2016 Team Challenge Cup - Gen Info/Pre-chat

[shyne]

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...

Team Europe always had great spirit at Japan Open. A lot of them perform ice shows together in Japan/Europe/America. They get along very well.
A lot of US and Canadian skaters train together, of course there's ice shows, and most importantly, there's no language barrier. I'm sure they will have a lot of fun.
Team Asia is going to be a different story. It's very likely to be Team Japan+ Team China+ Denis Ten. There's a HUGE language barrier. Chinese and Japanese skaters usually only do ice shows in their own country, so no prior interactions other than competitions and the gala afterwards. Zijun and Satoko are known to be very quiet and shy even among their own teammates. All I can say is "Good-luck Denis to lift up the team sprit. (You probably prefer to sit with Team Europe or America ^^ I'm sure Yuzu will try to help you with his broken English)"

 

[Mathman]

About the team leaders, Christopher Dean is a native English speaker (duh) who lives in the United States. Maybe one of their jobs is to make public appearances and give interviews for American TV, etc..

Yuka Sato lives in the U.S. and speaks English and Japanese fluently. Plus, everybody likes her (like Kristi Yamaguchi an Christopher Dean). I wonder if she would be a good choice for non-skating captain of the Asian team.

 

[silverfoxes]

Yuka Sato lives in the U.S. and speaks English and Japanese fluently. Plus, everybody likes her (like Kristi Yamaguchi an Christopher Dean). I wonder if she would be a good choice for non-skating captain of the Asian team.

I nominate Daisuke.

 

[CoyoteChris]

---

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​

Interestingly, this APPEARS different than the USFS presale, or at least SEEMS to be. If you attended the 2010 nats with an all event package, you will get, like I did, a big flyer in the mail with a customer number and promo code.
The flyer SAYS you can have your old seats, chose new ones, or a combo thereof at the sale price of $320 unstead of the retail of $395 for rows 2-8.
When I went to the website in the flyer, it basically only gave me a chance to buy tickets at the sale price and I could specify my preferences, but I never saw an offer to get my old seat(s). Maybe it was there but I never saw it.
No matter, I am buying tickets for my wife and I so I just gave my preferences......the seating chart appears to be the same as 2010...ie judges located about 116-117 and K and C about 122, but these are not labeled...only black areas.
Chris

 

[Brenda]

I think whoever the team captain is for Team Asia will be wise enough to nominate Misha Ge, who has a very good chance of winning the fan vote. and Misha will be more than enough spirit for the entire team, and would be a great asset as he trains with the Chinese, adores Team Japan, and is good friends with D10.

 

[alia jackson]

This team Asia's men will bring down the house arty:

 

[CoyoteChris]

Kind of interesting...a local Spokane TV station, KHQ, does a show for one half hour every sunday morning on local business called "Invest Northwest"
They did 15 minutes on the Team Cup today....not much new info except a Business called Van Wagner Sports and entertainment has been working on getting this with the USFS for 15 months.
The show aired a bit of Jeff Knapple from http://www.vanwagner.com/van-wagner-sports-entertainment
talking about the event. There were interviews with the usual suspects like Gracie but curiously nothing from Toby and Barb.

 

[Meoima]

About the team leaders, Christopher Dean is a native English speaker (duh) who lives in the United States. Maybe one of their jobs is to make public appearances and give interviews for American TV, etc..

Yuka Sato lives in the U.S. and speaks English and Japanese fluently. Plus, everybody likes her (like Kristi Yamaguchi an Christopher Dean). I wonder if she would be a good choice for non-skating captain of the Asian team.

I agree that Yuka seems to be the best choice here. The team captain should be able to communicate in English well, and I don't think Daisuke is the best option for this.

 

[Mrs. P]

I agree that Yuka seems to be the best choice here. The team captain should be able to communicate in English well, and I don't think Daisuke is the best option for this.

Well Daisuke is living in the U.S. and has been for almost a year, I think? And he did so for the purposes of studying English. I'd imagine his English fluency has improved greatly in a short time, but obviously Yuka is more fluent. Also Yuka has done similar competitions in her pro career, having done Ice Wars.

Another possibility is Miki Ando. I think her English is pretty decent, but she isn't as popular as Yuka or Daisuke. How is Shizuka's English, she's an OGM, so that would be a good complement to Kristi and Chris.

 

[Meoima]

Well Daisuke is living in the U.S. and has been for almost a year, I think? And he did so for the purposes of studying English. I'd imagine his English fluency has improved greatly in a short time, but obviously Yuka is more fluent. Also Yuka has done similar competitions in her pro career, having done Ice Wars.

Another possibility is Miki Ando. I think her English is pretty decent, but she isn't as popular as Yuka or Daisuke. How is Shizuka's English, she's an OGM, so that would be a good complement to Kristi and Chris.

Yeah I didn't say Dai is bad at English, but surely Yuka is better, and I think US audience is more familiar with Yuka more than Dai. After all Yuka is Jeremy's coach.

 

[silverfoxes]

Yeah I didn't say Dai is bad at English, but surely Yuka is better, and I think US audience is more familiar with Yuka more than Dai. After all Yuka is Jeremy's coach.

I barely know who Yuka is, and I think most people in my age range or younger would be far more familiar with Dai...jeez, it's only been 5 years since he won an Olympic medal. He is FAR more popular than Yuka for those who started watching skating after the '90s, trust me (not trying to bash her, but let's be realistic, Dai is one of the few rockstars among skaters). Besides, it won't only be US fans in the audience, there will undoubtedly be a lot of Japanese fans as well...and yes I realize Yuka is Japanese, but do you think people would cross an ocean for her? Again, just being realistic. Dai would sell tons of tickets. And yes, his English is getting better all of the time.

Having said all that...he might not be interested in this gig, and/or too expensive for the promoters to afford. He's obviously on a different level from Christopher Dean and Kristi, whose stars have rather faded.

 

[alia jackson]

How is Shizuka's English, she's an OGM, so that would be a good complement to Kristi and Chris.

I have not come across a lot only this one in English https://youtu.be/ENquob3nU78?t=35

If we have Dai, Yuzu, Denis, Misha...it will be like this

 

[Meoima]

I barely know who Yuka is, and I think most people in my age range or younger would be far more familiar with Dai...jeez, it's only been 5 years since he won an Olympic medal. He is FAR more popular than Yuka for those who started watching skating after the '90s, trust me (not trying to bash her, but let's be realistic, Dai is one of the few rockstars among skaters).

US casual viewers might think that a coach of 4 time US National Champion (Jeremy), once a WC, and fluently at English, older (thus more experienced) to be more suitable in the role of a team leader than a younger handsome guy, no matter how popular he is. After all team leader will be there to talk and do the publicity, not to skate and entertain the audience. This is a not popularity contest. It's the matter that whom the general US audience (who will turn the tivi on by that time) prefer to see or that they "feel" more familiar with. Of course it doesn't have to be her. Maybe Shizuka? Or any other Asian veterans.

Besides, it won't only be US fans in the audience, there will undoubtedly be a lot of Japanese fans as well...and yes I realize Yuka is Japanese, but do you think people would cross an ocean for her? Again, just being realistic. Dai would sell tons of tickets. And yes, his English is getting better all of the time.

If both Mao and Yuzuru will be there, Japanese fans will go, whether they speak English or not.

Having said all that...he might not be interested in this gig, and/or too expensive for the promoters to afford. He's obviously on a different level from Christopher Dean and Kristi, whose stars have rather faded.

I love Dai, but Christopher Dean and Kristi are both OGM, and I think they're at the age of "settling down" and they're respectable more than enough in the skating world, I don't think they're on a lower level than any other current champions. In fact, they're higher.

 

[Marin]

My 2 cents, Dean and Yamaguchi are legendary skaters, I think there should be someone of their level, the best option would be Midori Ito but I am not sure about her English, in other case Yuka Sato or Shizuka Arakawa are the best choice.
Even Chen Lu/Shen/Zhao why not ?

 

[Rossig]

Having said all that...he might not be interested in this gig, and/or too expensive for the promoters to afford. He's obviously on a different level from Christopher Dean and Kristi, whose stars have rather faded.

I adore Dai, but I can only laugh at what you've written.

 

[shyne]

*Tentative format and schedule below.
Day 1: Friday, April 22
Singles Short Program

Friday evening’s Singles Short Program will feature head-to-head competition. The team earning the most combined points (based on placement) will be crowned the Singles Short Program champion. Additionally, the woman and man earning the highest total score will be recognized. Results from the Singles Short Program will not carry into Saturday’s competition.

Day 2: Saturday, April 23 (afternoon)
Team Free Skate (pairs and ice dance)
Saturday afternoon’s Team Free Skate will feature pairs and ice dance teams competing in an aggregate scoring format. Two pairs and ice dance teams from each continent will perform their free skates/dances, with the highest scores in each discipline being added together for a total team score that will carry into the evening’s Singles Free Skate competition. Additionally, the pairs and ice dance teams earning the highest IJS score will be recognized.


Day 2: Saturday, April 23 (evening)
Singles Free Skate
Saturday evening’s Singles Free Skate event will feature ladies and men competing in an aggregate scoring format. The singles athletes from each team will perform their free skates, with the two highest scores in each discipline being added to the Team Free Skate score carrying over from the afternoon session. The team with the highest aggregate score will be crowned the 2016 Team Challenge Cup Champion!


Day 3: Sunday, April 24
Exhibition

The exhibition will feature 24 performances from Team Challenge Cup competitors and invited guests. The exhibition will allow the skaters to perform in a relaxed show-style environment.

 

[GS Forum Staff]

ISU-sanctioned event hosted by United Skates Figure Skating

Apr 22-24, 2016 - Spokane Washington

Announcement

Official Site


RESULTS PAGE
http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2016/23073/results.html

CURRENT TEAMS​

NORTH AMERICA
Captain: Kristi Yamaguchi​

MEN

Jason Brown
Adam Rippon
Nam Nguyen

LADIES

Gracie Gold
Ashley Wagner
Gabrielle Daleman

PAIRS

Meagan Duhamel & Eric Duhamel
Alexa Scimeca & Chris Knierim

ICE DANCE

Madison Chock & Evan Bates
Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje

EUROPE
Captain: Christopher Dean​

MEN
Sergei Voronov
Mikhail Kolyada
Michal Brezina

LADIES

Evgenia Medvedeva
Elena Radionova
Roberta Rodeghiero

PAIRS

Ksenia Stolbova & Fedor Klimov
Nicole Della Monica & Matteo Guarise

ICE DANCE
Penny Coomes & Nicholas Buckland
Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte

ASIA
Captain: Shizuka Arikawa​

MEN
Shoma Uno
Boyang Jin
Denis Ten

LADIES

Satoko Miyahara
Rika Hongo
Elizabet Tursynbaeva

PAIRS

Sumire Suto & Francis Boudreau-Audet
Xuehan Wang & Lei Wang

ICE DANCE

Shiyue Wang & Xinyu Liu
Rebeka Kim & Kirill Minov

 

[TheGrandSophy]

Full details of the Team Challenge Cup.

 

[TheGrandSophy]

Main details and skaters that qualify for 1st 2 spots in each discipline as per the rules as of now

 

[lakeside]

I adore Dai, but I can only laugh at what you've written.

I agree with you. Christopher Dean and Kristi are some all-time greats. Daisuke... although he's good too, he's just not there with them.