measure sixteen years plus 182/3 days aka 6,022/6,023 days? Having the cut off be on July 1 makes more sense than January 1 since seasons run over two years (that's why we call it the 2022-23 season and not just the 2022 season).
