Hallmark Skaters Championships: who's competing?

[Artemis]

One website lists:

Alexei
Todd
Jamie & David
Kyoko & John
Sarah
Yuka
Nicole

but there have to be more competitors than that!

Also, it looks like NBS is only showing the Artistic program -- does any other network carry this?

[Emanfan]

Alexei competing? Is he nuts?

Is it possible that NBC will show technical one week and artistic the next? Isn't that what they did last year? (I just watched a repeat of the artistic portion of last year's competition last Sunday.)

[Artemis]

Originally posted by Emanfan
Alexei competing? Is he nuts?

I'm assuming that list was posted before his injury and that he will withdraw.

[i]Is it possible that NBC will show technical one week and artistic the next? Isn't that what they did last year? (I just watched a repeat of the artistic portion of last year's competition last Sunday.) [/B]

Doesn't look like it. The competition happens on Dec. 14, and NBC has the Artistic program scheduled for that evening, live no less. And IIRC, they haven't shown the technical programs for a few years now.

[Teenes]

Heh. That sounds like my list. I haven't asked in a while, so yes that list was posted before Alexei's injury...

NBC actually broadcast the technical part of the Hallmark Skaters Championships last year on Saturday afternoon so they have shown it before. Last year it was technical Saturday afternoon, artistic live Saturday night. Last time I asked they still didn't have a broadcast time for the technical (though she sounded like she was pretty sure there would be one). I'll update if/when I find out more.

[Artemis]

I actually got that list of competitors from Todd's board (just because that's the first one that came up when I searched) ... but is Kurt competing, do you know?

[Teenes]

Ah ok. Sounded like my list mainly b/c the skaters were in exactly the same order I've got on my Hallmark events page.

All indicators point to Kurt not competing in the Hallmark Skaters Championship. Neither IMG or Kurt have said he's doing it, and IMG told me they thought it was extremely unlikely that he was competing. The fact that he decided not to compete in the Canadian Open also strongly suggests he's not doing the Hallmark Skaters Championship. I think Kurt's only competition this season is Ice Wars.

[musicman]

Will Kyoko's suspension prohbit them from competing in this competition?

[Aaron W]

I wouldn't be surprised if a number of the athletes listed for the USFSA's winter pro-am on the 13th of December end up competing in the Hallmark Skater's Championships on the 14th. The USFSA's event is in Detroit while the Hallmark event is in Columbus - the 2 cities are less than an hour apart by plane and under 4 hours by car.

I haven't seen a roster yet for the Detroit event though.

[Aaron W]

Originally posted by Artemis
The competition happens on Dec. 14, and NBC has the Artistic program scheduled for that evening, live no less. And IIRC, they haven't shown the technical programs for a few years now.

As Teenes mentioned, I believe they showed the technical programs during the afternoon last year.

I'm not planning on going to this event, despite the fact I live in Columbus only about 10 minutes from the arena. I'm just not a huge fan of pro/am type skating events. Skating on the lower levels and purely Olympic eligible levels are generally what I'm interested in. However, I may buy a ticket for the technical programs if NBC doesn't plan on showing them. So I'll post a review of that part of the competition if it's not shown. But at the moment I'm planning on watching the competition at home on my television.

[Intensity20]

Kyoko Ina's suspension from the USFSA will have no bearing on her participation in the Hallmark Skaters Championships as it is a pro/am open competition (professional and amateur both). For all intents and purposes, this team is now unofficially professional.

[Artemis]

Originally posted by Intensity20
Kyoko Ina's suspension from the USFSA will have no bearing on her participation in the Hallmark Skaters Championships as it is a pro/am open competition (professional and amateur both). For all intents and purposes, this team is now unofficially professional.

But ... if she is suspended and chooses to compete, wouldn't that mean she'd be forfeiting her right to ever return to the eligible ranks? Which is, I believe, still a possibility for them if they appeal the suspension and/or it gets reduced.

[Debbie S]

Originally posted by Artemis
But ... if she is suspended and chooses to compete, wouldn't that mean she'd be forfeiting her right to ever return to the eligible ranks? Which is, I believe, still a possibility for them if they appeal the suspension and/or it gets reduced.

Actually, Kyoko's suspension prohibits I/Z from skating in any ISU-sanctioned comp, including pro-ams. If her suspension somehow gets reduced, they would be able to return, and I imagine their lack of participation on the GP series (as seeded skaters) would be excused since they were ineligible to compete (there's a provision for injury and other circumstances).

And is it just me, or is anyone else a little taken aback that Sarah, with her injury and stated need to rest and not push herself to the extent that comp. prep would require, is going to compete in two events in two days? I realize that pro-ams are less stressful than SA or SC, but it seems like skating 3 programs in 2 days (doesn't the Hallmark comp require 2?) would be ill-advised. I imagine her desire to do the Hallmark is directly related to her endorsement contract w/ NBC.

(that was not meant to be a bash)

[adrianchew]

Originally posted by Debbie S

And is it just me, or is anyone else a little taken aback that Sarah, with her injury and stated need to rest and not push herself to the extent that comp. prep would require, is going to compete in two events in two days?

I would hope she would healed before then, have time to get up to full steam, and doing 3 programs is no biggie, just don't expect them all to be clean/perfect - you have to do that at Grand Prix finals and Worlds, and the errors in some of those programs (especially at GP finals) has been an indication that skating 3 programs in a short time span is just not conducive to producing the best on ice performances.

[Teenes]

Slightly modified roster - replace I&Z with Shen & Zhao (Kyoko's resting her shoulder). Take Nicole Bobek off the list, though she is "still a possibility." They're planning on adding two competitors to each segment of the competition (men/ladies/pairs).

Someone found a tentative CBC airdate for this of Dec. 28-29, 2002 at 4PM EST. Need to look into that more carefully some other time.

[Artemis]

I just checked the CBC website, but they only have the "Sports Saturday" schedule posted up to Dec. 1, and their searchable schedule only goes 4 weeks in advance.

But I know they've carried this event in the past -- both technical and artistic programs -- so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[CoolbugSuz]

I sure do hope some of the skaters who are competing the night before up in Michigan decide to make the trek down to Columbus, otherwise it's going to be a poor showing.

I initially ordered a ticket because I want very much to see Alexei Yagudin skate. I have never had the privilege to see him skate live, and I'm looking forward to seeing him one day. In all likelihood, it won't be at this show, since his hip is ailing him. However, I'm sure since it's a live skating event, it will be fun nonetheless. I've only been to one live event, and that was the Champions on Ice show in Columbus this past May. That was a hoot. I actually got to skate on the same ice at the same time as Phillippe Candeloro. He was practicing on the practice rink which is hooked onto the Nationwide Arena. That was so cool!

Anyhow, if anyone else is going, maybe I'll see ya there! =)

Suz :D

[Artemis]

Heather has an update to her TV listing site that says NBC now will be showing the technical programs, from 2-4 in the afternoon. So that's good news!

[Teenes]

I accidentally posted event info over in the Skating News section. Complete, updated Hallmark roster is over there, along with info on the Canadian Open and some other events (SOI/CSOI/HFOI).

Here, I'll post it again here:

Men: Alexei Yagudin, Todd Eldredge, Michael Weiss, Takeshi Honda
Ladies: Sarah Hughes, Yuka Sato, Irina Slutskaya, Maria Butyrskaya
Pairs: Sale and Pelletier, Shen and Zhao, Sato & Dungjen, Pang and Tong

[HeatherC]

I will be attending both the Technical and Artistic portions of the Hallmark next month and since we have front row tix, I guarentee I will post a review of everything here! :) I will probably have a lot to say since quite a few of my faves will be there. Nice to see Irina skate again as I saw her at COI this past year and I have never seen Maria skate so I am glad to see her on the list too. BUT, just as a warning, all my gushing and praise will probably be for Todd and Jamie & Dave since I was going to this event when they were about the only ones on the list! We have had our tickets since about September. :) I just love those three. :) Can't wait to go to this competition. It will be my first comp. live and in person! I am sure I will have lots to say after I get home. Thanx again for the info! :)

Is it December yet?! 8O

[fullerl]

Okay let me get this straight. All coverage will be shown on NBC on Dec. 14?

[Meredith]

I'll be going too. I won't be home from the competition until late Sunday so anything I will have to say will most likely be redundant.

On the bright side, NBC in this area is doing a bang-up job advertising the event. Hope it brings in lots of folks. I can't remember Columbus ever hosting a skating competition before but the setup is ideal.

Just my (biased) opinion. :mrgreen:

[Intensity20]

I'm not saying this by any means as a bash, but is anyone else confused as to why of all teams Pang and Tong were added to the Hallmark Skaters Championships roster? While emerging as a top world team, they aren't known for their presentation skills or overly imaginative exhibition programs... if they must include a top amateur team in this slot, why not select a more well known team in North America like Petrova and Tikhonov, Abitbol and Bernardis or Scott and Dulebohn? It just seems "weird".

[JDC1]

I am thrilled!! I think they're long had some absolutely gorgeous moments and they both have exsquisite lines. Actually, I may in fact watch this not but had no intention of watching it before. :-)

[HeatherC]

Well, I was kinda hoping for Kalesavich & Parcham or Langlois & Archetto to be that fourth team but I also enjoy Pang & Tong so they are going to be just fine. Out of all the Chinese pairs (although I haven't see S&Z yet this year), I enjoy them the most. They are young and have stuff to work on but they are really nice to watch on the ice. Should be fun to see them live. :D

One week to wait now.....:lol: