2016 Team Challenge Cup - Gen Info/Pre-chat

[Mathman]

The Team Captain will not compete in the event, but will be involved in selecting skaters and determining team strategy.

Kristi's strategy: OK, guys. Everybody skate your best.

Christopher Dean's strategy: OK, blokes. Everybody skate your best.

*The top two invited athletes/teams may not be from the same country.

I look forward to seeing the non-Chinese Asian pairs team. Go Bestandigova and Mansiz, if Turkey is in Asia. If not, go Stevens and Dodds (AUS). :yes:

 

[sequinsgalore]

Just saw that the icenetwork streaming is for Season Pass subscribers ($49.99) - shoot, I was hoping it would be free as World Team Trophy. Well, there's always Youtube.

 

[sabinfire]

ETA:

From Sept. 23-Oct. 1, all-event ticket packages will be available to those who have received a presale code. Click here to purchase tickets with your presale code.
http://www.teamchallengecup.com.prod.sportngin.com/presale​

Anyone have additional info about the presale? Such as, who would be receiving the code? Was it emailed to folks on a USFS distribution list, maybe?

Curious, as I haven't closely followed developments with TCC leading up to the announcement today...

 

[CoyoteChris]

I am USFS and I did not get a pre-sale code yet. I also attended all three of Barb and Toby's events so If I get a code, I will let folks know where it came from...I also asked USFS if they are handleing this.

Anyone have additional info about the presale? Such as, who would be receiving the code? Was it emailed to folks on a USFS distribution list, maybe?

Curious, as I haven't closely followed developments with TCC leading up to the announcement today...

 

[Layback11]

Just read the IceNetwork article. Looks cool!

Also: if they do not send H/B to this event I will be put rather out of sorts. After all, Jean-Luc is from Seattle.

LOL, I wouldn't be upset because C/B and W/P are sure to be the team NA ice dancers. But oh well. Super excited that Gracie is an athlete ambassador for this!

 

[Mrs. P]

If they were picking teams today...

Team North America:
Men: Jason Brown, Nam Nguyen
Ladies: Gracie Gold, Gabrielle Daleman
Pairs: Duhamel/Radford, Scimeca/Kneirim
Dance: Weaver/Poje, Chock/Bates

Team Europe:
Men: Javier Fernandez, Sergei Voronov
Ladies: Elizaveta Tuktmysheva, Josh Helegesson
Pairs: Stobova/Klimov, Della Monica/Guarise
Dance: Papadakis/Cizeron, Cappellini/Lanotte

Team Asia
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu, Denis Ten
Ladies: Satoko Miyahara, Zijun Li
Pairs: Sui/Han; Stephens/Dodds (?? Since Australia is its own continent...)
Dance: Kim/Minov; Wang/Liu

The GP will have some major impact on this makeup since members will be decided on rankings as of Jan. 1

My predictions on public pics
North America: Patrick Chan, Ashley Wagner
Europe: Julia Lipnitskia, Konstatin Menshov
Asia: Misha GE, Mao Asada

Crazy early predictions based on team makeup
Men: Asia, Europe, North America
Ladies: Europe, Asia, North America
Pairs: North America, Europe, Asia
Dance: North America, Europe, Asia

Overall: Europe, North America and Asia

 

[Layback11]

If they were picking teams today...

Team North America:
Men: Jason Brown, Nam Nguyen
Ladies: Gracie Gold, Gabrielle Daleman
Pairs: Duhamel/Radford, Scimeca/Kneirim
Dance: Weaver/Poje, Chock/Bates

Team Europe:
Men: Javier Fernandez, Sergei Voronov
Ladies: Elizaveta Tuktmysheva, Josh Helegesson
Pairs: Stobova/Klimov, Della Monica/Guarise
Dance: Papadakis/Cizeron, Cappellini/Lanotte

Team Asia
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu, Denis Ten
Ladies: Satoko Miyahara, Zijun Li
Pairs: Sui/Han; Stephens/Dodds (?? Since Australia is its own continent...)
Dance: Kim/Minov; Wang/Liu

The GP will have some major impact on this makeup since members will be decided on rankings as of Jan. 1

My predictions on public pics
North America: Patrick Chan, Ashley Wagner
Europe: Julia Lipnitskia, Konstatin Menshov
Asia: Misha GE, Mao Asada

Crazy early predictions based on team makeup
Men: Asia, Europe, North America
Ladies: Europe, Asia, North America
Pairs: North America, Europe, Asia
Dance: North America, Europe, Asia

Overall: Europe, North America and Asia

I would've picked virtually the same skaters with a few exceptions: Alaine or Kaetlyn (have to see how she does) instead of Gabrielle, Marchei/Hoartek instead of DM/G, Mao instead of Satoko and Kovtun instead of Voronov. Satoko would almost assuredly be the public pick for Asia, and there's a good chance Sergei Voronov would be the men's pick for Europe.

 

[aromaticchicken]

Wait. They're just literally going to add up the IJS free skates?

Doesn't that seriously over value the men and undervalue the dance teams?!

Like, if yuzuru has a 40 point lead as he might in this field, how the heck would the other teams overcome it? Unless the organizers know that and thought it would make up for the lack of pairs and dance strength in Asia...

Somehow this bothers me more than the WTT system where they get "Mario kart points"...

 

[Mrs. P]

It's not a matter of what I would pick, it's the top two ranked as of today (and are from different countries). I expect many of these invites will change.

Elizabet Tursynbaeva is close to Zijun. If she keeps the good skating (and Zijun is inconsistent) on the GP, she could end up being the second pick. Chartrand is close to Daleman. Ashley and Gracie are close too.

So this makeup can be completely different come January.

 

[Mrs. P]

Wait. They're just literally going to add up the IJS free skates?

Doesn't that seriously over value the men and undervalue the dance teams?!

Like, if yuzuru has a 40 point lead as he might in this field, how the heck would the other teams overcome it? Unless the organizers know that and thought it would make up for the lack of pairs and dance strength in Asia...

Somehow this bothers me more than the WTT system where they get "Mario kart points"...

It could be worse. They could have counted the singles SP and we all know how much of a lead Yuzuru could get there....but you have a point.

 

[silverfoxes]

I would've picked virtually the same skaters with a few exceptions: Alaine or Kaetlyn (have to see how she does) instead of Gabrielle, Marchei/Hoartek instead of DM/G, Mao instead of Satoko and Kovtun instead of Voronov. Satoko would almost assuredly be the public pick for Asia, and there's a good chance Sergei Voronov would be the men's pick for Europe.

Mrs.P listed the skaters who would qualify as of today based on the criteria for the team selections. We don't know what the standings will look like come January. I can't believe DM/G would be the 2nd pairs pick for Europe...hope that changes, but otherwise I don't have any real issue with the selections.

Konstantin as the fan pick for Europe, though? Can't see it, although I like him very much...I would think Michal, Florent, Adian, or maybe even Kovtun would be more popular.

 

[Mrs. P]

Mrs.P listed the skaters who would qualify as of today based on the criteria for the team selections. We don't know what the standings will look like come January. I can't believe DM/G would be the 2nd pairs pick for Europe...hope that changes, but otherwise I don't have any real issue with the selections.

Konstantin as the fan pick for Europe, though? Can't see it, although I like him very much...I would think Michal, Florent, Adian, or maybe even Kovtun would be more popular.

Wishful thinking on my part, I guess. That's who I would vote for, LOL.

 

[enlight78]

Am I the only one who thinks it makes no since for the single skaters to skate a short and free program, but the pairs don't , yet they are ask to split prize money without equal opportunity to earn it.

 

[aromaticchicken]

Using Mrs. P's list based off of the current standings - these are the 2014-15 seasons best of each athlete and thus example "Aggregate Scores"

Team North America:
Men: Jason Brown 176.69
Ladies: Gracie Gold 128.23
Pairs: Duhamel/Radford 146.22
Dance: Weaver/Poje 109.80

Team Europe:
Men: Javier Fernandez 181.16
Ladies: Elizaveta Tuktmysheva 141.38
Pairs: Stobova/Klimov 142.88
Dance: Papadakis/Cizeron 112.34

Team Asia
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu 194.08
Ladies: Satoko Miyahara 129.12
Pairs: Sui/Han 142.49
Dance: Wang/Liu 86.99 (<--note, despite Kim/Minov having higher standing, Wang/Liu has much higher SB.)

SUMS:
North America: 560.94
Europe: 577.76
Asia: 552.68


So perhaps it is pretty close/competitive, especially considering the alternative is having the Asian pairs and dance teams rank last place and earn like, 1 points against 10 points for the winner in WTT? [shrug]

Note that, of course, once Patrick comes back the point deficit with the North American men may also be much closer.

 

[ice coverage]

Using Mrs. P's list based off of the current standings - these are the 2014-15 seasons best of each athlete and thus example "Aggregate Scores"

Team North America:
Men: Jason Brown 176.69
Ladies: Gracie Gold 128.23
Pairs: Duhamel/Radford 146.22
Dance: Weaver/Poje 109.80

Team Europe:
Men: Javier Fernandez 181.16
Ladies: Elizaveta Tuktmysheva 141.38
Pairs: Stobova/Klimov 142.88
Dance: Papadakis/Cizeron 112.34

Team Asia
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu 194.08
Ladies: Satoko Miyahara 129.12
Pairs: Sui/Han 142.49
Dance: Wang/Liu 86.99 (<--note, despite Kim/Minov having higher standing, Wang/Liu has much higher SB.)

SUMS:
North America: 560.94
Europe: 577.76
Asia: 552.68


So perhaps it is pretty close/competitive, especially considering the alternative is having the Asian pairs and dance teams rank last place and earn like, 1 points against 10 points for the winner in WTT? [shrug]

Note that, of course, once Patrick comes back the point deficit with the North American men may also be much closer.

Note:
The two highest men's FS scores and two highest ladies' FS scores will count toward the aggregate IJS score for each team.

 

[aromaticchicken]

Note:
The two highest men's FS scores and two highest ladies' FS scores will count toward the aggregate IJS score for each team.

Oops. Let me try again.


Team North America:
Men: Jason Brown 176.69, Nam Nguyen: 164.86
Ladies: Gracie Gold 128.23, Gabrielle Daleman: 111.84
Pairs: Duhamel/Radford 146.22
Dance: Weaver/Poje 109.80

Team Europe:
Men: Javier Fernandez 181.16, Sergei Voronov: 161.92
Ladies: Elizaveta Tuktmysheva 141.38, Joshi Helgesson: 109.52
Pairs: Stobova/Klimov 142.88
Dance: Papadakis/Cizeron 112.34

Team Asia
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu 194.08, Denis Ten: 191.85
Ladies: Satoko Miyahara 129.12, Zijun Li: 115.64
Pairs: Sui/Han 142.49
Dance: Wang/Liu 86.99 (<--note, despite Kim/Minov having higher standing, Wang/Liu has much higher SB.)

SUMS:
North America: 837.64
Europe: 849.2
Asia: 860.17


Well. Team Asia's men really help, don't they? haha.... to be fair, it's likely Ashley/Polina/Kaetlyn would fare much better than Daleman, same with Russian and Japanese ladies.

 

[Eclair]

It's not a matter of what I would pick, it's the top two ranked as of today (and are from different countries). I expect many of these invites will change.

Elizabet Tursynbaeva is close to Zijun. If she keeps the good skating (and Zijun is inconsistent) on the GP, she could end up being the second pick. Chartrand is close to Daleman. Ashley and Gracie are close too.

So this makeup can be completely different come January.

Do they have to be from different countries? I thought they may be but musn't ???

 

[Mrs. P]

Do they have to be from different countries? I thought they may be but musn't ???

The rules state the top two invited skaters/pairs may not be from the same country. However it doesn't have that restriction on the skater picked based on public voting.

 

[Eclair]

Ohhh .. I had hoped that they could be from the same country to ensure an really high level competition.
Also I think it would be better for the team spirit if the for example the japanese men root for the chinese pairs and the chinese pa
irs root for the japanese ladies.
With the different country restriction the japanese and chinese will only root for their respective skaters and same with Us/Canada and Russia/Europe...
Especially if the level of skating of the e.g. japanese pairs team is much lower than that of the chinese and everyone knows beforehand which team's FS scores will not count for the overall placements...

 

[Mathman]

Here is some of the local television coverage (KHQ TV).

(Vids are slow-loading, with buffering problems, for me. Sorry.)

http://www.khq.com/story/30091776/u...allenge-cup-to-be-held-in-spokane-april-22-24