Oberstdorf

[lovepairs]

Hey, I really enjoyed reading the extensive in-depth article on the "Adult Worlds" in Oberstdorf on the USFSA website:

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=34672

[flo]

Actually it's not Adult Worlds. It's Adult International, as noted on the results page. When Mountain Cup began, it was also sometimes mistakenly referred to as Adult Worlds as well.

Congrats to all.

[lovepairs]

Well, excuuuuuuuse me Ms. Polly Prissy Pants. Well, then allow me to rephrase it:

Hey, I really enjoyed reading the extensive in-depth article on the "Adult International" in Oberstdorf on the USFSA website:

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=34672

Oh, brother :frus:

[skaternum]

The fact is, the ISU event is NOT Adult Worlds. It is an invitational. You pay money, you get to compete. Calling it Adult Worlds implies that winning it is winning an Adult World Championship, and nothing could be further from the truth. It's like referring to the Dogwood Open as US Nationals, because it draws skaters from all over the US.

lovepairs, I don't think that's nitpicking at all and I don't think it was very nice to call flo "Ms. Polly Prissy Pants." I think you totally overreacted. What's your problem?

[coskater64]

I agree, it is not adult worlds, you pay, you go. There is no qualifying, there are only recommended levels and an outline for your well balanced program. Worlds is a qualifying event, it requires you represent your country, this is not the case for this event, I also get sick of it being called adult worlds. It is a competition just like any other...but -- many skater's from the US did well and the level of competition was excellent from all the skater's who chose to participate.

[miss cleo]

The Adult Competition at Oberstdorf is more than a pay and go event. It is the only competition for Adults that is sanctioned by the ISU and conducted according to ISU protocol. From the draw party to the awards presentation, all skaters are treated as world competitors. This year the judges, who are all World or Olympic level, had the use of the computers for the IJS and they made good use of those screens reviewing programs and content. Every skater gets a protocol for their skate and awards are presented by ISU President Octavio Cinquanta and other distinguished ISU officials. When was the last time you had someone from USFS give you an award at AN - qualifying or not?

Airfare to Germany....$1200
Skating with Donald Jackson....priceless!

[jazzpants]

The Adult Competition at Oberstdorf is more than a pay and go event. It is the only competition for Adults that is sanctioned by the ISU and conducted according to ISU protocol. From the draw party to the awards presentation, all skaters are treated as world competitors. This year the judges, who are all World or Olympic level, had the use of the computers for the IJS and they made good use of those screens reviewing programs and content. Every skater gets a protocol for their skate and awards are presented by ISU President Octavio Cinquanta and other distinguished ISU officials. When was the last time you had someone from USFS give you an award at AN - qualifying or not? And THAT, my fellow net friends, is why it's easy to misinterpret the Oberstdorf event as "Adult Worlds." (I sure did!!!)

[Mrs Redboots]

Yes, technically it is incorrect to refer to it as "Adult Worlds", but it's the only competition I know where they announce you as representing your country, not your club!

Of course, the Husband had to nitpick: "It should say UK, not GB - I'm not from GB!" But he was skating for GB, wherever he is from!

Even at the MC, where the competitors are introduced by country at the introductory party, you are still representing your club (and, indeed, there is a Club trophy awarded to the club whose skaters score most points - it's weighted, so even if you only have 2-3 representatives from your club, you can still finish high up).

[lovepairs]

Well, unfortunately, it is the closest competition that adult skaters have that resembles the "Worlds." We have Sectionals, Nationals, and then it ends. When this competition was just being formed and under consideration everyone at the 2004 AN in Lake Placid, at least in conversation, was referring to it as an "Adult Worlds." In fact, I had a conversation with Rhea Schwartz at the time, who is one of the authors of this competition, and she referred to it as the "Worlds," too. So, yea, it is nit-picking, and very "targeted" nit-picking at that.

The reason why I started this thread was not to discuss whether, or not the Adult Skating Community should, or should not have a "sanctioned Worlds," but that's not a bad idea, so I'll start another thread.

The reason why I started this thread is, because I was shocked by what short-shrift the USFSA paid to this event on their website Headliner article for Oberstdorf. With the understanding that last year was the first year this competition took place, and because of all of the excitment, I remember that the USFSA did a large feature article about this competition (on their website) similiar to what they do for Adult Nationals (although, I've heard other skaters say that they thought the Dallas AN article was rather sparce, too, as compared with former years.) They have seemed to drop it like a hot cake now, and this isn't a good thing for the Adult Skating Community. I was just wondering if anyone else noticed this, and thinks that it is an important issue?

Let's face it, the general consensus among skaters, refers to Oberstdorf and the most important International competition for Adult Skaters. So, much so that there was a lot of talk about whether or not Mountain Cup (our former "Worlds,) would disappear. I disntinctly remember a lot of conjecture over this when the ISU was launching Oberstdorf.

Any thoughts about why the headliner was so short? I'll start the other thread now about whether, or not Adult Skaters deserve to have a "Sanctioned World" competition.

[Bracket1]

To quote Shakespeare,

"Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself though, not a Montague.
What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O! be some other name:
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet..... (emphasis added)"

Call Obertsdorf whatever you wish. Having competed at the event the last two years, it is definitely not just another adult competition for those with a few dollars in their pockets by any stretch of the imagination, for the reasons Miss Cleo points out, and many other intrinsic differences. The evolution of the adult skating competition structure over the past 20 years would seem to be more a cause for celebration, rather than a dispute over nomenclature.

Why all this rancor over a name?

By the way, I think the sardonic nature of Lovepairs original post has been overshadowed by this dispute over the name of the competition.

But all this aside, it was a wonderful event, and I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone entertaining the notion of competing in this event next year to do so. Really folks, a great time was had by all!

Cheers to all adult skaters competing or not! :D

[lovepairs]

Why all this rancor over a name?

By the way, I think the sardonic nature of Lovepairs original post has been overshadowed by this dispute over the name of the competition.
Reply With Quote

Thank you Bracket1,

To answer your first question, all of the rancor is part of a personal vendetta against me, for whatever reason, by another skater. It is not important.

Thank you for pointing out the "sardonic" nature of my first post. You win the Gold Medal for noticing! :P

The issue is why the Adult Skating Community received such minor coverage this year for Oberstdorf on the USFSA's website? I for one was shocked to see this. Will some one please address this issue, so that we can get this thread back on topic?

Oberstorf article: http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=34672

[sk8pics]

I skated last year in the Oberstdorf competition and it was a fabulous experience, as Miss Cleo pointed out. But, even though it is taken seriously, sanctioned by the ISU, everyone is treated like a world competitor, still the bottom line is that if you want to go, you can go. You just have to pay, and be a member of a member federation. I am not permitted to skate at U.S. Adult Nationals, but I can go to Oberstdorf and skate if I wish. So clearly it is not the same as an adult world championship. And for the record I would not like to see it become so since I would like to go back again some time!

To answer lovepairs' initial question, I would guess it has to do more with who attended from the U.S. and how busy they were. Last year, Tony Conte, the chair of the adult skating committee, was there and he was the one who wrote the various articles, IIRC. But Tony didn't go this year so perhaps no one thought to pick up the slack. Purely conjecture but that would be my guess.

[Isk8NYC]

Well, excuuuuuuuse me Ms. Polly Prissy Pants.I can't decide if this is an insult or an inside joke among friends. In any case, it was reported by a third party as inappropriate, and some other people also commented that it was not nice. (Sorry, I'm not eloquent in the morning.)

Flo? Were you offended?
If so, Lovepairs, you owe her an apology.

If it was just a takeoff on the old Steve Martin routine (Well, excuuuuuse me!), add an LOL or something, so we know you're joking.

Thank you. Go back to your knitting...

[Isk8NYC]

The issue is why the Adult Skating Community received such minor coverage this year for Oberstdorf on the USFSA's website? I for one was shocked to see this.The only people who can answer this question work for the USFSA. I can only guess. Here goes: Maybe because it's the end of a long and busy season, given the Olympics and Worlds competitions. Perhaps there was only one reporter or they just interviewed the officials after they returned from the trip. Finally, perhaps the article was trimmed to make room for a last-minute insert.

I do see your point: it's just a web site and the cost of putting in a full-blown article is minimal. I do think that many of the online news bulletins are tied to magazine articles, so there are space constraints behind the scenes.

[flo]

"Well, excuuuuuuuse me Ms. Polly Prissy Pants."



Definitely not a joke among friends, unless of course it was a child in grade school.

Bracket 1, There definitely is something in a name. "Worlds" has a completely different meaning than "International". If this was in fact a "world championship" and the name was changed with the sponsor as it is with standard nats, then yes, this rose would still smell as sweet. However it's not a rose to begin with. A pretty flower, but not a rose.

As far as Lovepairs quote: "To answer your first question, all of the rancor is part of a personal vendetta against me, for whatever reason, by another skater."

Hardly. As I said, this misconception has been made before, and probably will again with new skaters joining the scene. I simply have a different perspective from being in the adult program for so long, and working on it's original structure.

This topic has come up for the last 8 years, since Mountain Cup began (and if we went by feeling - I felt that we were also treated as "world skaters" at MC"). I do appreciate the "enthusiasm" of skaters new to the adult scene, and the urge to smack USFSA at every chance, but I've also seen what gets results, what does not and know what it's taken to get where we are today.

[TimDavidSkate]

what age level does it start? I forgot

[NoVa Sk8r]

This year it was from ages 28-70 (you had to turn that age as of July 1, 2005).

[TimDavidSkate]

This year it was from ages 28-70 (you had to turn that age as of July 1, 2005).


Thanks, 2 more years :halo:

[LoopLoop]

The reason why I started this thread is, because I was shocked by what short-shrift the USFSA paid to this event on their website Headliner article for Oberstdorf. With the understanding that last year was the first year this competition took place, and because of all of the excitment, I remember that the USFSA did a large feature article about this competition (on their website) similiar to what they do for Adult Nationals (although, I've heard other skaters say that they thought the Dallas AN article was rather sparce, too, as compared with former years.)

The USFSA does not have unlimited staff; a lot of the photos that end up on the website are taken by the skaters; in the recent story about the Olympians visiting the White House (http://www.usfigureskating.org/shell.asp?sid=34374) the photos were taken by Emily Hughes and Denis Petukhov. In Kansas City (2005 AN), people other than Laura Fawcett took a lot of the pictures which ended up on the website; they emailed her their photos and she posted them. If the volunteers don't supplement the officials, there won't be as much. I heard that this year Laura flew directly from Worlds to AN and didn't get there until a day or two into the event, so she wasn't able to get nearly as many backstage-type shots as the scheduling allowed in previous years.

If we want more coverage of adult events on the USFSA website (especially when it's not a USFSA-sponsored event), we need to provide the content!

[daisies]

When was the last time you had someone from USFS give you an award at AN - qualifying or not?
:: raises hand ::

I was presented my award by Phyllis Howard a couple of years ago. Just sayin'.

:: returns to lurk mode ::

[doubletoe]

If we want more coverage of adult events on the USFSA website (especially when it's not a USFSA-sponsored event), we need to provide the content!

That's an excellent constructive suggestion!

[flo]

I've also been presented medals by USFSA folks. It's also been fun to receive them from former champions.

[techskater]

Yes, Ann Dougherty was presenting them in KC in 05 as well.

[lovepairs]

I almost think that it might have been a posting error, and maybe someone at the USFSA office didn't download the article. I can't believe that they wouldn't give more coverage to Oberstdorf. So many of us who couldn't go were really anxiously waiting to read about it and see some images of skaters, etc...

If it is, indeed, a lack of staff then if Pairsman2 and I am able to go next summer, we will volunteer to write the feature article and take pictures, too!

[rlichtefeld]

It does seem a bit short. But, I do think it is because there wasn't anyone to write anything. If someone who did attend wanted to write something and submit it, I bet they would post it.

I know that the only reason the Chicago Pairs Camp was covered last year was because Ellen sent in the text and the photos.

NoVa is a professional writer, maybe he could do it.

And, if you and PairsMan are doing the Chicago camp this weekend, take photos and write something up.

Rob


I almost think that it might have been a posting error, and maybe someone at the USFSA office didn't download the article. I can't believe that they wouldn't give more coverage to Oberstdorf. So many of us who couldn't go were really anxiously waiting to read about it and see some images of skaters, etc...

If it is, indeed, a lack of staff then if Pairsman2 and I am able to go next summer, we will volunteer to write the feature article and take pictures, too!

[lovepairs]

Hi Rob,

Yes, Pairsman2 and I will be happy to take photos and write and article where ever we go!