After I returned from vacation last week, I managed to catch some of the World Figure Skating Championships in Turin, Italy. Was it my imagination, or did this competition seem lackluster? Some of the medalists of the Vancouver Games opted not to participate at Worlds this year, including gold medalists Evan Lysacek, and Shen and Zhou in pairs, as well as Johnny Weir and Stephane Lambiel. Understandably, Joannie Rochette begged off after performing two emotionally charged programs in Vancouver after her mother died suddenly, and Evengi Plushenko bowed out due to injury.
According to the USA Today, many of the skaters who participated in the worlds this past week complained of fatigue, and others appeared to be sleepwalking through their performances. Yu-Na Kim, gold medalist from Vancouver and reigning world champion, was especially disappointing, missing three of the elements in her short program which put her in tenth place. She finished second overall, but even her free skate was less than dazzling. Kim admitted later that she lacked motivation.
Other skaters seemed unaffected by a post-Olympic letdown and provided outstanding performances -- Mao Asada’s free skate, Daisake Takahashi, Mirai Nagasu’s short program, to name a few. It begs the question whether there should be a world championships held so soon after the Olympics, or if there should be one at all?
The last time all four Olympic champions competed at the worlds was in 1992, and all four champions went on to collect world golds. Skier Lindsay Vonn and speedskater Shani Davis competed at their world championships within a few short weeks after the Vancouver Olympics, and performed well.
So why then is it so difficult for skaters to stay motivated to compete at worlds? Granted, there are more competitions for skaters today than there were in 1992, but the training and conditioning methods have improved so much over the years that skaters should be able to handle the added workload.
A lot of this has to do with having the right mindset. If athletes train only for the Olympics, they won’t have much left in the tank to compete for post-Olympic events. If they train for the entire season, they are able to pace themselves through the long grueling season. Asada and Takahashi proved that last week when both performed better and looked stronger than at any other time during the season. Ice dance medalists Virtue/Moir and Davis/White also performed as well in Turin as they did in Vancouver.
Abandoning the World championships altogether is not the answer. It’s a great platform for younger skaters to gain experience and show what they can do on the world stage. I think it’s important to keep the level of interest up for the sport.
One possibility is moving the world championships to January, which of course means, moving the U.S. and Canadian national championships to December. In the Olympic year, you could probably cancel the European and Four Continents since neither event has any bearing on which skaters go to the Olympics; that’s done at the respective national events. Having the worlds in January would provide a sneak preview of the Olympic Games and generate more interest from viewers and fans. And I think the top skaters would be more likely to participate in the event, although they may hold back somewhat in their performance. But as a skating fan, I'd much rather see that than a no-show.
It’ll be interesting to see if the International Skating Union addresses this issue when it convenes in June.
Showing posts with label 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Show all posts
Friday, April 02, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Breakthroughs, Surprises Mark U.S. Olympic Success
Several weeks ago, I wrote this post about an economics professor who predicted that Canada would lead all nations in the medal count at the Vancouver Olympics. He also predicted that the U.S. would win only five gold medals and 26 medals overall.
Boy, was he ever wrong.
Canada started out slow the first week, finished with 26 medals overall, but did lead all countries with 14 gold medals. But the U.S. led in the overall record medal count with 37, including nine gold medals. It is by far the best collective performance by a group of American athletes during the Winter Olympic Games. While the big-name athletes like Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White and Shani Davis and Apolo Ono, came through as expected, other gold medal performances were either breakthroughs or surprises.
Breakthroughs
Nordic combined. Before the Olympics, the U.S. had never won a medal in the Nordic Combined event (2 phases: ski jumping and cross country skiing). They leave Vancouver with four medals, the most of any country.
Four-man bobsled. The last time the U.S. won gold in this event was 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. 62 years later, Steve Holcomb piloted the U.S. team to gold.
Short-track speedskating. Katherine Reutter won a silver and bronze medal in short track speedskating, becoming the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic medal in that event. She is sure to be a contender in Sochi in 2014. Ditto for J.R. Celski, who picked up a bronze, after overcoming a horrific injury last fall that put his Olympic future in doubt.
Surprises
Alpine skiing. Beyond Vonn, the U.S. ski team wasn't considered to be much of a threat. But they won eight medals total, including two silver by Julia Mancuso who peaked at just the right time and Bode Miller, who made a huge comeback with three medals, one gold, silver and bronze.
Men's figure skating. Evan Lysacek went into the Games as a contender for a medal, but walked away with gold after two brilliant programs. He not only defeated the reigning Olympic champion, Evgeni Plushenko, who came out of retirement after last competing in Torino in 2006, Lysacek also defeated a very deep men's field.
U.S. men's hockey. The men's hockey team was the youngest in the field and weren't expected to medal in Vancouver. But don't tell them that. They won all three games in the preliminary round, including a 5-3 victory over the heavily favored Canadians. The two teams would meet again in the gold medal game, but with a different result. The Canadians prevailed in overtime 3-2, in one of the most exciting games in Olympic Games memory, and the Americans go home with silver.
Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks for the memories.
Boy, was he ever wrong.
Canada started out slow the first week, finished with 26 medals overall, but did lead all countries with 14 gold medals. But the U.S. led in the overall record medal count with 37, including nine gold medals. It is by far the best collective performance by a group of American athletes during the Winter Olympic Games. While the big-name athletes like Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White and Shani Davis and Apolo Ono, came through as expected, other gold medal performances were either breakthroughs or surprises.
Breakthroughs
Nordic combined. Before the Olympics, the U.S. had never won a medal in the Nordic Combined event (2 phases: ski jumping and cross country skiing). They leave Vancouver with four medals, the most of any country.
Four-man bobsled. The last time the U.S. won gold in this event was 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. 62 years later, Steve Holcomb piloted the U.S. team to gold.
Short-track speedskating. Katherine Reutter won a silver and bronze medal in short track speedskating, becoming the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic medal in that event. She is sure to be a contender in Sochi in 2014. Ditto for J.R. Celski, who picked up a bronze, after overcoming a horrific injury last fall that put his Olympic future in doubt.
Surprises
Alpine skiing. Beyond Vonn, the U.S. ski team wasn't considered to be much of a threat. But they won eight medals total, including two silver by Julia Mancuso who peaked at just the right time and Bode Miller, who made a huge comeback with three medals, one gold, silver and bronze.
Men's figure skating. Evan Lysacek went into the Games as a contender for a medal, but walked away with gold after two brilliant programs. He not only defeated the reigning Olympic champion, Evgeni Plushenko, who came out of retirement after last competing in Torino in 2006, Lysacek also defeated a very deep men's field.
U.S. men's hockey. The men's hockey team was the youngest in the field and weren't expected to medal in Vancouver. But don't tell them that. They won all three games in the preliminary round, including a 5-3 victory over the heavily favored Canadians. The two teams would meet again in the gold medal game, but with a different result. The Canadians prevailed in overtime 3-2, in one of the most exciting games in Olympic Games memory, and the Americans go home with silver.
Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks for the memories.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Could Skating Judge’s Comments Backfire on U.S.?
The Winter Olympics in Vancouver haven’t even officially begun, and a figure skating controversy is already brewing.
According to Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail, veteran American skating judge Joe Inman has been accused of bias against European skaters after he sent a series of e-mails to some 60 international judges and officials, some of whom would be involved with the Vancouver Games, reminding them to mark presentation scores accurately.
Inman sent the e-mails after he heard Russia’s Evengi Plushenko, the reigning Olympic champion, say in an interview after the European championships, “If the judges want someone to place high, they can arrange it.” Plushenko also admitted in the interview that he and Frenchman Brian Joubert do not have transitions in their programs because they focus on their jumps. Both Joubert and Plushenko have been criticized for their lack of transitions in their program, though judges continue to score them well in their component scores.
Inman’s e-mails were picked up by a French sports publication which published a story about them with a headline that read “The Hostilities Begin.” The article suggested that Inman was leading a lobby of North American judges against European skaters, a charge that baffled Inman, who says the e-mails were meant to be instructional in nature and were not meant to stir up controversy. Inman is one of the creators of the current scoring system and teaches other judges about how to assess skaters’ performances and score them accurately.
The timing of this controversy cannot be good. While the European skating community accuses North American bias against their skaters, one wonders if there will be a backlash against North American skaters. Would European judges underscore leading skaters like Canada’s Patrick Chan and American Evan Lysacek while bumping up scores for skaters like Joubert and Plushenko? Or will Plushenko’s comments do himself in by prompting international judges to pay closer scrutiny to his, and everyone else's, program components?
The men’s competition starts next Tuesday.
According to Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail, veteran American skating judge Joe Inman has been accused of bias against European skaters after he sent a series of e-mails to some 60 international judges and officials, some of whom would be involved with the Vancouver Games, reminding them to mark presentation scores accurately.
Inman sent the e-mails after he heard Russia’s Evengi Plushenko, the reigning Olympic champion, say in an interview after the European championships, “If the judges want someone to place high, they can arrange it.” Plushenko also admitted in the interview that he and Frenchman Brian Joubert do not have transitions in their programs because they focus on their jumps. Both Joubert and Plushenko have been criticized for their lack of transitions in their program, though judges continue to score them well in their component scores.
Inman’s e-mails were picked up by a French sports publication which published a story about them with a headline that read “The Hostilities Begin.” The article suggested that Inman was leading a lobby of North American judges against European skaters, a charge that baffled Inman, who says the e-mails were meant to be instructional in nature and were not meant to stir up controversy. Inman is one of the creators of the current scoring system and teaches other judges about how to assess skaters’ performances and score them accurately.
The timing of this controversy cannot be good. While the European skating community accuses North American bias against their skaters, one wonders if there will be a backlash against North American skaters. Would European judges underscore leading skaters like Canada’s Patrick Chan and American Evan Lysacek while bumping up scores for skaters like Joubert and Plushenko? Or will Plushenko’s comments do himself in by prompting international judges to pay closer scrutiny to his, and everyone else's, program components?
The men’s competition starts next Tuesday.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Vonn's SI Cover Causes a Stir
It looks like Sports Illustrated is publishing its 2010 Olympic preview with two different covers: one with skiing phenom Lindsey Vonn and a second with hockey star Sidney Crosby.
Vonn’s cover has become a hot topic of conversation. Sports psychologist Nicole LaVoi is taking a lot of heat after writing in her blog that Vonn’s tuck position is a sexualized pose. (Personally, I’ve seen a lot worse on SI’s swimsuit editions.) While I don’t think this is a sexualized pose, I do think it’s an unattractive one for a magazine cover, even if it is a downhill skiing position. And I speak as a magazine editor here. I’m sure the SI editors could have photographed Vonn in a way that better showcases her athleticism. But then, SI's job is to sell magazines. If the cover photo doesn't do that, at least the debate about it will.
On that note, I’m counting down the days to the start of the Vancouver Winter Games which begin next week. For two whole weeks, I plan to hibernate in the comfort of my living room watching the Games. The aforementioned SI and the Chicago Tribune has provided guides to watching the Olympic Games to help you become familiar with the top contenders in each event.
Enjoy, and may the best athletes win.
Vonn’s cover has become a hot topic of conversation. Sports psychologist Nicole LaVoi is taking a lot of heat after writing in her blog that Vonn’s tuck position is a sexualized pose. (Personally, I’ve seen a lot worse on SI’s swimsuit editions.) While I don’t think this is a sexualized pose, I do think it’s an unattractive one for a magazine cover, even if it is a downhill skiing position. And I speak as a magazine editor here. I’m sure the SI editors could have photographed Vonn in a way that better showcases her athleticism. But then, SI's job is to sell magazines. If the cover photo doesn't do that, at least the debate about it will.On that note, I’m counting down the days to the start of the Vancouver Winter Games which begin next week. For two whole weeks, I plan to hibernate in the comfort of my living room watching the Games. The aforementioned SI and the Chicago Tribune has provided guides to watching the Olympic Games to help you become familiar with the top contenders in each event.
Enjoy, and may the best athletes win.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Economist Predicts Olympic Medals
Is it possible to predict the number of Olympic medals a country will win in Vancouver?
Daniel Johnson, an economics professor at Colorado College, uses a formula containing several economic variables to predict how many medals each country will win. He knows nothing about the sports or the athletes competing. It’s all pure economics, based on a country’s per-capita income, the nation’s population, its political structure and the home-field advantage for hosting the Games or living nearby.
And Johnson has been uncannily accurate. Over the past five summer and winter Olympic Games, Johnson has a 94 percent accuracy rating in actual medal counts and 87 percent in gold medal counts.
For the upcoming Vancouver Games, Johnson says Canada will lead all countries with 27 total medals and five gold, benefiting from the home-field advantage. The U.S. will be a close second with 26 total medals and five gold medals. (The U.S. grabbed nine gold medals in Torino in 2006.)
The five gold medals that Johnson predicts for the U.S. seems a bit understated. The U.S. should benefit by being a neighboring country to Canada and will likely have a strong contingent of supporters at the competitions, which could boost athletes’ performances. Skier Lindsay Vonn is favored to win gold in two of the four events she’ll be participating in, as well as speed skater Shani Davis. Snowboarder Shaun White should be a lock for gold in the half-pipe, and short-track Apolo Ono should bring in one or two gold in his events. That’s seven gold medals there. Add to that any number of athletes who are medal contenders who could win gold, and the U.S. could easily win eight or 10 gold medals.
I’m curious to see how Johnson’s predictions pan out during the Vancouver Games. Stay tuned.
Daniel Johnson, an economics professor at Colorado College, uses a formula containing several economic variables to predict how many medals each country will win. He knows nothing about the sports or the athletes competing. It’s all pure economics, based on a country’s per-capita income, the nation’s population, its political structure and the home-field advantage for hosting the Games or living nearby.
And Johnson has been uncannily accurate. Over the past five summer and winter Olympic Games, Johnson has a 94 percent accuracy rating in actual medal counts and 87 percent in gold medal counts.
For the upcoming Vancouver Games, Johnson says Canada will lead all countries with 27 total medals and five gold, benefiting from the home-field advantage. The U.S. will be a close second with 26 total medals and five gold medals. (The U.S. grabbed nine gold medals in Torino in 2006.)
The five gold medals that Johnson predicts for the U.S. seems a bit understated. The U.S. should benefit by being a neighboring country to Canada and will likely have a strong contingent of supporters at the competitions, which could boost athletes’ performances. Skier Lindsay Vonn is favored to win gold in two of the four events she’ll be participating in, as well as speed skater Shani Davis. Snowboarder Shaun White should be a lock for gold in the half-pipe, and short-track Apolo Ono should bring in one or two gold in his events. That’s seven gold medals there. Add to that any number of athletes who are medal contenders who could win gold, and the U.S. could easily win eight or 10 gold medals.
I’m curious to see how Johnson’s predictions pan out during the Vancouver Games. Stay tuned.
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