2021 World Championships - Stockholm - 22-28 March

[Elizabeth]

Will there be a Worlds in Stockholm in 2021?
The Swedish Federation is making plans about trying to hold the event in a "bubble" and without fans present, according to an article in Swedish.

I believe that the ISU Council is scheduled to discuss this and perhaps make a decision on December 10th.

According to this article, even if the event is held, Canada may not participate: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wint ... -1.5817980

These would normally be the Worlds at which the number of entries per country would be determined for the 2022 Winter Olympics. What will happen in this regard? Will the Olympics (in Beijing) be postponed?

As they say, "stay tuned".

[Elizabeth]

The ISU Council has not yet made a decision about whether or not Worlds will take place in Stockholm as scheduled - I believe that decision is to be made within the next 10 days or so.

The USFS named team members and alternates in all disciplines after their Nationals - in order for some of them to participate, however, the ISU would have to make some decisions about minimum technical scores (e.g. do those from the "strange" GP events this year count?).

Today Papadakis & Cizeron have announced their withdrawal from 2021 Worlds which was to be their only competition this season.

• They said: “Cascading cancellations create a climate of uncertainty and doubt ... we needed a more solid, more concrete objective.“
• They prefer instead to focus their preparation towards the Olympic season.
• “We have experienced very emotional phases during this period and we needed to review our goals for creating a new dynamic. We want to put all our chances in our side for next season, hoping next September that all conditions will be in the right direction for a normal return for competition. We hardly wait to be back on the ice, to compete in front of a live audience”
• Guillaume said “we have never faced such a long period without competing. So many events cancelled are creating an uncertainty climate for every high level athlete. Staging of 2021 Worlds is very hypothetical. We needed a more solid and concrete goal. 2022 Olympics are our priority and with the support of our team and the French federation, we will do everything to prepare them in the best conditions”

It has been reported earlier that they each had COVID at some point and were still trying to recover when the I.AM live event took place.

[Elizabeth]

A reminder of the judges for 2021 Worlds IF they take place:

[happyheini]

Significantly Russia has a judge in every event....

[Elizabeth]

Significantly Russia has a judge in every event....

Oh, you noticed that too

[Elizabeth]

The ISU Council met yesterday virtually and the Decisions of the Council have been published in full here: https://isu.org/inside-isu/isu-communic ... -2021/file

With respect to Worlds they are currently still a "go" with an entry deadline of March 1st:


Skate Canada has published their procedure for determining the membership of the Worlds team, since no national championships have been held:
https://skatecanada.ca/high-performance ... -criteria/

[Elizabeth]

The website for Worlds 2021 in Stockholm: https://stockholm2021.se/

[happyheini]

Would love to be there. Where if anywhere can we watch on TV, Elizabeth?

[Elizabeth]

Would love to be there. Where if anywhere can we watch on TV, Elizabeth?

The first question is whether it will actually take place. There is still time for things to change, especially in relation to public health and travel restrictions.

I don't believe CBC has a contract for TV broadcasts of Worlds any more but I'm not sure - they would have been the "host broadcaster" if Worlds in Montreal had happened. CTV has not had one for Worlds for a long time. We will just have to "wait & see" - TV coverage here may be restricted to what NBC chooses to show on their main network. Other than that it would likely be streaming.

[happyheini]

Thank you Elizabeth - I seem o get easily excited these days. Let's hope there will be something for those who are not too inclined for live streaming.

[Elizabeth]

Some updated information about minimum TES scores needed to compete at Worlds including going back an additional year and permitting virtual evaluation of videoed programs has been issued: https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/isu-comm ... -2021/file

Here's a relevant section but there's more about the video evaluation on another page:

[Elizabeth]

Media accreditation applications are now open. Apparently there will be no "bubble" for the media but there also will be no contact with the skaters.

The latest update of the official announcement, dated Feb. 5th: https://www.isu.org/docman-documents-li ... ement/file

In related news:
Måns Zelmerlöw and Polina Gagarina will release the official song for the The ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021 "Circles and Squares" on February 19. They are both former participants in the Eurovision song contest - Måns won Eurovision for Sweden in 2015 with Polina finishing second for Russia the same year..

[Elizabeth]

The deadline for registering teams for Worlds is 8 p.m. tomorrow (March 1st), Stockholm time. After that there may still be a decision about a "go" or "no go", as I understand it.

In terms of all of the entries, I expect that this page will be updated by discipline within a couple of days: http://www.isuresults.com/events/fsevent00110293.htm
I posted the information about the Canadian team in a separate thread.

Some skaters at the Challenge Cup in The Hague this weekend are "squeezing in under the wire" in terms of attaining the TES minimum scores within the time limit stated in the updated competition announcement: https://www.isu.org/docman-documents-li ... ement/file

There is a statement on the Worlds website about the health regulations for participants:
https://stockholm2021.se/2021/02/26/hea ... ticipants/
Within the statement is a link to the full ISU latest health regulations for the event: https://www.isu.org/docman-documents-li ... 02-25/file

[happyheini]

If they go ahead with this, it might pave the way for further live competitions later on. I am hopeful.

[Elizabeth]

The Wikipedia page is being updated as countries name their teams: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Worl ... mpionships

There is more related information there too, including the planned scheduled, etc.

[Elizabeth]

The ISU entries page has been updated with entries (& substitutes) for each of the four disciplines:

• Men (34): http://www.isuresults.com/events/wc2021_Men.htm
• Ladies (42): http://www.isuresults.com/events/wc2021_Ladies.htm
• Pairs (26): http://www.isuresults.com/events/wc2021_Pairs.htm
• Ice Dance (33): http://www.isuresults.com/events/wc2021_IceDance.htm

[Elizabeth]

CBC Sports broadcast & streaming schedules:
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wint ... /broadcast

[happyheini]

Thank you Elizabeth, will get the PVR ready I am so looking forward to a "live" competition.

[Elizabeth]

Thank you Elizabeth, will get the PVR ready I am so looking forward to a "live" competition.

Unfortunately, the scheduled TV coverage is quite limited. There seems to be full live streaming, however.

[Elizabeth]

The ISU Council met March 2nd in an online/virtual meeting:

The Council confirmed that the ISU World Figure Skating Championships remain scheduled as planned, to be held in Stockholm, Sweden on March 22-28, 2021.

They also made some other announcements including about 2022 Olympic qualifying (see separate thread), World Team Trophy 2021, etc. See the full news release here: https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/145-n ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

The entries in Ice Dance have been updated:
https://t.co/hbKncTIIAt?amp=1

After the Spanish federation held a video assessment of the rhythm dance and free dance of both of their possible teams, using ISU level judges, they moved Smart & Diaz from the entry to the alternate position.

The Korean team of Min & Eaton have withdrawn.

[Elizabeth]

The time & practice schedule: http://www.isuresults.com/schedules/WC2 ... hedule.pdf

[Elizabeth]

The CBC Sports schedule for full live streaming and (limited) TV as currently posted is copied below - as usual, you should check back frequently for any changes to the live stream times (and your local TV schedule).

From: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wint ... /broadcast

CBC Sports STREAMING - Times in EDT

Wed Mar 24 - 5:00 AM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Ladies Short Program
Wed Mar 24 - 1:30 PM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Short Program
Thu Mar 25 - 7:00 AM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Mens Short Program
Thu Mar 25 - 1:10 PM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Free Skate
Fri Mar 26 - 5:45 AM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Ice Dance Rhythm Dance
Fri Mar 26 - 1:00 PM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Ladies Free Skate
Sat Mar 27 - 6:00 AM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Mens Free Skate
Sat Mar 27 - 12:00 PM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Ice Dance Free Dance
Sun Mar 28 - 8:30 AM - 2021 World Figure Skating Championships: Exhibition Gala


CBC TELEVISION
Sat Mar 27 - 2:00 PM EDT - Road to the Olympic Games: 2021 World Figure Skating Championships
Sun Mar 28 - 12:00 PM - Road to the Olympic Games: 2021 World Figure Skating Championships - 13:00 - 15:00 LOCAL
Sat Apr 3 - 2:00 PM EDT - Olympic Games Replay: The Golden Age of Canadian Figure Skating
Sat Apr 3 - 4:00 PM EDT - Road to the Olympic Games: 2021 World Figure Skating Championships - The Gala


NOTE:
According to the ISU website, due to the nature of the CBC's relationship with them, we will also be able to watch the live stream on the ISU YouTube channel - see: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/news ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

Bev Smith story on Moore-Towers & Marinaro as they head to Worlds: https://bevsmithwrites.com/moore-towers ... e-unknown/

[Elizabeth]

Bev Smith's story on Keegan Messing as he heads to Worlds: https://bevsmithwrites.com/keegan-messi ... batteries/

LIke Kirsten & Michael, he won't be going to the World Team Trophy.