2022 Winter Olympics - Beijing, China - February 4-20 - mainly figure skating news

[Elizabeth]

It's official - Canada's figure skating team is now posted on Olympics.ca - photos by Danielle Earl.

[Elizabeth]

The latest time conversion information I have found for the skating events in Beijing. The first is for the team event as it says in the headline; the other is for the individual events.

[Elizabeth]

NBC announced today that their commentators will not be travelling to Beijing but will be covering events, including figure skating from a US-based broadcasting facility: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/o ... 585943001/

NBC’s broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing, but those plans have been canceled.

A response from Johnny Weir, part of the NBC figure skating commentary team:

[Elizabeth]

The full detailed practice and competition schedule for the figure skating in Beijing has been posted. The first image is all practices; the second includes practices as well as competition.





Remember that with the time zone difference (Beijing is 13 hours ahead of ET) the first event - the Men's SP in the Team Event - which begins at 0955 on February 4th in Beijing will be at 8:55 p.m. (2055 h) on February 3rd for those of us in the Eastern Time Zone.

[Elizabeth]

Challenges ahead for those planning to be in Beijing to compete in or cover the Olympics https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/beij ... -1.6323208


And now there has been a "loosening" of the test level results for those arriving: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/beijing-olymp ... -1.6324718

But there has also now been one confirmed positive result among arriving athletes: https://www.beijing2022.cn/wog.htm?cmsid=20220124001816

[Elizabeth]

Although there is currently no data entered for most of the entries, here is the link for all things figure skating in Beijing: http://results.isu.org/events/fsevent00111038.htm

There is a working link to the coloured detailed practice & competition scheduled. For the entries, start orders/results, etc. the links are there but they don't bring up any information yet.

[Elizabeth]

Even before starting their travel to China, there has been one COVID+ result that has caused a change in the ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) team membership. The Russian team skaters were all invited to a pre-Olympic camp which Mikhail Kolyada should have attended. It is being reported, however, that he had not been feeling well, had missed a couple of days of practice at home, and when he got tested it was +. He has now been replaced by alternate Evgeni Semenenko.

OUT IN

https://olympics.com/en/news/mikhail-ko ... 2022-covid

[Elizabeth]

It makes me sad to wonder how many athletes, across all the sports, will not be able to participate, or not compete at their best, related in some way to the ongoing pandemic?

[kittykins]

Thanks for all the great info. Elizabeth and comments from our family here. What a shame that Mikhail cannot compete! He must be so devastated, yikes. The stress for athletes to keep free of the virus, must be quite overwhelming.

Well, I'm looking forward to watching the Olympics and have decorated my place as well as getting my sister's Olympic care parcel ready like I do every Olympics. I feel like I just gave her one as they are a year apart this time. One thing about the Olympics is there is always something to watch on TV. Remember how when we had 1-2 channels as kids and there was always something to watch? Now we have about 100 and can't figure that out! lol

[Elizabeth]

One of the mascots doing a spiral and the symbol for figure skating at the Beijing Olympics

[Elizabeth]

The official entry lists (subject to any future withdrawals) for the individual events are now published: https://results.isu.org/events/fsevent00111038.htm

• Men: https://results.isu.org/events/owg2022_Men.pdf
  
• Women: https://results.isu.org/events/owg2022_Women.pdf
  
• Pairs: https://results.isu.org/events/owg2022_Pairs.pdf
  
• Ice Dance: https://results.isu.org/events/owg2022_IceDance.pdf
  

At the top link above the Start Orders/Results link will eventually be live.

Team Event - 10 countries are entered and all will compete in the short programs - some of them have been able to add one skater/couple to fill out their roster, despite them not being in the individual events. The field will be reduced before the free programs. Where the country has more skaters/couples than "needed", they will make choices as to who will represent them. Limited substitutions are permitted between the short and long progams.

[Elizabeth]

My how things have changed, especially in terms of costumes & equipment!

At the First Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France (25 January-5 February 1924) there were only nine sports in total. Figure skating was one of the nine and included Men, Women, and Mixed Pairs. There were teams from 10 countries plus a "mixed" team who took home medals.



Pictured above are participants in the Women's event, they are likely the medalists.

Canada's hockey team (pictured below) brought home the gold - Canada's only medal

[Elizabeth]

The officials and judges who will be involved with the figure skating events in Beijing have now been identified:

[Elizabeth]

I don't think any of the Canadian figure skaters have yet arrived in Beijing but the first flight from Canada left Vancouver yesterday and some of the athletes are already in the village and tweeting that things went smoothly on their arrival and they have enjoyed the food. Here are some of our bobsleigh team members in their Olympic "kit".



The next charter flight leaves on Saturday, I believe.

[Elizabeth]

Figure skating photographers Danielle Earl, Melanie Heaney, and Greg Katz (from right to left above) reunited in Vancouver after their separate travels to fly on to Beijing - they have now arrived safely

PJ Kwong is also safely in Beijing


Meanwhile several of our Canadian figure skating team members, including coaches are now enroute.

[Elizabeth]

Not only is Danielle Earl in Beijing, she has found the Olympic practice rink, and photographed skaters practicing/training. In this case, the ice dancers from CZE, Natalie TASCHLEROVA & Filip TASCHLER




Meanwhile some Canadian skaters are wearing their Olympic gear proudly including Madeline Schizas


And here's Danielle's photo of Roman practicing at the competition venue

[Elizabeth]

Danielle Earl's room-mate in Beijing, Melanie Heaney, is taking photographs for Ice-Dance.com - her photos from the first day of dance practice, including Gilles & Poirier, can be seen here: https://photos.ice-dance.com/2021-22/22OWG/TE/TEPrDay1/

[Elizabeth]

Our Canadian Men's champion may or may not even get to Beijing

The full details are in the Team Event thread but here's a link to the news story:
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wint ... -1.6336053

Update on February 2nd:
Based on the news conference by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) from Beijing today, it appears that Keegan will not be available for the team event but they are still hoping to be able to get him to Beijing for his individual event, even it if means arriving the night before!

They said that he is well and is training in Vancouver but it will depend on him getting the required two negative tests and the logistics of available flights as they are very limited. Fingers crossed for him!

[Elizabeth]

For those who follow Jackie Wong/RockerSkating - here is proof that he is onsite in Beijing.



He has been attending practices and tweeting. The practice notes on his website: https://www.rockerskating.com/news/2022 ... tice-notes

Find more, like a preview of the team event, on his website: https://www.rockerskating.com/

[Elizabeth]

PJ Kwong and Melanie Heaney are planning to post about some of their experiences, photos, etc. on blogs. PJ's is on behalf of Skate Ontario; Melanie's is on behalf of IceDance.com. Melanie, as I've mentioned, is Danielle Earl's roommate.

PJ's begins with a preview: https://skateontario.org/olympic-blog-p ... s-preview/

Melanie: https://www.ice-dance.com/site/melanies ... m-beijing/

[Elizabeth]

Meanwhile, Danielle continues to be busy taking photos at practices - here is one of Kamila Valieva & her coaching staff, minus one (Daniil Gleikhengauz) who has had to remain in Russia, so far, due to positive testing.




And here is our own Madeline Schizas practicing (for the Team Event)

[kittykins]

Thanks for the info. and pictures. I love the picture of Roman with the Olympic rings.

[Elizabeth]

Here's a photo from Danielle Earl of Kirsten & Michael practicing

[Elizabeth]

Skate Canada has put out a press release on the CDN team in Beijing - it doesn't mention Keegan's situation: https://skatecanada.ca/2022/02/canadian ... n-beijing/

[Elizabeth]

Image captured from TV by PJ Kwong & tweeted out. She is in Beijing and is serving (again) as the English announcer in the figure skating arena.



From Twitter this morning:

Skate Canada officials say Keegan Messing has passed two covid tests. Has to pass two more before he can fly to Beijing. Finding him a flight that goes through one of the required four global hubs also a nightmare.

He is NOT on a plane yet but they remain hopeful.