How Can A Country Have Three Entries For Two Years In A Row?

[Peter G]

[color=blue:a2709d64b4]Russia almost always has three entries each and every year at World's. The U.S. also often has three entries for the ladies and men. How poorly do one or more of the three skaters or teams have to do before their country can only send two entries the following year?

I believe it has to do with skaters placements added together. 1st place is one point, 2nd is third, etc. If the total number of points is 13 or less, three entries get to go next year. 23 or less, two entries get to go.

So when Russia placed 1st, 2nd and 8th at 2001 Worlds (11 points), three men got to go the following year. The same year, Canada's men placed ninth and tenth (19 points), so two were able to attend in 2002.

But what about Canada's pairs entries for 2003 Worlds? The three teams placed 8th, 10th and 12th. 30 points. They're over 23, so only one entry. I think there is an exception here. Canada will get to send two, because the top two teams points totalled 18, that's under 23, so two teams will get to go. Why is there an exception here?

Have I got this right? Am I missing anything? Thanks for your help.[/color:a2709d64b4]

[Mayra]

I'm a little confused as to what you mean but as far as getting 3 placements at Worlds, its similar all around. If you have 3 spots at Worlds the top 2 skaters for a particular country and their placements will determine the points added. So if you have one skater placing 2nd and the other 10th and another 18th....then the total amount of points counted would be 12( 2+10) not 30 (2+ 10 + 18 ). As a result, 3 skaters/teams are qualified for next years World for a country. You wouldn't add the points for 3 skaters, only 2. Did I make any sense here?

[Jennifer]

I believe the cutoff for 2 teams is 28 points, not 23. (Top 10 if only one entry.)

[leap of faith]

only the top 2 placements count. If a country sends 3 entries and place 1,12 and 32 they still get three entries because the top 2 adds to 13. That third team can place wherever and it not count.

The reason I believe this was put in place after 1997 (old points totals were insane for qualifying spots) was so a country would not worry about sending a team that was 3rd in the country if they did poorly. An exampls is Canada had 3 spots in ice dance due to B&K winning bronze in 1996 under the old rules but Wing and Lowe were left home from worlds in 1997 because their total would have counted with the other 2 and we would have been down to 1 spot instead of having 2.

If 1 entry is sent:
top 2 = 3 for next year
top 10 = 2 spots for next year
over top 10 = 1 spot

2 Entries sent:
total points 13 or less = 3 spots
total points 28 or less = 2 spots
over 28 points = 1 spot

3 entries sent:
see 2 entries sent because the 3rd one doesn't count in the placements

The US and Russia keep sending 3 ladies because they always manage 2 of the 3 in the top 10 which would give them 13 or less points. Jenny Kirk pulling out didn't hurt them in the slightest. Same with Maria B. pulling out having no effect.

Note: if a skater is past place 16 they still only get 16 points.
not making it to LP is 18 points
not making it to SP is 20 points I believe.

[Snowflake3939]

Wasn't the system for pairs different than the other disciplines because there was far less pairs entries than in the other disciplines?