Skate Canada 2022 Olympics selection criteria

[muffinplus]

I’m surprised by how many within Skate Canada/alumni are openly hating this decision. Is that because J/R are hated for other reasons besides performance?

Obviously yes

 

[honey]

I too am surprised at the willingness of so many of Radford’s former teammates to so publicly take a stance on this. Even Tessa has been liking posts supporting W/M.

To me, this decision isn’t really that controversial though. W/M at their best score about the same as J/R with a poor performance. Add this in with how badly W/M did this fall and I just don’t see how any other decision could have been made.

The very public outcry from so many former Canadian skaters seems to be coming from an emotional place. My assumption is that a lot of it is stemming from how the J/R partnership started. Interesting though that most of them were quite silent about it up until the Olympic team was named.

 

[skategal]

I’m surprised by how many within Skate Canada/alumni are openly hating this decision. Is that because J/R are hated for other reasons besides performance?

I don’t think so.

Even if you disagreed with how they were formed (behind Duhamel’s back) I can’t think that they are universally hated by all the alumni.

I think it’s more that they think that J/R probably wouldn’t have been named to the team if Skate Canada wasn’t including their past successes with previous partners in the equation rather than what was shown this season.

Alumni are hating the game not the players IMO.

 

[sap5]

I don’t think so.

Even if you disagreed with how they were formed (behind Duhamel’s back) I can’t think that they are universally hated by all the alumni.

I think it’s more that they think that J/R probably wouldn’t have been named to the team if Skate Canada wasn’t including their past successes with previous partners in the equation rather than what was shown this season.

Alumni are hating the game not the players IMO.

But my understanding (and I don’t follow pairs so I could be wrong) is that W/M haven’t had a good performance all season until Nationals. While J/R haven’t been good, they’ve been better than W/M. Athletes understand how this goes?

 

[sap5]

I too am surprised at the willingness of so many of Radford’s former teammates to so publicly take a stance on this. Even Tessa has been liking posts supporting W/M.

To me, this decision isn’t really that controversial though. W/M at their best score about the same as J/R with a poor performance. Add this in with how badly W/M did this fall and I just don’t see how any other decision could have been made.

The very public outcry from so many former Canadian skaters seems to be coming from an emotional place. My assumption is that a lot of it is stemming from how the J/R partnership started. Interesting though that most of them were quite silent about it up until the Olympic team was named.

Meagan said on TSL that Tessa was one of the first skaters to call her after she posted her disappointment about how the J/R partnership was formed, so I’m not surprised that she’s out liking posts about W/M now.

 

[muffinplus]

I don’t think so.

Even if you disagreed with how they were formed (behind Duhamel’s back) I can’t think that they are universally hated by all the alumni.

I think it’s more that they think that J/R probably wouldn’t have been named to the team if Skate Canada wasn’t including their past successes with previous partners in the equation rather than what was shown this season.

Alumni are hating the game not the players IMO.

Have they not been paying attention to their international results vs W/M or are they simply choosing to be blind about it?

 

[honey]

Meagan said on TSL that Tessa was one of the first skaters to call her after she posted her disappointment about how the J/R partnership was formed, so I’m not surprised that she’s out liking posts about W/M now.

Yeah, I’d read Tessa was supportive of Meagan after what happened. What I’m surprised at is Tessa dipping her toe into the water of any kind of online drama. That’s not usually her her online demeanour.

 

[skategal]

But my understanding (and I don’t follow pairs so I could be wrong) is that W/M haven’t had a good performance all season until Nationals. While J/R haven’t been good, they’ve been better than W/M. Athletes understand how this goes?

I think the athletes see preferential treatment from Skate Canada towards J/R being chosen for the team which is not based on their season results.

National championships are also factored into Olympic selection.

I agree J/R are getting rock star treatment from Skate Canada and Skate Canada is free to select whoever they want to based on their criteria which allows them to justify their choices.

But I wish Skate Canada were being more transparent about the choice.

If they want J/R because of their ceiling or potential (that they haven’t shown yet by the way) or because of past achievements (body of work) they should say it.

 

[puglover]

I thought Bruno was the main coach for MT/M but I notice Julie M. and Alison P. are the coaches named to the team. Is that because Bruno is probably already going as the coach of the Japanese team?

 

[skategal]

Have they not been paying attention to their international results vs W/M or are they simply choosing to be blind about it?

Maybe really think what it says that so many other athletes are against this decision instead of assuming they are blind?

This is unprecedented from the athletes to express disagreement like this.

 

[honey]

I thought Bruno was the main coach for MT/M but I notice Julie M. and Alison P. are the coaches named to the team. Is that because Bruno is probably already going as the coach of the Japanese team?

I think Bruno is still MTM’s main coach, but they do work with Alison as well. I’d assume they named her as their coach and not Bruno so that both coaches can go. Bruno will be there anyway with the Japanese team like you said.

And KMT did give a weird quote a while back about bringing Alison to cup of Russia because at the Olympics Bruno would be busy with the Japanese team. It didn’t make a ton of sense bc clearly he can coach both at the games, but in any case Alison will be going as well.

 

[muffinplus]

Maybe really think what it says that so many other athletes are against this decision instead of assuming they are blind?

This is unprecedented from the athletes to express disagreement like this.

I'm asking you if the fact that they are ignoring the international results (which they are, because not once have they mentioned or considered them in their diatribe against this "unfairness") shows it's an emotional reaction more than an objective one...

 

[marbri]

I think the reason so many alumni are liking it could be varied. But I suspect there is an overriding sense that J/R withdrew so as to not lose to W/M at Nationals and affect their BOW argument for the spot so many of them may not find that sporting. While some may just be acknowledging the pain they know this decision is causing because they have experienced it themselves during their careers.

 

[Rafter]

Meagan said on TSL that Tessa was one of the first skaters to call her after she posted her disappointment about how the J/R partnership was formed, so I’m not surprised that she’s out liking posts about W/M now.

Let’s not forget that Walsh is from London, Ontario. Not a surprise that Virtue would support them.

 

[marbri]

I think Bruno is still MTM’s main coach, but they do work with Alison as well. I’d assume they named her as their coach and not Bruno so that both coaches can go. Bruno will be there anyway with the Japanese team like you said.

And KMT did give a weird quote a while back about bringing Alison to cup of Russia because at the Olympics Bruno would be busy with the Japanese team. It didn’t make a ton of sense bc clearly he can coach both at the games, but in any case Alison will be going as well.

I could be wrong but I thought I read somewhere only one coach will be accredited because of the obvious YKW. So this way both coaches are in China but officially theirs is Alison.

 

[honey]

I could be wrong but I thought I read somewhere only one coach will be accredited because of the obvious YKW. So this way both coaches are in China but officially theirs is Alison.

Yes, that’s what I was trying to say . I think it’s almost always been one coach per skater/team at the games. This is why the IAM teams each name a different official coach. In the end they can bring basically the whole coaching staff this way.

 

[wickedwitch]

I think the reason so many alumni are liking it could be varied. But I suspect there is an overriding sense that J/R withdrew so as to not lose to W/M at Nationals and affect their BOW argument for the spot so many of them may not find that sporting. While some may just be acknowledging the pain they know this decision is causing because they have experienced it themselves during their careers.

I wouldn't be surprised if J/R's decision was seen as cowardly and anti-competitive. I think all figure skaters have skated at competitions they knew they were going to lose. To withdraw after being able to skate the SP, I can imagine that makes skaters -- who are competitors -- really annoyed.

 

[Rafter]

Which former skaters are openly disliking the decision, other than Virtue?

I have to say that I found Walsh/Michaud very subdued in their post-skate interview with Balde. It was like they knew going in to the competition that they wouldn’t be selected. My respect to them, they handled it very well despite how difficult it must have been.

 

[screech]

Canada 4CC team is basically their team of Olympic alternates. Smart or dumb decision?

Personally, I'd probably want to keep the top alternate out of 4CC so that there's less chance of them contracting YKW before they're potentially called up to go to Beijing, but then that also means they're missing out on a big event that they qualified for. I won't be surprised if at least one alternate is called up to compete at the Games, so hopefully they all stay safe!

 

[sap5]

Which former skaters are openly disliking the decision, other than Virtue?

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[honey]

Which former skaters are openly disliking the decision, other than Virtue?

I have to say that I found Walsh/Michaud very subdued in their post-skate interview with Balde. It was like they knew going in to the competition that they wouldn’t be selected. My respect to them, they handled it very well despite how difficult it must have been.

Liz Manley had posted something on Instagram not agreeing with the decision and on that post alone there were likes (and in some cases comments), from Osmond, Daleman, Austman, Weaver and Virtue. Weaver also said something on Twitter I think. And of course Duhamel lol.

I also saw Bausback commenting that W/M were olympians to her (or something like that).

 

[skategal]

I'm asking you if the fact that they are ignoring the international results (which they are, because not once have they mentioned or considered them in their diatribe against this "unfairness") shows it's an emotional reaction more than an objective one...

There are more criteria in the selection process than this season’s international results.

 

[sap5]

I wouldn't be surprised if J/R's decision was seen as cowardly and anti-competitive. I think all figure skaters have skated at competitions they knew they were going to lose. To withdraw after being able to skate the SP, I can imagine that makes skaters -- who are competitors -- really annoyed.

Maybe. But most of those alumni have been in situations where they had to employ competitive strategy themselves, so to openly criticize like this seems a bit hypocritical?

 

[wickedwitch]

Maybe. But most of those alumni have been in situations where they had to employ competitive strategy themselves, so to openly criticize like this seems a bit hypocritical?

How many times has their competative strategy been "withdraw part way through a competition"?

 

[sap5]

How many times has their competative strategy been "withdraw part way through a competition"?

I’m not going to go back and count, but the idea that someone is hoping that body of work will be used isn’t a new concept?

 

[muffinplus]

There are more criteria in the selection process than this season’s international results.

And other than Nationals, on what other criteria did W/M perform better than J/R? None, TBH.

 

[skategal]

I’m not going to go back and count, but the idea that someone is hoping that body of work will be used isn’t a new concept?

J/R don’t have a body of work to rely on.

They have 4 competitions neither of which were skated well.

That is what makes no sense in this decision.

If anyone has the body of work argument it is W/M who have been National medallists multiple times and have a 12th place showing at last year’s Worlds.

 

[skategal]

And other than Nationals, on what other criteria did W/M perform better than J/R? None, TBH.

Placement at last year’s World’s was also a criteria.

The point is that Skate Canada didn’t want to give W/M the spot and they did want to give it to J/R.

It would be more honest if they just said that.

 

[sap5]

J/R don’t have a body of work to rely on.

They have 4 competitions neither of which were skated well.

That is what makes no sense in this decision.

If anyone has the body of work argument it is W/M who have been National medallists multiple times and have a 12th place showing at last year’s Worlds.

From: https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympics/a...ot-olympic-team-despite-withdrawal-nationals/

"Unfortunately, with all sports, in an Olympic year when you have a national championship, a lot of people assume that is the end-all and be-all in the final determining factor," said Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada's high-performance director. "A national championship is always important and it’s important for athletes to be a national champion, to be a medallist. But when we did the assessment with our committee, we looked at all those factors ... and not one is weighted higher than the other.

"If you look at the international season, Vanessa and Eric out of all our pairs teams had the strongest scores. Unfortunately, with a situation largely out of one’s control, with Omicron and COVID, they just weren’t able to complete the event. But we look at the body of work of all athletes and we want to make the best assessment for the strongest team we feel has the best ability for us at the Games."

 

[muffinplus]

Placement at last year’s World’s was also a criteria.

The point is that Skate Canada didn’t want to give W/M the spot and they did want to give it to J/R.

It would be more honest if they just said that.

Placement and score. J/R didn't compete there. W/M score at Worlds is lower than what J/R have achieved in almost all competitions; they placed 12th Skate Canada can't 'fix' J/R scores in all international competitions.... And the point is, it's easier to act like there are no reasons to select J/R but there are... and someone with a mathematical mind like Duhamel is could and should probably know this