ISU World Team Trophy (WTT) 2021 - Osaka, Japan - 15-18 April

[Elizabeth]

Apparently the ISU is still hoping to hold this event but there are lots of caveats in the official announcement: https://www.isu.org/docman-documents-li ... ement/file

With the strange season, without most of the GP events, the Four Continents and Europeans, the qualifying for the teams has had to be adjusted.

For skaters who have to travel to Worlds in Stockholm and then to Japan, especially with the possibility of having to quarantine between the events, I'm not sure why this is still scheduled. Especially since other events in Japan are being cancelled, or, like the Olympics are planning to be held without overseas spectators.

[Elizabeth]

In a pre-World telephone conference call, Kirsten Moore-Towers & Michael Marinaro have said that, if Canada qualifies, they will not participate in the WTT. This is based on the need to quarantine for 2 weeks after returning from Stockholm and a desire to use their time better, e.g. preparing for the Olympic season.

Some skaters, like Madison Hubbell & Zack Donohue of the US are apparently planning to stay out of the US (or Canada where they train) between the two events and to participate in both of them if the US qualifies.

[Elizabeth]

Apparently there are still some things being "ironed out" between the ISU and the Japanese Federation regarding this event and there should be official announcements in the coming days.

As I understand it, the countries who qualified to compete are:

• Russia (FSR)
• USA
• Canada
• Japan
• China
• Italy

There are reports, however, that China has opted not to participate and their place will be taken by France.

Stay tuned....

[Elizabeth]

Russia has wasted no time in naming their team for WTT:

• Ladies: Shcherbakova, Tuktamysheva
• Men: Kolyada, Semenenko
• Pairs: Mishina & Galliamov
• Dance: Sinitsina & Katsalapov

[Elizabeth]

It appears that France will indeed be participating - they have announced their team:

• Ladies: Léa Serna, Maïa Mazzara
• Men: Kévin Aymoz, Adam Siao Him Fa
• Pair: Cléo Hamon & Denys Strekalin
• Dance: Adelina Galyavieva & Louis Thauron

Kevin Aymoz is the team leader.

Deadline for entries by name is Tuesday, March 30, 2021 – 20:00 h (JST), local time Osaka / JPN.

[Elizabeth]

The official entries, etc. are now listed, by discipline, here: http://www.isuresults.com/events/fsevent00110301.htm

The entries, by national team, can be found here: http://www.isuresults.com/events/wtt202 ... rTeams.htm

Team Canada - CAN
Team Captain: TBA
Nam NGUYEN
Roman SADOVSKY
Gabrielle DALEMAN
Alison SCHUMACHER
Lori-Ann MATTE / Thierry FERLAND
Carolane SOUCISSE / Shane FIRUS
[NOTE: None of the Canadian team members took part in Worlds. Apparently no substitutes have been named although most other countries have done so.]

The other teams represent France, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the USA and several of the team members participated in Worlds, some of them quite successfully.

The complete time and practice schedule: http://www.isuresults.com/schedules/WTT ... hedule.pdf

The start orders and results will eventually be available here: http://www.isuresults.com/results/seaso ... /index.htm

[Elizabeth]

The press release from the ISU confirms that China qualified but chose not to participate: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/news ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

The team captains for each of the teams have now been identified: http://www.isuresults.com/events/wtt202 ... rTeams.htm

• Team Canada: Nam Nguyen
• Team France: Kévin Aymoz
• Team Italy: Matteo Guarise
• Team Japan: Ryuichi Kihara
• Team Russia: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
• Team USA: Jason Brown

Meanwhile, there is troubling news regarding a surge of COVID in the Osaka area. I hope things are done super safely!!

[Elizabeth]

It appears that those of us in Canada will be able to watch the WTT via the ISU YouTube channel (either live or via the archived videos).

The links are now set up here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVZpqb ... SYGFPMUtYA

April 15 - 1:30 a.m. EDT - Rhythm Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlPVuD9uYQ8
April 15 - 3:25 a.m. EDT - Ladies SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAszAUnCx9w
April 15 - 5:25 a.m. EDT - Men SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LQPkvdDCVs

April 16 - 2:20 a.m. EDT - Pairs SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6mfwkLCiP4
April 16 - 3:45 a.m. EDT - Free Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-E1IEqZo7w
April 16 - 5:10 a.m. EDT - Men FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg3oFUgOeVY

April 17 - 2:15 a.m. EDT - Pairs FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cePmjCH34PI
April 17 - 3:50 a.m. EDT - Ladies FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpASRfh_2Iw

April 18 - 1:00 a.m. EDT - Exhibition Gala: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx8doExnvCc

[Elizabeth]

The Skate Canada article about the team going to WTT: https://skatecanada.ca/2021/04/team-can ... am-trophy/

[Elizabeth]

The official health regulations for this event: https://isu.org/docman-documents-links/ ... tions/file

[Elizabeth]

The Skate Canada article about the team going to WTT: https://skatecanada.ca/2021/04/team-can ... am-trophy/

Team Canada is "on the ground" in Osaka and travelling by bus (between hotel and rink, I presume), according to a photo posted on Instagram by Roman:

[Elizabeth]

I'm not sure how they are going to handle it but Team Italy appears to be short 1 man on their team - prior to departing for Japan Matteo Rizzo was diagnosed positive for COVID19 and is quarantined at home for 14 days. He says that he is feeling well. The alternate was apparently unable to travel to Japan (for as yet undisclosed reasons).

[Elizabeth]

Team Canada on practice ice in Osaka



Rhythm Dance practice on the competition ice - the team boxes can be seen at the far end of the arena

[Elizabeth]

The start orders/results link is now "live": http://www.isuresults.com/results/seaso ... /index.htm

Here are the detailed time schedules (also available at the link above) in LOCAL time in Osaka (i.e. 13 hours ahead of EDT) -
Day 1:






Day 2:

[Elizabeth]

A preview from the ISU: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/news ... teParam=15

A US-centric preview: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/news ... title.aspx

And a preview from Jackie Wong (RockerSkating): https://www.rockerskating.com/news/2021 ... irst-title