USFS' Champs Camp 2021

[Sylvia]

U.S. Figure Skating's Champs Camp kicked off in Nashville, TN (first time held there) last night with an in person panel hosted by Scott Hamilton with Meryl Davis, Charlie White & Evan Lysacek on site, plus Sarah Hughes & Tara Lipinski via video link. Benoit Richaud shared a short clip via his Instagram story (he was there to coach at USFS' National Development Team camp for the top juvenile, intermediate and novice level singles skaters that preceded Champs Camp).
ETA Sarah Hughes' tweeted screen shot ("What a way to end the week, hanging with the @USFigureSkating team!"): https://twitter.com/SarahHughesNY/status/1431983825710637063

2021 Grand Prix skaters attending (bolded names are first-timers):

Women (6): Mariah Bell (FRA & RUS), Karen Chen (CAN & FRA), Amber Glenn (USA & JPN), Alysa Liu (CAN & JPN), Bradie Tennell (USA & CHN ITA), Starr Andrews (FRA)

Men (6): Jason Brown (CAN & FRA), Nathan Chen (USA & CAN), Tomoki Hiwatashi (CAN & JPN), Camden Pulkinen (JPN & RUS), Vincent Zhou (USA & JPN), Maxim Naumov (RUS)

Pairs (4): Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy LeDuc (CAN & JPN), Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA & FRA), Audrey Lu/Misha Mitrofanov (JPN & RUS), Chelsea Liu/Danny O’Shea (USA)

Ice Dance (5): Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA & JPN), Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA & CHN ITA), Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (JPN & RUS), Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (CAN & FRA), Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (CAN & CHN ITA)

There's a Skate America TBD in all 4 disciplines (skaters yet to be confirmed). Yaroslav Paniot had an Instagram story yesterday that showed him headed to Champs Camp...

I don't see a pre-event press release about Champs Champ this year, so this thread is for posting any news & info gleaned from social media (like the one started for the 2021 Skate Canada High Performance Camp in Missisauga, ON).

 

[DreamSkates]

It must be so exciting for those at this camp for the first time. Quite an accomplishment.

 

[Frau Muller]

Audrey Shin? Thinking not just about 2020 SkAm but very recent Cranberry Cup showing.

Glad that Yaro squeaked in.

 

[Firedancer]

Nathan Chen is at the Tennessee Titans game with a few others and is taking over US Figure Skating Instagram story tonight.

 

[Rubies]

No Calalang and Johnson?

 

[Sera]

Audrey Shin is also there. Starr Andrews posted a picture of her and Alyssa Liu in her Insta stories.

 

[Sylvia]

No Calalang and Johnson?

Jessica & Brian showed up in USFS' Instagram stories today.

 

[Sylvia]

Here's this year's Champs Camp group photo of 37 skaters: https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1433082228104368131

Back row up high: Jason Brown (big gap) Yaroslav Paniot, Bradie Tennell, Tomoki Hiwatashi
Danny O'Shea (he & Jason are holding a sign) Ashley Cain-Gribble, Amber Glenn, Caroline Green, Madison Chock, Christina Carreira, Chelsea Liu, Jessica Calalang, Maxim Naumov, Michael Parsons
Jean-Luc Baker, Nathan Chen (below Danny)
Evan Bates, Timothy LeDuc, Alexa Knierim, Brandon Frazier, Anthony Ponomarenko, Kaitlin Hawayek, Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue, Camden Pulkinen, Yehor Yehorov, Brian Johnson, Misha Mitrofanov, Gabriella Izzo (standing behind/between Starr & Audrey S.)
(next to Zach D. & directly below Camden) Karen Chen, Molly Cesanek, Vincent Zhou, Audrey Lu, Starr Andrews, Audrey Shin, Mariah Bell, Alysa Liu

Audrey Shin has shared 3 photos with skaters from her first Champs Camp (3rd one is a table selfie taken by Audrey Lu): https://www.instagram.com/p/CTQ6olDLIhB/
She and Gabriella Izzo must have been invited to contend for the Skate America ladies' TBA (with Starr who has 1 GP).

This was also the first Champs Camp for Cesanek/Yehorov and Paniot (presumably they've received the Skate America TBA spots in ice dance & men, respectively).

Jessica Calalang shared a photo of her & Brian Johnson (presume they have the Skate America pairs TBA spot): https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSBDjzr0c8/

 

[Sylvia]

Jean-Luc Baker's series of 10 photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSIcnOrxV3/

At the start of Champs Camp we were asked to take photos and send them in for the team dinner to play in a slide show throughout the night. I clearly am not a great photographer and took the liberty of trying to take as many photos as I could!
Im sure you’ll be able to see a few familiar faces. Unfortunately I couldn’t get everybody but here’s who I got! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy all of my people!

 

[skylark]

Jean-Luc Baker's series of 10 photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSIcnOrxV3/

I like Mariah's flash appearance in the middle of the fast slide show

 

[Sylvia]

Jason Brown's 7 photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSuznBr2ci/

CHAMPS CAMP 2021!
•
All smiles under these masks!! Thank you @USFigureSkating for all you do for your athletes & for putting together such an incredible camp! To the Nashville Volunteers who helped out each day, and the officials who dedicated their time to give us feedback prior to this season, THANK U! The hard work doesn’t go unnoticed to the athletes, and we greatly appreciate everything you do! #TeamUSA

Audrey Lu shared 10 photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSgwPyrqoO/

That’s a wrap to the most memorable Champs Camp yet, especially for this Olympic season! Thank you @usfigureskating for organizing such an amazing event. So grateful for all the officials and volunteers who have helped make it possible. So happy to see everyone. So inspired by the best of the best! Also, thank you everyone for such an unforgettable #19birthday
Go Team USA ⛸

 

[Frau Muller]

Silly question: When did all of this “Champs Camp” tradition begin? I don’t recall anything like this 10 years ago...so it didn’t appear with the GP Series in the ‘90s. It certainly didn’t happen in the ages of Peggy, Janet, Dorothy or Linda...they and their coaches did mighty well internationally without a Champs Camp.

Is it to foster “let’s koombaya - rah rah team!”?

Is it to allow USFS bigwigs to provide feedback on programs?

Sadly, my mental picture of Champs Camp is of sordid things...the chance for an infamous late pair skater to jump into a young lady’s bunk bed...or another young lady opening up about mental issues on eating disorder. Elements of invasion of privacy, even if it sometimes results in something positive, such as the eating disorder example.

Nothing on history or origin in USFS’ website:

Training Camps | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

 

[Sylvia]

Silly question: When did all of this “Champs Camp” tradition begin?

If you can use the 'search' function here on FSU (ETA that a premium access subscription is required), there are Champs Camps threads going back every year to 2007, except for 2020.
2007-2016 threads are in the Archives.

Also, 2019 (Great Park Ice in Irvine, CA) was the first time Champs Camp was held somewhere other than at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs until this year (Nashville, TN area).

 

[Coco]

I think it started as a way to guard against easily avoidable program composition mistakes.

No need for it back in the 6.0 era.

 

[jmtfti]

It's also a time for them to bank shareable media for use throughout the season, which is more of a social media era than mainstream media era concern.

 

[skatingguy]

Silly question: When did all of this “Champs Camp” tradition begin? I don’t recall anything like this 10 years ago...so it didn’t appear with the GP Series in the ‘90s. It certainly didn’t happen in the ages of Peggy, Janet, Dorothy or Linda...they and their coaches did mighty well internationally without a Champs Camp.

Is it to foster “let’s koombaya - rah rah team!”?

Is it to allow USFS bigwigs to provide feedback on programs?

Sadly, my mental picture of Champs Camp is of sordid things...the chance for an infamous late pair skater to jump into a young lady’s bunk bed...or another young lady opening up about mental issues on eating disorder. Elements of invasion of privacy, even if it sometimes results in something positive, such as the eating disorder example.

Nothing on history or origin in USFS’ website:

Training Camps | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

Belbin/Agosto blame themselves for the creation of Champs Camp after their 'That's Entertainment' program debuted at Cup of China in 2006, and was universally panned.

 

[Sylvia]

Some of the National Development Camp athletes were able to watch Champs Camp practices this past Saturday and here are links to 2 (reliable) program music posts:

Nathan's SP: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/nathan-chen-fan-thread-2.105575/page-19#post-6045786

Mariah: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...unmask-themselves.108436/page-13#post-6045885

Re. the National Development Camp (for about 100 Novice level & below singles skaters), Polina Edmunds (she shared some photos here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTICQgKruqQ/) & Caroline Zhang were invited to teach spins this year and Rachael Flatt, Mirai Nagasu and Polina were on a Olympians/Champions panel that addressed all the young athletes.

 

[haribobo]

I think its nice that once a year at least, they all get to feel like a team. I think beyond all the practical uses, Champs Camp is cute. I am hopeful that with Safesport and the mass exodus of top pairs from Dalilah's camp (who was one main adult culprit of so much of under-rug sweeping of abuse and actual encourager of romantic relationships of inappropriate ages...she truly should be banned but I digress), there is hopefully no more sordid stuff going on anymore at these things in 2021, but I guess one never really knows.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Belbin/Agosto blame themselves for the creation of Champs Camp after their 'That's Entertainment' program debuted at Cup of China in 2006, and was universally panned.

Awwwww I liked it

Anyway champs camp is a good thing if you ask me!!!!!

 

[skatingguy]

Awwwww I liked it

Anyway champs camp is a good thing if you ask me!!!!!

That's cause you're out of this world @AngieNikodinovLove .

I agree - Champs Camp is a good thing.

 

[Frau Muller]

Thanks all. So 2007 is the answer...due to new scoring system.

I would prefer to see a Test Skates event, as in Russia, whether or not live-streamed, as the Russians do. I don’t see any benefit to forcing skaters & coaches to participate in sleep-ins in cabins & rally ‘round a camp fire, cooking ‘s’mores!

 

[misskarne]

I would prefer to see a Test Skates event, as in Russia,

You...do realise that at Champs Camp the skaters perform their new programs for the judges and officials, both for feedback and in "competition simulation"...right?

 

[Frau Muller]

You...do realise that at Champs Camp the skaters perform their new programs for the judges and officials, both for feedback and in "competition simulation"...right?

Yes but no reason to make it a camp in a rural location!!! If it’s happening in a city like Nashville don’t call it a freakin’ camp.

Make it Test Skates.

 

[Karen-W]

Yes but no reason to make it a camp in a rural location!!! If it’s happening in a city like Nashville don’t call it a freakin’ camp.

Make it Test Skates.

But it's more than just "Test Skates" - there was at least one photo I saw of the skate technician who will be in Beijing for Team USA examining all of the skaters' skates - presumably to familiarize himself with their boots & blades now; and there were seminars on a variety of topics not to mention some of the, apparently, in your opinion, fluffy "team building" s'mores & rah rah stuff. Camp seems like an appropriate word to use but perhaps you would prefer something a bit more pretentious like "Retreat" or "Conference"?

 

[haribobo]

I think Frau has ptsd from hearing about the karolyi ranch. I like to think we as a society have learned our lessons from that mess.

 

[antmanb]

Yes but no reason to make it a camp in a rural location!!! If it’s happening in a city like Nashville don’t call it a freakin’ camp.

Make it Test Skates.

Just because you're a moron who doesn't understand the words it doesn't mean the rest of the world don't. Anyone who has skated in any capacity knows that a skate camp doesn't mean pitching tents around a fire in the wilderness but rather an intensive training event.

 

[Wyliefan]

Can we not call names?

 

[antmanb]

Can we not call names?

I'm tired and cranky and not in the mood for her faux obtuseness, I should probably put her back on ignore but if she behaves like a moron then I'm going to call it out.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Just because you're a moron who doesn't understand the words it doesn't mean the rest of the world don't. Anyone who has skated in any capacity knows that a skate camp doesn't mean pitching tents around a fire in the wilderness but rather an intensive training event.

I also think that this is a function of the pot calling the kettle black. Any skating body whose members consistently did not protect their skaters against the pandemic resulting in a significant percentage of their skaters contracting the disease is not one that should be lauded. The fact that coaches, skaters and officials within this community did not respect bubble requirements including the wearing of and/or proper wearing of masks starts the list of infractions. I think that Eteri did not wear a mask(I believe) at Cranberry still demonstrates a lack of respect for science. I also am unclear that whether or not this same community has been vaccinated or fully vaccinated. Also not sure that the Russian version of a vaccine has a high degree of effectiveness.

US Figure Skating has made some significant strides in managing the safety of its skaters in this realm as well as Safe Sport. I know that this is a continuous process, but it has improved.

 

[Coco]

I do wish the test skate portion of Champs Camp was televised. I think guarding programs from public view is coddling skaters when it comes right down to it. Plus, USFSA could make some much needed $$ from it.

But honestly, if you are getting all your top skaters together, it seems wasteful to NOT have additional meetings, trainings and evaluations, etc. So on the whole, that aspect of the US does it is better, imo.