2018 Internationaux de France Men's Free Skate

[karne]

In a documentary about Alina they showed her room at home and the pink star of IdF 2017 sat beautifully on a shelf. I think the complains about 'not getting medals' is getting tiresome. It is something different and especially for those who get medals all the time it is not bad. You will at least remember the competition, while you don't necessarily do that with medals, that all look the same.

I don't think anyone would have minded the lack of medals if what they got was actually stylish/tasteful/looked like a medal. I've seen beautiful crystal trophies handed out before and they're lovely. The problem with the IdF prizes is they look cheap and plasticky and generally the sort of trophies you'd expect to hand out at Basic Skills level, not at a high-profile elite international event. I've received more stylish plastic trophies for events before!

Add that in with things like the cheap-looking, tacky disco ball podium, the advertising hoarding falling off the boards during a skate, the melting ice, and the overall impression of the French GP is shabby. Frankly, I say dump IdF and give it to Helsinki when we bring China back in. At least Helsinki put on a show like they wanted it and not just because they knew they'd get it anyway so they didn't care.

 

[DSQ]

Maybe the finishing touches aren’t there at IdF but this was the second best audience, losing out only to NHK.

Idk I think this whole idea that the ISU should take the French GP away from them is a bit much. For a fed that apparently doesn’t care about their GP why are they hosting the the GPF next year?

I think it’s less they don’t care and more they want to be different.

 

[Harriet]

I think it’s less they don’t care and more they want to be different.

I think it's in large part that they've only just got a new sponsor for the event after losing, or more accurately dropping, Eric Bompard. Maybe next year there'll be some actual money available for more tasteful trophies, a new podium with steps big enough for two people to share, and extra blu-tac to keep the ads on the boards! (Or, you know, better quality ice, a venue closer to Paris...)