Finland is getting a Grand Prix event for the first time after China withdrew their events from the ISU calendar this season.
In the beginning of the Grand Prix, there were five stops: USA, Canada, Germany, France, and Japan. Each of these events had already been held in previous seasons but were combined to create a circuit for top athletes to earn more money/create even more interest in the skating boom. Cup of Russia was added a season later.
We've seen some of the meh fields year in and out at Grand Prix events throughout the last few seasons.
Do you think it would be better for the ISU to switch things up each year, and add countries like Finland, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, etc? These countries can attract large and knowledgable crowds. Before the case of money being an issue comes up, remember Junior Grand Prix events are often held in much harder to access/longer traveling time countries and there are MANY more athletes than in the senior events. And if an event like Skate America is taken off the Grand Prix calendar, should it stay as a fall international to keep the tradition going?
I thought it was a great idea to move the Final out of one of the big six nations, but that only happened four times- Italy, South Korea, and Spain twice in a row.
In the beginning of the Grand Prix, there were five stops: USA, Canada, Germany, France, and Japan. Each of these events had already been held in previous seasons but were combined to create a circuit for top athletes to earn more money/create even more interest in the skating boom. Cup of Russia was added a season later.
We've seen some of the meh fields year in and out at Grand Prix events throughout the last few seasons.
Do you think it would be better for the ISU to switch things up each year, and add countries like Finland, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, etc? These countries can attract large and knowledgable crowds. Before the case of money being an issue comes up, remember Junior Grand Prix events are often held in much harder to access/longer traveling time countries and there are MANY more athletes than in the senior events. And if an event like Skate America is taken off the Grand Prix calendar, should it stay as a fall international to keep the tradition going?
I thought it was a great idea to move the Final out of one of the big six nations, but that only happened four times- Italy, South Korea, and Spain twice in a row.