US Ice Dance 2024-25 News & Updates

[Debbie S]

They've done this in Olympic years past. Does anyone know how that money was dispersed? I always thought it was just for USFS to get extra money in their coffers lol.

I think some of it has gone to the families of Oly skaters to help them with expenses for travel to the Games.

 

[chameleonster]

For what it's worth, according to the official Athlete Selection Criteria, Wolfkostin/Tsarevski's JW medal has them officially 3rd ranked of the US teams, behind Chock/Bates and Carreira/Ponomarenko. I don't think they're really seriously being considered for the Olympic team unless they've made some truly incredible strides, but as they're technically 3rd in line at the moment I understand inviting them. I'm curious to see if Zingas/Kolesnik being left off is a mistake or not. If it is, a correction will probably be issued soon, and imo that's the most likely explanation.

 

[ice coverage]

A big question for me is whether National Team skaters will be given extra funding? Emphases added:

"Join the movement to support U.S. Figure Skating’s National Team as they journey toward the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Cheer them on, become a member or make a donation — every action brings our athletes one step closer to achieving their Olympic dreams."​

They've done this in Olympic years past. ...

afaik, USFS did not name a National Team for recent Olympic seasons.
So in recent Olympic seasons, USFS was not fundraising "to support U.S. Figure Skating's National Team."

I think some of it has gone to the families of Oly skaters to help them with expenses for travel to the Games.

Yes, my impression was that financial support for the Olympic figure skating team's loved ones to travel to "Destination Sochi," "Destination PyeongChang," etc., seemed to be the entire point of those USFS fundraising campaigns.

From Skating Magazine article by Brent Diederich in 2017-18 season:
"... More than $80,000 was raised through donations for 2014 Destination Sochi, which was the first program designed to help financially support athletes' families traveling to the Games. The money was shared equally among each of the 15 U.S. Olympic Team members. ...
This Olympic year, the estimated cost of attending the Olympic Winter Games in Korea is $7,200 per person. And just as our athletes are raising the bar, we will, too. U.S. Figure Skating has set a goal of $105,000 to help our 14 yet-to-be-named Olympians. ...
Join us by going to DestinationPyeongChang.com to help send family members to the 2018 Games. ..."
https://skatingmagazine.azurewebsites.net/article/Skating_201708-09_10​

ETA:​

"... Destination Beijing will bring the families and friends of the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Olympic team together for the Olympic Team Event in February.
Gifts to the Destination Beijing program will benefit the families and friends of the 2022 Olympic Team and allow them to support our athletes together. Friends and family members will be teleconferenced in with athletes to show support."​

https://www.usfigureskating.org/destination-beijing​

Because of the pandemic, "Destination Beijing" families and friends were brought together in La Jolla to watch the Olympics together.​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI2xoYZ1ivE (Feb 9, 2022)​

At least so far, I see no sign that announcing "National Team" athletes this time around is part of analogous "Destination Milan" fundraising.
If(?) USFS is raising funds for the purpose of funneling extra money (on top of envelope money) to National Team athletes many months before selection of the Olympic Team, transparency to donors about National Team selection criteria would not seem like too much to ask. IMO.

For what it's worth, according to the official Athlete Selection Criteria, Wolfkostin/Tsarevski's JW medal has them officially 3rd ranked of the US teams, behind Chock/Bates and Carreira/Ponomarenko. I don't think they're really seriously being considered for the Olympic team unless they've made some truly incredible strides, but as they're technically 3rd in line at the moment I understand inviting them. ...

But ... from USFS 2026 Olympic selection criteria's Calculation of Overall Data, the current order of points (so far only from 2024-25 season) is: C/B, C/P, W/T, Z/K, G/P.
As things stand now, B/S have zero points. Same for S/S.

 

[YukiNieve]

USFS 2026 Olympic selection criteria's Calculation of Overall Data

Where can I find it?

 

[Karen-W]

Where can I find it?

https://www.usfigureskating.org/sites/default/files/media-files/2026%20FSK%20Athlete%20Selection%20Procedures%20FINAL%20OLY.pdf

 

[ice coverage]

Where can I find it?

The procedure for Calculation of Overall Athlete Performance Data is explained in Appendix B on page 18 at the link from Karen.
The bottom of the chart addresses results from 2024-25 season.

Karen does not need a reminder, but I think it bears repeating for others that placements in Calculation of Overall Athlete Performance Data are not an automatic ticket to the Olympics.
Top 5 placement in the full Calculation at the time of Olympic selection is one of several ways to get into the pool of athletes who will be considered.

By my math, the points earned for 2024-25 season:
C/B 330 = [12 (for first at Worlds) + 6 (second Four Continents) + 4 (first Nats)] x 15
C/P 150 = [5 (fifth Worlds) + 3 (fourth Four Continents) + 2 (second Nats)] x 15
W/T 120 = [8 (second Junior Worlds) + 0 (seventh Nats)] x 15
Z/K 45 = [3 (fifth Four Continents) + 0 (fourth Nats)] x 15
G/P 30 = [0 (ninth Worlds) + 2 (third Nats)] x 15
B/S 0 = 0 (sixth Nats) x 15
(I think only the most recent Olympic Games and Worlds count, so S/S so far have zero points.)

 

[YukiNieve]

The Appendix B table looks interesting. Only ISU championships count for the previous season.

The table makes me think that the more you compete, the better, since it does not take "success rate" into account. Of course there is a limit to how many competitions you can enter. But there seems to be an incentive for skaters to do more CS/senior B/junior international for the next season if they feel ready.

 

[Karen-W]

The Appendix B table looks interesting. Only ISU championships count for the previous season.

The table makes me think that the more you compete, the better, since it does not take "success rate" into account. Of course there is a limit to how many competitions you can enter. But there seems to be an incentive for skaters to do more CS/senior B/junior international for the next season if they feel ready.

Well, sure, bur understand that the Int'l Committee controls how many assignments a skater/team gets.

 

[YukiNieve]

Sure, that's why I wrote "Of course there is a limit to how many competitions you can enter."

 

[Tinycities]

I.. don’t understand how some of these team selections were made.

Also, is it time for a new season thread?

 

[Karen-W]

I.. don’t understand how some of these team selections were made.

Also, is it time for a new season thread?

Probably seeing as we're getting GP assignments sometime in the next 12 hours.