Should more countries have test skates?

Wombat1800 · Aug 10, 2019

With Russian junior test skates having just wrapped up, and with the senior test skates starting in less than a month, many people have been debating whether or not other countries, specifically large fed countries like Japan, the US, or even Canada would benefit from having test skates, meaning a public event where gp and/or jgp skaters could show their programs before the season begins. What are your opinions?

Elucidus · Aug 10, 2019

Many countries have their own test skates - they are just not public.

Roo87 · Aug 10, 2019

The US has champs camp and Canada has a high-performance camp, it's the same thing, they just don't make a big deal about it.

SnowWhite · Aug 10, 2019

Roo87 said:
The US has champs camp and Canada has a high-performance camp, it's the same thing, they just don't make a big deal about it.

These are only really for seniors. They don't have a junior version. That would be the biggest difference from Russia.

Wombat1800 · Aug 10, 2019

Elucidus said:
Many countries have their own test skates - they are just not public.

I am aware that most countries have some type of camp where skaters show their programs to higher ups. What I'm asking is if people think they should be more public (similar to Russian test skates)

Roo87 · Aug 10, 2019

SnowWhite said:
These are only really for seniors. They don't have a junior version. That would be the biggest difference from Russia.

You're right! Is that who the Next-gen camp in Canada is for?

SnowWhite · Aug 10, 2019

Roo87 said:
You're right! Is that who the Next-gen camp in Canada is for?

I don't know the details of the NextGen camp and exactly what they do there, but I guess you're right. Although the major summer comps are after the camp, and they definitely play a big part in JGP assignments. Especially in pairs and dance where nearly all of them show up to Minto in late July.

Edwin · Aug 10, 2019

Well, to go by those Belarus test skates, most countries/federations have no need to stage test skates on such a scale, as a semi-qualifier to Grand Prix circuit etc.
Russia's test skates were national team members only, with most contestants guaranteed at least one GP start unless they complete borked their tests.

Are CAN, USA, JPN very centralised with national team members that are constantly monitored for their results and progress? Or is a real system of regionals and nationals filtering and funnelling the talent required to make a selection for GP, WC, OG etc.?

Test skates with public admission, make them into a sort of competition, perhaps with unwanted side effects?
Russian FS is a very big and serious sport, to FFKKR test skates are marketable, no doubt the seniors treat it as an official competition. The juniors will perhaps better be off without such pressure.
Of course, anybody of us would gladly attend of course, crazy fans as we are ;-)

Otherwise a live stream, direct or delayed, should suffice to satisfy our interest and any interest of professionals in the business, other federations, etc.

ancientpeas · Aug 10, 2019

If all countries had test skates it would take some of the excitement away from the summer competitions which would be sad for them.

Lunalovesskating · Aug 10, 2019

South Korea had their JGP Test Skates two weeks ago. They do not broadcast it but there are always high quality fancams there.

medoroa · Aug 11, 2019

As others have said, most federations have test skates. Even my tiny, tiny country with its tiny, tiny skating federation (sending three juniors to the JGP for the first time in history this season!) has pre-season test skates to determine who gets on the national team. It's silly to think they don't.

As for whether they should be public, I don't think so. In the vast majority of federations, results of test skates are not the only arbiter of who gets picked for the national team. The only thing public test skates would result in is fans arguing furiously and endlessly about why THAT skater was picked when THIS skater did better at the public test skate, and probably coming to the conclusion that it was nepotism rather than a decision based on "body of work". The "body of work" angle upsets fans every time the major nationals happen, no one needs more of it. Also, junior and novice skaters need less scrutiny from fans, not more. Scrutiny from the federation is more than enough.

Question: Do people really want Kaori Sakamoto to not get international competitions because she always starts out having awful summer competitions and a test skate would most likely just be another bad summer competition for her? Probably not.

karne · Aug 11, 2019

We get this question nearly every year and every year it just shows the ignorance of some skating fans.

Harriet · Aug 11, 2019

Lunalovesskating said:
South Korea had their JGP Test Skates two weeks ago. They do not broadcast it but there are always high quality fancams there.

And Switzerland had theirs yesterday. Also not publicised, and not the arbiter of who gets onto the junior national team (that's a general physical fitness and skating test day that happens in March, combined with records of previous results); it's just a way to see what state each skater is in and how their programs are progressing after summer training, and finalise who gets which JGP slots. Federations don't need an audience peering in on them to help make those decisions. And 14 to 16 year old skaters don't need one judging them before they've even set foot on competition ice in the new season yet either.

Should more countries have test skates?

Wombat1800

Elucidus

Match Penalty

Roo87

SnowWhite

Wombat1800

Roo87

SnowWhite

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!

ancientpeas

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Lunalovesskating

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medoroa

karne

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Harriet

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