Article about spring USFSA pro-am thingy

[jcspkbfan]

http://www.connpost.com/Stories/0,1413,96%257E3817%257E1295604,00.html

I'm hoping the skaters can perform interpretive free programs at this event (they skated exhibition programs during most of last year's USFSA pro-am thingies, so why not this year's?), but that doesn't sound too likely based on the wording of the article. :evil: Am I the only one who'd rather see the skaters perform more fun exhibition numbers at these type of events rather than watered-down versions of the same numbers we just saw them skate at Worlds?

I'm especially disappointed Michelle likely won't skate her new exhibition number at this event considering we probably won't get to see it on TV at all otherwise (unless she decides to perform it during her Today Show appearance next week, which I hope she does!)

[CMc]

I'll be picking up the tickets for this tomorrow. I'm glad somebody else is still planning on being there, thank God! ;)

[hiliairyh]

Originally posted by jcspkbfan
http://www.connpost.com/Stories/0,1413,96%257E3817%257E1295604,00.html
I'm especially disappointed Michelle likely won't skate her new exhibition number at this event considering we probably won't get to see it on TV at all otherwise (unless she decides to perform it during her Today Show appearance next week, which I hope she does!)

When will she be on the today show?

[Debbie S]

Originally posted by jcspkbfan
they skated exhibition programs during most of last year's USFSA pro-am thingies, so why not this year's?

It's to get around an ISU rule that was put into place several seasons ago. Speedy decided that top skaters shouldn't be able to skip the GP series (as MK did in 1998-99) and compete at pro-ams while keeping their Oly eligibility. The rule says that skaters who are seeded (top 6 at previous year's Worlds) and don't do the GP series lose their eligibility if they skate in pro-ams (unless they are injured for their GP events). Since MK skipped the GP series this year (and finished 2nd at Worlds last year), the USFSA needed to change the format of their comps in order for MK to compete (and put butts in the seats). So instead of being interpretive comps, they are regular int'ls where skaters do LPs (and only Oly-eligible skaters are invited).

Yet another reason why we need ISU reform and/or the WSF.

[jcspkbfan]

Thanks for the explaination, Debbie S! So basically the ISU started enforcing the rules because of Michelle? I find that pretty ironic considering Michelle's new exhibition number is probably the one many fans are most anxious to see! :roll:

Here's another article about this event--Chengjiang Li has just been added to the roster:

http://www.ctnow.com/sports/hc-olynotes0408.artapr08,0,5969594.story?coll=hc-headlines-sports