The Team event, considered a bit of a farce by many observers thus far, but an Olympic medal event nonetheless. What changes would you like to see to the event, and what is your forecast for 2022? There are 3 things I would like to see changed about the event, possibly 4:
1. The Long Program should be worth more. It's always been the more important and higher scoring event, so why is it worth the same amount of points as the Short Program (and actually worth relatively less points right now, because of less teams competing in the LP)? Factoring the LP placements at 1.5 or 2 points instead of 1 point would make far more sense.
2. Allow 8 teams to progress to the LP portion of the competition. It doesn't feel right to only have 5 teams competing for a medal.
3. Allow 6 competition slots per country for both the SP and LP, meaning that countries need to double-up in two of the events, which rewards teams who have depth in multiple disciplines, while allowing for variety. Russia would most likely double-up in Ladies and Pairs (and use all 3 Ladies across the SP+LP; someone who doesn't have a 3Axel would sit the SP, but could be the better LP skater because of Quads). USA would likely double-up Dance and Men. China would likely double-up in Pairs and Men. Japan and South Korea would double-up in the Singles disciplines.
(4.) open to debate about whether this would be better or not - Figure out a scoring range for each discipline and award Team points to each competitor based upon how they scored within that range, rather than this system of determining points by relative rankings in each segment, which seemingly goes against the idea of the CoP scoring system.
Assuming none of these changes actually happen though, this would be my current prediction for how the 2022 event plays out (assuming Switzerland is the 10th country and France will have James/Cipres still competing):
Ladies SP:
1. Russia
2. Japan
3. USA
4. South Korea
5. Switzerland
6. China
7. Italy (maybe a Kostner comeback? She would automatically get higher PCS than many other ladies even if she is only doing easy jumps)
8. Canada
9. France
10. Germany
Ladies LP:
1. Russia
2. Japan
3. USA
4. China
5. France
Men's SP: (this event will likely be the biggest factor in which 2 teams between China/France/Japan/Canada advance to the entire LP phase)
1. USA
2. Japan
3. China
4. Russia
5. France
6. Canada
7. South Korea
8. Italy
9. Germany
10. Switzerland
Men's LP: (assuming Nathan Chen competes, knowing he's probably needed for USA to have a chance at Gold)
1. USA
2. Japan
3. China
4. Russia
5. France
Pairs SP:
1. China
2. Russia
3. Canada
4. France
5. Italy
6. USA
7. Germany
8. Japan
9. South Korea
10. Switzerland
Pairs LP: (assuming Sui/Han compete, knowing a medal chance is on the line)
1. China
2. Russia
3. France
4. USA
5. Japan
Dance SP:
1. France
2. Russia
3. USA
4. Canada
5. Italy
6. China
7. South Korea
8. Japan
9. Germany
10. Switzerland
Dance LP:
1. France
2. Russia
3. USA
4. China
5. Japan
FINAL PLACEMENT:
1. Russia (70 points)
2. USA (64 points)
3. China (60 points)
4. France (55 points)
5. Japan (54 points)
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6. Canada (23 points)
7. Italy (19 points)
8. South Korea (17 points)
9. Switzerland (9 points)
10. Germany (9 points)
1. The Long Program should be worth more. It's always been the more important and higher scoring event, so why is it worth the same amount of points as the Short Program (and actually worth relatively less points right now, because of less teams competing in the LP)? Factoring the LP placements at 1.5 or 2 points instead of 1 point would make far more sense.
2. Allow 8 teams to progress to the LP portion of the competition. It doesn't feel right to only have 5 teams competing for a medal.
3. Allow 6 competition slots per country for both the SP and LP, meaning that countries need to double-up in two of the events, which rewards teams who have depth in multiple disciplines, while allowing for variety. Russia would most likely double-up in Ladies and Pairs (and use all 3 Ladies across the SP+LP; someone who doesn't have a 3Axel would sit the SP, but could be the better LP skater because of Quads). USA would likely double-up Dance and Men. China would likely double-up in Pairs and Men. Japan and South Korea would double-up in the Singles disciplines.
(4.) open to debate about whether this would be better or not - Figure out a scoring range for each discipline and award Team points to each competitor based upon how they scored within that range, rather than this system of determining points by relative rankings in each segment, which seemingly goes against the idea of the CoP scoring system.
Assuming none of these changes actually happen though, this would be my current prediction for how the 2022 event plays out (assuming Switzerland is the 10th country and France will have James/Cipres still competing):
Ladies SP:
1. Russia
2. Japan
3. USA
4. South Korea
5. Switzerland
6. China
7. Italy (maybe a Kostner comeback? She would automatically get higher PCS than many other ladies even if she is only doing easy jumps)
8. Canada
9. France
10. Germany
Ladies LP:
1. Russia
2. Japan
3. USA
4. China
5. France
Men's SP: (this event will likely be the biggest factor in which 2 teams between China/France/Japan/Canada advance to the entire LP phase)
1. USA
2. Japan
3. China
4. Russia
5. France
6. Canada
7. South Korea
8. Italy
9. Germany
10. Switzerland
Men's LP: (assuming Nathan Chen competes, knowing he's probably needed for USA to have a chance at Gold)
1. USA
2. Japan
3. China
4. Russia
5. France
Pairs SP:
1. China
2. Russia
3. Canada
4. France
5. Italy
6. USA
7. Germany
8. Japan
9. South Korea
10. Switzerland
Pairs LP: (assuming Sui/Han compete, knowing a medal chance is on the line)
1. China
2. Russia
3. France
4. USA
5. Japan
Dance SP:
1. France
2. Russia
3. USA
4. Canada
5. Italy
6. China
7. South Korea
8. Japan
9. Germany
10. Switzerland
Dance LP:
1. France
2. Russia
3. USA
4. China
5. Japan
FINAL PLACEMENT:
1. Russia (70 points)
2. USA (64 points)
3. China (60 points)
4. France (55 points)
5. Japan (54 points)
---
6. Canada (23 points)
7. Italy (19 points)
8. South Korea (17 points)
9. Switzerland (9 points)
10. Germany (9 points)