Coronavirus and the new season

[b-man]

In January I bought tickets for my mother and I to attend the US Figure Skating Championships in San Jose in January 2021. My mother is 72 years old and worried about COVID-19, so there's no way she'll be attending. I wish I could get a refund. Does anyone have any ideas what might happen with this event?

I am in the same boat, also reserved a non refundable hotel in Jan. to, I thought, save a few bucks.

 

[YuBluByMe]

Is anyone planning to buy tickets?

Absolutely not. I alternate between going to GPF or Worlds every year, unless one year one of those events is held in a country that’s unappealing for me. If so, I’ll just I’ll attend two Worlds or GPFs in a row. This would have been one of those times, but a vacation in Sweden would have to wait.

I mean if it gets cancelled, held without spectators or if you can't enter Sweden you'll get a refund, so there's not really a risk? Am I missing something?

Nice to know Swedish Fed changed their refund policy. It was originally simply “cancellation of event” only. It’s still a risk, though. I had tickets to Montreal Worlds and when it was cancelled I re-routed my plane ticket to visit family. I ended up having to get a refund on air fare not because of travel restrictions laid out by the government, but because my job directed that travel (domestic or international, official or personal) is not authorized the day before I was to fly out. If something similar were to happen next year, I won’t get a refund as Swedish government (or my own) has nothing to do with that. You have to read the fine print.

There’s also the chance of skaters not being able to attend because of travel restrictions. No one wants to go to a Worlds with a jacked-up field.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

As someone residing in a neighboring country to Sweden, I agree. Unless they fire their chief epidemiologist (I would probably have fired him long ago) and change strategy, the Swedish Government won't cancel the event.

Me too. I´m so tired of him attacking Norways strategy whenever he can. They can possibly not admit they have chosen the wrong path, so instead they pick on others strategy and have a strong believe that in the end, Sweden has done the right thing. According to them, they are close to herd immunity and Norway will have more cases and deaths the next months, while Sweden will be done with it all

I don´t want to mock Swedens strategy, but it is just the way the epidemiologist acts, the arguments and the way he tend to find a way to criticize other strategy instead of facing own problems that provokes me.

 

[Fried]

One could think that the situation would ease in Russia. I hope they don't shoot themselves in the knee with that.

https://www.sports.ru/athletics/1088241344.html

 

[TallyT]

One could think that the situation would ease in Russia. I hope they don't shoot themselves in the knee with that.

https://www.sports.ru/athletics/1088241344.html

Oh great, could TPTB shout any louder "we don't care about about disposable athletes anyway"?????

 

[karne]

Even if something is refundable, doesn't mean you'll get that refund quickly. I know of people who had refundable bookings made before the coronavirus who still don't have their money back.

 

[Winnie_20]

Ticket release Worlds just got postponed. :sarcasm:

 

[thatbeatingheart]

Ticket release Worlds just got postponed. :sarcasm:

Apparently new regulations are on their way so I guess it makes sense to wait for those. I do appreciate the effort the Fed is putting in trying to organize these Championships during such uncertain times. In general I’m willing to spend money on a ticket (I’m not particularly bothered by having to wait for a refund should those be necessary, I would book a hotel that can be cancelled without fees and I would book my flights as late as possible anyway. Possible quarantine requirements still give me a bit of an headache but you can't really predict those right now.) What worries me is what they can’t control on short notice, like half of the skaters not being able to attend. Would they cancel the event in such a case? Probably not. Let's see what they come up with in a few weeks.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Latest news from Sweden according to norwegian paper is that Sweden will now allow events with up to 500 participants. This applies to public events where the visitors sit and have around 2 meters distance.

I guess this will also apply to WC for now, and that they maybe will start ticket sale with up to 500 tickets. Well, it is better than nothing, but it will not be easy getting tickets I guess.

 

[MaHa75]

That is for now...we have 7 months to go and I really hope that things are getting better!

 

[Harriet]

Open d'Andorra (Nov 18-22) is cancelled.

 

[Elspeth]

Just read somewhere that Hanyu won't be competing in this year's GP series.

 

[TallyT]

Sad news from Adam Rippon, I'm not sure this is the right thread but it's the closest current one? His grandmother has passed away from COVID.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEcFD6NsjUm/

 

[jersey1302]

I assume no body knows anything about events this year yet? I have looked at both Skate Canada and Skate America websites for those 2020 events and there is absolutely no information regarding the event. They sure are cutting it close.. Skate Canada is at the end of October.

 

[Ladskater]

The Missing Ingrediant

Of course, we are still in the throws of the Covid pandemic so how Figure Skating and competitions will play out is still unknown. Should any competitions be held in the next few months, it will likely be held with no audience - just like the hockey games - it is weird to tune into a game and no fans are there cheering them on. The Battle of the Blades is returning for a new season sans an audience. Still, no matter how things go forward, we all hope it will be managed in a safe environment for both figure skaters, their coaches and the fans. I'll still be in my living room cheering my favourite skaters on.

:2thumbs:

 

[surimi]

They probably don't know themselves, yet. For myself, kudos to those trying to organize safe events to give skaters an opportunity to compete. It must be so hard for these athletes to train and maintain motivation day by day with no competition on the horizon. I imagine the organizing teams must be busy with trying to figure out if such GP would be sustainable if spectators weren't allowed, and international stars cannot arrive. Maybe they're still considering their budget options...

 

[Harriet]

There was supposed to be an ISU virtual meeting held on 28 August, so we may be hearing something in the next few days re the modified GP.

 

[Supernovaimplosion]

I assume no body knows anything about events this year yet? I have looked at both Skate Canada and Skate America websites for those 2020 events and there is absolutely no information regarding the event. They sure are cutting it close.. Skate Canada is at the end of October.

Do you think they'd move skate canada to Toronto or Montreal for less travel?

 

[noskates]

I seriously doubt that US Nationals will occur with an audience. With the regulations in California I just don't see a way they'll let people populate that arena. And I have center ice tickets and a hotel room already. Sad.

 

[Winnie_20]

https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/1...speed-skating-events-in-2020?templateParam=15

Hohum.... not figure skating, but....