Sport Today

I don't think I've seen this posted here.

SILVERSTEIN AND PEKAREK WITHDRAW FROM ISU GRAND PRIX SERIES
http://www.usfsa.org/news/200001/press/silvpeka-withdraw.html

Among other things, the press release says "Due to personal and family
issues, we have been off the ice since early August and unable to train
for our upcoming competitions this fall. Unfortunately, we will miss
both assigned Grand Prix events, Skate America and Trophee Lalique. We
remain committed as a team and look forward to competing in the future."

- Amy Rork
http://members.tripod.com/~Gary_Amy

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Thank you, Amy.  I read the press release and it doesn't appear - as of
yet anyway - that Silverstein and Pekarek have withdrawn from Nationals
and Worlds.  Would they still be eligible for Worlds having withdrawn
from the Grand Prix??

Wishing them well and hoping to see them later in the season!

blondee

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from Grand Prix events:

As far as I know, their qualification for the World Championships has
nothing to do with their participation in the Grand Prix.

- Amy Rork
http://members.tripod.com/~Gary_Amy

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Indeed.  The USFSA can name whoever they want to their World Team.

-Sandra

Prix??<

I thought that the only thing at risk if you didn't do the Grand Prix series
were the Pro-Ams...?

They were not seeded skaters so it is up to the USFSA to decide on World Team
Selection.  The ISU would have nothing to do with the decision.

:

: > from Grand Prix events:
: >
: > > Would they still be eligible for Worlds having withdrawn
: > > from the Grand Prix??
: >
: > As far as I know, their qualification for the World Championships has
: > nothing to do with their participation in the Grand Prix.
:
: Indeed.  The USFSA can name whoever they want to their World Team.

Aren't they required to name the National champions?

Yes

Wow.

Has the USFSA named any dance teams to take their places at Skate America and
Trophee Lalique yet, or will their spots go unfilled?  I hope the latter
doesn't happen because our dance teams need the experience.

Jocelyn
--
http://members.xoom.com/vesperholly/
ad astra per aspera

From the USFSA's press release:
"The USFSA International Management Committee, which assigns U.S. athletes to
international events, indicated that there will be no replacement for
Silverstein and Pekarek at Skate America."

It seems the only dance teams the USFSA feels are up to International Standards
are Lang/Tchernyshev, Silverstein/Pekarek, Koegel/Fediukov, and Handra/Sinek.
L&T and H&S are already competing at Skate America, and K&F are competing at
Skate Canada the very next week, so it seems the USFSA has no one they consider
capable of taking their place.  Now hopefully, Handra & Sinek will be called
upon to take their place at Lalique....

I posted about this over on the skatefans list yesterday.  As I
understand it, all but the top 4 senior teams from last year's
Nationals have split up or retired, and of the top junior teams,
Belbin & Agosto are doing the JGP circuit, Nussear & Forsyth have
split up, and Valentine & Kossack would clearly be outclassed at a GP
event.  So who else *could* the USFSA send to Skate America as
replacements for Silverstein & Pekarek?  I don't think Joseph &
Forsyth are ready to compete yet.  (If I were the USFSA, I'd wait and
see how they do at sectionals, and perhaps consider them for Skate
Israel in December instead.)

-Sandra

Have the 5th place finishers from last year's nationals, Newman & Boundoukin
broken up?  I saw they were assigned to Nebelhorn, but did not actually compete
there.

There were rumors that they'd broken up going around all summer, and
while I haven't seen anything "official", their withdrawal from
Nebelhorn with no explanation from the USFSA would seem to confirm
that something is wrong.  The USFSA's international team web page is
so hopelessly out of date as to be useless for keeping track of the
status of various athletes and teams.  E.g, the USFSA still lists the
Sierks -- who announced their retirement in BOI quite a while ago --
and Waldstein & Lucash -- who have definitely split up -- in addition
to Newman & Boundoukin.

-Sandra