Adult Skaters and Star Skate Competitions?

[singerskates]

I just found out from Peter Drury, who is the head honcho of Sun
Parlour, a sub-section of Western Ontario Section of Skate Canada
which is in charge of all the skating clubs in Essex County, Ontario,
that even though they offered adult events, no one signed up to
compete in them. If I had signed up, I would have been the only adult
skater and my events would have been cancelled. So having to
recoup from the surgery/cyst didn't make a difference this year. It
seems I'm the only adult skater who wants to compete in Essex County/
Sun Parlour. The Sun Parlour competition is only open to skaters
from the Sun Parlour region. Meaning that I have to get some adults
interesting in competing in Essex County or I'll have no competition
next year, if I decide to try to compete at Sun Parlour next year.

Sun Parlour is a qualifier for test skaters/adult skaters who wish
to compete at Star Skate Provincials who then go to Star Skate
Canadians if they qualify. At this rate, I won't get to compete at
Sun Parlour if no other adult skaters enter or get interested in
competing. The other Regional Star Skate competitions like Sun
Parlour didn't have any adult skaters enter either. I think the
regions, sections and Skate Canada need to do more promotion of the
adult catagories/events at the Star Skate competitions. It's really
sad this year that there are no adults competing in WOS Star Skate competitions.

Brigitte

[Lee]

SS, for this year, the only events that will be competed at StarSkate Nationals will be the Triathlon and Biathlon events.

As for promotion, the StarSkate Competition program is only in its second year at the section level and this is the first year for the National event. The adult numbers across the country haven't warranted inclusion in this event yet. Trying to work the bugs out for the standard StarSkate events has been enough of a challenge to this point. The adult events will come, given enough demand and interest. At this stage of the game, it's hard to have Adult-only events at *open* events, never mind events that are open only to specific regions.

Patience...:)

FWIW, two of the girls in our region in the Gold Triathlon are over 18 -- both have been to Adult events already...but that's where it starts -- keeping the kids skating once they get out of high school...

[arena_gal]

Agree with Lee, there were skaters in Starskate categories over the past two weekends that I've attended that definitely were 18 or older. One for sure was an adult skater. Since the level of skills required are no difference between "Adult" preliminary and regular old preliminary I'm surprised that they don't encourage you to enter anyway, so that you could compete (if you were well). For regular Starskate categories the age group 12& over has some very mature looking girls, and for Provincial qualifying I saw little squirt kids against teenagers because there are no age groupings at all, which in a way, makes it very equal for everyone.

There's a WOS get together next weekend, your president should be going. Make sure that they bring up adult skaters on your behalf it would be a most appropriate time to do so.

And speaking of StarSkate Nationals, there hasn't been very many competitors entered in Triathlon and Biathlon that I've seen, maybe rephrase that, there hasn't been as many as there could be because I think a lot of the skaters, and coaches, didn't quite understand the requirements well enough. It should take off next year, and I agree, Skate Canada has to get this running well before adding other categories.

[Lee]

Originally posted by arena_gal
And speaking of StarSkate Nationals, there hasn't been very many competitors entered in Triathlon and Biathlon that I've seen, maybe rephrase that, there hasn't been as many as there could be because I think a lot of the skaters, and coaches, didn't quite understand the requirements well enough. It should take off next year, and I agree, Skate Canada has to get this running well before adding other categories. There were 7 entries in Gold Triathlon in Central Alberta -- not sure how many through the whole section; all I know is that there had to be more than 18 altogether throughout the section because not everyone got byes. Top 4 from our Region went, top 5 from Calgary going -- not sure about the other regions. Whitecourt should be very interesting!

[Madame Saccoche]

In order to compete at Star Skate I'd have to take a year and just do skills tests( Sr Silver and gold) not something I'm really interested in doing yet as I find skills really boring, much rather work on creative stuff and compete solo dance. And no lectures about how skills are good for my dances and basic skills, I've completed my Diamond level and was working on my 7th figure test when they cut out figures, skating skills are boring!!!! (And I'm going to be really difficult and unreasonable and refuse to listen to any arguements about why skating skills would be good for me personally)

[rinsk]

Does anyone know why Quebec didn't seem to have any biathlon/triathlon events this year?

(I would have complained earlier if I'd actually had the time to consider putting together 3 programs for triathlon... but I want to do it next year).

[Imo]

They do have it, they just put the announcement up on the website a couple days ago (www.patinage.qc.ca) - you can download it there if you want...

[Madame Saccoche]

rinsk, look on the FPAQ website, the event is being held on the same weekend as Michel Proulx, email me if you need the link.

[rinsk]

Okay, this is ridiculolus... I've found the registration form under "Quoi de Neuf?", nothing under competitions and no sort of announcement/regulatons... I'd do it if I weren't in the midst of infernal medicine working 14 hour days... Next year I'll do it. I should have time then to make my jumps stronger, fix up my artistic and figure out what to do about skills...

Imo, dorvalskater, is one of you organizing how we're doing this team thing? I'd assume it's one form per team. Could you put me on one and let me know who I owe what? Soory to not be more involved with the organizing business.

[Imo]

rinsk - no problem, I have the team forms, we're just trying to figure out if we have enough people to create two teams (and thus ensure a competition) or not...

[roogu]

There's no doubt there'll be sufficient entries for the girls in the triathlon events ..... each province only sends one skating in each of the triathlons. There are between 5 - 6 girls alone here in COS in each triathlon ....... as lee said, there are a lot in Alberta, I know there are a few in BC and WOS ........ so it'll be a nice event at nationals.

As for the guys, it's gonna suck because so far, me and this other guy are the only entries for COS ....... and I seriously doubt that there will be any other guys doing the triathlon event in other sections. I have a feeling that when one of us qualify, it'll either end up being an exhibition event for the guys, or cancelled entirely due to only one skater. :( :( :( I wanna compete dag nab it! :evil: :evil: :evil:

[Madame Saccoche]

Yeah Roogu, I hear ya, it's a pain to put in all that hard work and then have your event cancelled, come on guys, get out there and compete.

[JD]

Speaking as someone involved as a parent as well as a member of a SC region council I can safely say that the beginning of the winter season and the rules caused some consternation for coaches and skaters trying to decide how to register.

Under the Rules a skater registered as a competitive skater for the year, may not compete as a test/recreational/provincial skater.

This is different than the previous way of doing it where if you competed at subs, sectionals..etc, etc...

What was happening in our region was that skaters who had a competitive test completed were automatically registered as a competitive skater. So those who were't competing in a competitive category, ie juvie, pre-novice, novice, etc....were eliminated simply because they didn't know to register as a test stream skater for the year.

There was also an example problem of the female of a pre-juvie ice dance team being denied competing in provincial singles jr bronze b/c she was registered as a competitive skater. Since she was a competitive skater, she couldn't even compete in the other category.....and then there was a synchro problem....grin....

Anyway, my point is that these are problems which might have prevented more skaters in general from StarSkate who might otherwise have gone. I am sure over the next couple of years, these issues will hopefully get ironed out.

From what I have seen of qualifying events so far, there is some amazing quality in provincials-so much so that there seems to be very little difference between the elements performed by preliminary-senior bronze...many of them would give skaters at sectionals a run for their money...I suspect this bodes well for the future...