2023 World Team Trophy - April 13-16 - Tokyo, Japan

[Karen-W]

Haven't seen a thread yet for the last big event of the season!

Here's the ISU Announcement.

Here are the basic event format and qualification rules:

2. BASIC EVENT FORMAT AND QUALIFYING SYSTEM
a) The ISU World Team Trophy format is based on a competition consisting of the six (6) best national Teams from ISU Members with a special provision for the host ISU Member to be included as Qualified Member. Each Team will be composed of 2 Men Single Skaters, 2 Women Single Skaters, 1 Pair and 1 Ice Dance Couple, i.e. a total of 8 Skaters per Team. Each Team nominates a Captain from Team Skaters who represents the Team including during the medal giving ceremony.

b) Six (6) ISU Members will qualify based on the scoring scale used for the ISU World Standing points (see applicable scale in sub-paragraph e) below) scored by its best 2 Women Single Skaters, best 2 Men Single Skaters, the best Pair and the best Ice Dance Couple primarily at ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events and Final season 2022/23 and the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023, plus possibly the ISU European Figure Skating Championships / ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2023, the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2023 and ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating season 2022/23.

c) The 6 Teams, having accumulated the highest number of points by the above-mentioned number and discipline of Skaters/Couples in the above-mentioned ISU Events and the criteria outlined below, will qualify. If a Team would qualify by points with less than the above-mentioned number and disciplines of Skater/Couples contributing to the qualification points, such Team would only be considered qualified, if points are achieved in at least 3 disciplines, otherwise the Team with the next highest amount of points fulfilling the criteria will be considered qualified. If there is a tie among Teams’ subject to qualify, the Team having earned the higher number of points at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 will be qualified. If a tie persists, the qualifying ISU Member will be decided by draw. The Team of the host ISU Member, if not qualified under the applicable Qualifying System, will receive a wild card entry as Team number 6 replacing the Team finishing in that place in the Standings.

Right now, it looks to be a 7-country race for the 6 spots, with Japan, the US, Canada and Italy all solidly qualified and France, Korea & Georgia competing for the last 2 spots. Junior Worlds will be a critical event for all three countries to gain some much needed points (especially France for their Women and Korea for their Dance).

It might be a moot point, since I'm not sure what Korea would do in the event that they qualify since Lim/Quan have been competing juniors all season and Cho/Adcock haven't competed internationally in pairs yet.

	GP/GPF/JPG Man 1	GP/GPF/JPG Man 2	GP/GPF/JPG Woman 1	GP/GPF/JPG Woman 2	GP/GPF/JGP Pair 1	GP/GPF/JGP Dance 1	ISU Champ Man 1	ISU Champ Man 2	ISU Champ Woman 1	ISU Champ Woman 2	ISU Champ Pair 1	ISU Champ Dance 1	TOTAL
JPN	800	720	800	583	800	236	840	680	680	551	840	446	7976
	Uno	Yamamoto	Mihara	Watanabe	MiuKih	MuraTaka	Miura	Sato	Chiba	Watanabe	MiuKih	KoKo
USA	648	262	720	360	720	720	362	325	496	446	756	840	6655
	Malinin	Pulkinen	Levito	Andrews	KniFraz	ChoBat	Ma	Naumov	Tennell	Glenn	ChanHowe	ChoBat
CAN	292	262	262	191	583	800	756	402	362	325	680	756	5671
	Messing	Sadovsky	Schizas	Daleman	SDDes	GilPoir	Messing	Orzel	Dupuis	Schizas	SDDes	FBSoer
ITA	472	324	0	0	648	648	756	496	402		840	840	5426
	Grassl	Rizzo	n/a	n/a	ConMac	GuiFab	Rizzo	Grassl	Gutmann		ConMac	GuiFab
KOR	324	292	472	324	0	250	612	496	840	756	0		4366
	Cha	Lee	Y. Kim	You		LimQuan	Cha	Lee	Lee	Y. Kim	n/a
FRA	400	324	191	148	360	324	840	612			496	551	4246
	Siao Him Fa	Aymoz	Meite	Schild	Les Kovs	LopBri	Siao Him Fa	Aymoz			Les Kovs	LopBri
GEO	262	191	324	203	324	236	446	173	840			402	3401
	Egadze	Kvitelashvili	Gubanova	Gurgenidze	MetPark	KazRev	Egadze	Kvitelashvili	Gubanova			KazRev

 

[skatingguy]

Didn't both of Georgia's pairs teams break up?

 

[Kateri]

Didn't both of Georgia's pairs teams break up?

We're only 100% sure of Metelkina/Parkman splitting, I think. But Safina was injured for a long time.

 

[Karen-W]

Didn't both of Georgia's pairs teams break up?

Nothing has been reported regarding Safina/Berulava's status. There was some speculation that Berulava might wind up partnering with Metelkina after MetPark split last month, but nothing's been confirmed.

 

[DreamSkates]

Is this event going to be streaming anywhere?

 

[LoisAGOEs]

Nothing has been reported regarding Safina/Berulava's status. There was some speculation that Berulava might wind up partnering with Metelkina after MetPark split last month, but nothing's been confirmed.

Pavel Sliusarenko said a week ago that S/B have returned to training and if healthy enough will be at Worlds.

 

[Karen-W]

Is this event going to be streaming anywhere?

It was in 2021 and 2019, so I presume it will be again this year.

 

[Karen-W]

Updating the table after Jr Worlds...

Georgia is missing ISU Championship points for Pairs and could, if the cards fall just right for Safina/Berulava, overtake France.

Korea looks pretty solid for the 5th spot, which is really remarkable given that they haven't sent their new senior pairs team out to compete internationally yet and they're limited in dance points since Lim/Quan have only competed junior this season. I do wonder what the KSF will do - theoretically, I think they could decline to participate in WTT. That would be rather unfair to their skaters who have earned that spot. Plus, it would be an opportunity for Cho/Adcock to get on the SB list in a low pressure event. But, this is the KSF we're talking about, so we might very well see both France and Georgia at WTT in the end.

	GP/GPF/JPG Man 1	GP/GPF/JPG Man 2	GP/GPF/JPG Woman 1	GP/GPF/JPG Woman 2	GP/GPF/JGP Pair 1	GP/GPF/JGP Dance 1	ISU Champ Man 1	ISU Champ Man 2	ISU Champ Woman 1	ISU Champ Woman 2	ISU Champ Pair 1	ISU Champ Dance 1	TOTAL
JPN	800	720	800	583	800	236	840	680	680	551	840	446	7976
	Uno	Yamamoto	Mihara	Watanabe	MiuKih	MuraTaka	Miura	Sato	Chiba	Watanabe	MiuKih	KoKo
USA	648	262	720	360	720	720	362	325	496	446	756	840	6655
	Malinin	Pulkinen	Levito	Andrews	KniFraz	ChoBat	Ma	Naumov	Tennell	Glenn	ChanHowe	ChoBat
CAN	292	262	262	191	583	800	756	402	362	325	680	756	5671
	Messing	Sadovsky	Schizas	Daleman	SDDes	GilPoir	Messing	Orzel	Dupuis	Schizas	SDDes	FBSoer
ITA	472	324	0	0	648	648	756	496	402	0	840	840	5426
	Grassl	Rizzo	n/a	n/a	ConMac	GuiFab	Rizzo	Grassl	Gutmann	n/a	ConMac	GuiFab
KOR	324	292	472	324	0	250	612	496	840	756	0	450	4816
	Cha	Lee	Y. Kim	You	n/a	LimQuan	Cha	Lee	Lee	Y. Kim	n/a	LimQuan
FRA	400	324	191	148	360	324	840	612	174	0	496	551	4420
	Siao Him Fa	Aymoz	Meite	Schild	Les Kovs	LopBri	Siao Him Fa	Aymoz	Schild	n/a	Les Kovs	LopBri
GEO	262	191	324	203	324	236	446	173	840	215		402	3616
	Egadze	Kvitelashvili	Gubanova	Gurgenidze	MetPark	KazRev	Egadze	Kvitelashvili	Gubanova	Gurgenidze		KazRev

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

Is a country really allowed to take part at WTT without one or two disziplines, like Korea in pairs and dance?

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Is a country really allowed to take part at WTT without one or two disziplines, like Korea in pairs and dance?

Good question. They would be at a distinct disadvantage as the total team score would be the deciding overall factor in placements and prize money.

In 2013 the host country, Japan, didn't have a pair team entered yet still won team bronze.

2013 ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In 2021 Italy was short one man when Matteo Rizzo had to withdraw due to COVID-19, and Gabriele Frangipani was unable to get to Japan in time to compete.

2021 ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Karen-W]

Is a country really allowed to take part at WTT without one or two disziplines, like Korea in pairs and dance?

Yes, they can take part with skaters/teams in only 3 disciplines. But, there's nothing in the WTT doc that says the skaters they send have to be seniors, not does it say anything about them having any TES mins. Only that they must have the appropriate releases to skate for the ISU Member they're representing. Obviously, Lim/Quan have their releases to represent Korea. No idea what Cho/Adcock's status is, but I presume he has his release since they competed at Korean Nats, and they just want to wait to compete internationally a bit longer.

 

[ice coverage]

New this season (AFAIK) are significant appearance fees for the very best skaters (appearance fees for the competition itself):

ii) Appearance Fees
Competitors from the Qualified Teams for the ISU World Team Trophy having ranked either in the top 3 of the preceding ISU World Figure Skating Championships and/or being ranked in the ISU Seasonal World Ranking (status after the preceding ISU World Figure Skating Championships) in the top 3 positions, will receive the following Appearance Fees:

Ranked 1st: US$ 30’000
Ranked 2nd: US$ 20’000
Ranked 3rd: US$ 10’000​

In case Competitors are ranked among the top 3 in both, the preceding ISU World Championships and in the ISU Seasonal World Ranking, then the better ranking among the two options applies. For example, a World Champion who in the ISU Seasonal World Ranking is ranked second, would receive an Appearance Fee of US$ 30’000, hence the two options are not cumulative. Consequently, the maximum Appearance Fees for each Event amounts to US$ 480’000, namely the maximum for four disciplines and the hypothetical case that all ISU World Figure Skating Championships medalists and World Ranking top 3 positions are all different.

The payment of the Appearance Fee is subject to the concerned Competitors completing the two segments during the ISU World Team Trophy. If the concerned Competitors compete only in one segment, then the applicable Appearance Fee shall be reduced by 50%.​

 

[euterpe]

Seems as if most of the skaters who will receive the big bucks are Japanese.

 

[Karen-W]

Seems as if most of the skaters who will receive the big bucks are Japanese.

Doubtful. We won't have a firm idea until after Worlds when everyone gets more WS points. None of their dancers are going to be getting any extra cash, they only have one pairs team, so that means that, at most 5 of the 12 potential bonuses will go to Japanese skaters/teams.

 

[airgelaal]

Yes, they can take part with skaters/teams in only 3 disciplines. But, there's nothing in the WTT doc that says the skaters they send have to be seniors, not does it say anything about them having any TES mins. Only that they must have the appropriate releases to skate for the ISU Member they're representing. Obviously, Lim/Quan have their releases to represent Korea. No idea what Cho/Adcock's status is, but I presume he has his release since they competed at Korean Nats, and they just want to wait to compete internationally a bit longer.

It's strange because juniors have a different RD.

 

[Karen-W]

It's strange because juniors have a different RD.

True enough, but there are some teams (Simova/Aksenov) who have done split seasons. I do think there's enough time for Lim/Quan to create a senior RD, if Korea plans on competing at WTT. But who knows? The KSF could very well pass because, well, this is the KSF we're talking about.

 

[ice coverage]

... Consequently, the maximum Appearance Fees for each Event amounts to US$ 480’000, namely the maximum for four disciplines and the hypothetical case that all ISU World Figure Skating Championships medalists and World Ranking top 3 positions are all different. ...

Seems as if most of the skaters who will receive the big bucks are Japanese.

Doubtful. We won't have a firm idea until after Worlds when everyone gets more WS points. None of their dancers are going to be getting any extra cash, they only have one pairs team, so that means that, at most 5 of the 12 potential bonuses will go to Japanese skaters/teams.

If World medalists do not overlap with top three in Season's World Ranking, then:

• Maximum number of potential bonuses would be 24 -- six for each discipline.
• Maximum total of Appearance Fees would be $480,000.

As Karen said, Japan realistically will not get a bonus for dancers.
Of 24 potential bonuses, five at most for Team Japan.

 

[kwanfan1818]

The skaters/teams who can make the biggest jump up the WR list are the ones who didn't appear at Euros/4C's, because the rest get incremental points from Worlds only. Among the usual suspects, in order to tie:

Women (Points below 1. Kim [max incremental 444], 2. Hendricks [max incremental 444] 3. Lee [max incremental 360]:

• Levito (598, 474, 256)
• Sakamoto (783, 659, 441)
• Mihara (803, 679, 461)

Men (Points below 1. Fa [max incremental 360], 2. Rizzo [max incremental 444] 3. Sato [not competing]

• Malinin (704, 538, 525)
• Yamamoto (747, 581, 568)
• Uno (852, 686, 673)
• Pulkinen (985, 819, 806)

Pairs (Points below 1. Conti/Massi [max incremental 360], 2. Ghilardi/Ambrosini [not competing], 3. Chan/Howe [max incremental 444]

• Knierim/Frazier (can't catch, 1131, 963)

Dance (Points below 1. Fear/Gibson [max incremental 444], Guignard/Fabbri [max incremental 360], Chock/Bates [max incremental 360]

• Gilles/Poirier (1099, 988, 760)

I suspect the thoughts are that between the WR list after the dust settles at Worlds, and the results of Worlds, there's a decent chance we'll see :

• Japan-Sakamoto, Mihara, Uno, Yamamoto or Tomono, and Miura/Kihara.
• US-Levito, Malinin, Knierim/Frazier, Chock/Bates
• Canada-Gilles/Poirier (if she's healthy and they've trained enough), hopefully Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps, with Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen an spoiler shot?
• France-Fa?
• Italy-Rizzo or Grassl, possibly Conti/Macii, although their WR lead isn't very large, and they can earn fewer incremental points than the others at the top
• Korea-Kim, maybe Lee, maybe Cha, alternately, Georgia, with an outside shot for Gubanova, if Korea doesn't send a team

Unless the US skaters overachieve a lot, or the Japanese skaters underachieve, it's likely that Japanese skaters are going to earn more appearance money than any other country.

 

[Dobre]

I've kind of assumed that Japanese companies/sponsors have been the main push/funding behind WTT for years. Is this not accurate?

 

[euterpe]

The skaters/teams who can make the biggest jump up the WR list are the ones who didn't appear at Euros/4C's, because the rest get incremental points from Worlds only. Among the usual suspects, in order to tie:

Women (Points below 1. Kim [max incremental 444], 2. Hendricks [max incremental 444] 3. Lee [max incremental 360]:

• Levito (598, 474, 256)
• Sakamoto (783, 659, 441)
• Mihara (803, 679, 461)

Men (Points below 1. Fa [max incremental 360], 2. Rizzo [max incremental 444] 3. Sato [not competing]

• Malinin (704, 538, 525)
• Yamamoto (747, 581, 568)
• Uno (852, 686, 673)
• Pulkinen (985, 819, 806)

Pairs (Points below 1. Conti/Massi [max incremental 360], 2. Ghilardi/Ambrosini [not competing], 3. Chan/Howe [max incremental 444]

• Knierim/Frazier (can't catch, 1131, 963)

Dance (Points below 1. Fear/Gibson [max incremental 444], Guignard/Fabbri [max incremental 360], Chock/Bates [max incremental 360]

• Gilles/Poirier (1099, 988, 760)

I suspect the thoughts are that between the WR list after the dust settles at Worlds, and the results of Worlds, there's a decent chance we'll see :

• Japan-Sakamoto, Mihara, Uno, Yamamoto or Tomono, and Miura/Kihara.
• US-Levito, Malinin, Knierim/Frazier, Chock/Bates
• Canada-Gilles/Poirier (if she's healthy and they've trained enough), hopefully Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps, with Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen an spoiler shot?
• France-Fa?
• Italy-Rizzo or Grassl, possibly Conti/Macii, although their WR lead isn't very large, and they can earn fewer incremental points than the others at the top
• Korea-Kim, maybe Lee, maybe Cha, alternately, Georgia, with an outside shot for Gubanova, if Korea doesn't send a team

Unless the US skaters overachieve a lot, or the Japanese skaters underachieve, it's likely that Japanese skaters are going to earn more appearance money than any other country.

And Worlds is in Japan, which can help the Japanese skaters' placements.

 

[Karen-W]

Projected Final Standings for WTT entrants:

	GP/GPF/JPG Man 1	GP/GPF/JPG Man 2	GP/GPF/JPG Woman 1	GP/GPF/JPG Woman 2	GP/GPF/JGP Pair 1	GP/GPF/JGP Dance 1	ISU Champ Man 1	ISU Champ Man 2	ISU Champ Woman 1	ISU Champ Woman 2	ISU Champ Pair 1	ISU Champ Dance 1	TOTAL
JPN	800	720	800	583	800	236	1200	840	1200	787	1200	446	9612
	Uno	Yamamoto	Mihara	Watanabe	MiuKih	MuraTaka	Uno	Miura	Sakamoto	Mihara	MiuKih	KoKo
USA	648	262	720	360	720	720	972	787	875	446	1080	1200	8790
	Malinin	Pulkinen	Levito	Andrews	KniFraz	ChoBat	Malinin	Brown	Levito	Glenn	KniFraz	ChoBat
CAN	292	262	262	191	583	800	756	402	362	339	875	972	6096
	Messing	Sadovsky	Schizas	Daleman	SDDes	GilPoir	Messing	Orzel	Dupuis	Schizas	SDDes	GilPoir
ITA	472	324	0	0	648	648	756	496	402	0	972	1080	5798
	Grassl	Rizzo	n/a	n/a	ConMac	GuiFab	Rizzo	Grassl	Gutmann	n/a	ConMac	GuiFab
KOR	324	292	472	324	0	250	1080	496	1080	756	0	450	5524
	Cha	Lee	Y. Kim	You		LimQuan	Cha	Lee	Lee	Y. Kim	n/a	LimQuan
FRA	400	324	191	148	360	324	875	840	174	0	496	551	4683
	Siao Him Fa	Aymoz	Meite	Schild	Les Kovs	LopBri	Aymoz	Siao Him Fa	Schild	n/a	Les Kovs	LopBri

 

[ice coverage]

Seems as if most of the skaters who will receive the big bucks are Japanese.

FWIW, following up on euterpe's post from Mar 13 re appearance fees.

Although we don't yet know the skater rosters for WTT, the maximum total appearance fees available (based on Worlds results and Season's World Rankings after Worlds):

Skaters who belong to Team Japan $90,000 (three fees of $30,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team USA $90,000 (four fees total: one of $30,000 + three of $20,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team Italy $60,000 (two fees of $30,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team Korea $40,000 (two fees of $20,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team Canada $10,000 (one fee)​

Dance:

USA Chock/Bates $30,000 (first at Worlds, third in SWR)​

ITA Guignard/Fabbri $30,000 (first in SWR, second at Worlds)​

CAN Gilles/Poirier $10,000 (third at Worlds)​

(GBR Fear/Gibson were second in SWR)​

Pairs:

JPN Miura/Kihara $30,000 (first at Worlds, second in SWR)​

ITA Conti/Macii $30,000 (first in SWR, third at Worlds)​

USA Knierim/Frazier $20,000 (second at Worlds)​

(ITA Ghilardi/Ambrosini were third in SWR)​

Men:

JPN Uno $30,000 (first at Worlds, first in SWR)​

KOR Cha $20,000 (second at Worlds, third in SWR)​

USA Malinin $20,000 (second in SWR, third at Worlds)​

Women:

JPN Sakamoto $30,000 (first at Worlds, first in SWR)​

KOR Lee $20,000 (second at Worlds)​

USA Levito $20,000 (second in SWR)​

(BEL Hendrickx was third at worlds, third in SWR)​

 

[Skate Talker]

I've kind of assumed that Japanese companies/sponsors have been the main push/funding behind WTT for years. Is this not accurate?

Of course Japan Fed and Japanese sponsors are the reason WTT even exists. Hence double the emphasis on singles skating over Pairs & Dance, at which they traditionally do not excel, as opposed to the team event at the Olympics which gives equal weight to all 4 disciplines.

(Glad to see though that Japan has made great advancements in Pairs and Ice Dance and hope they keep it up.)

 

[Karen-W]

FWIW, following up on euterpe's post from Mar 13 re appearance fees.

Although we don't yet know the skater rosters for WTT, the maximum total appearance fees available (based on Worlds results and Season's World Rankings after Worlds):

Skaters who belong to Team Japan $90,000 (three fees of $30,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team USA $90,000 (four fees total: one of $30,000 + three of $20,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team Italy $60,000 (two fees of $30,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team Korea $40,000 (two fees of $20,000)​

Skaters who belong to Team Canada $10,000 (one fee)​

Dance:

USA Chock/Bates $30,000 (first at Worlds, third in SWR)​

ITA Guignard/Fabbri $30,000 (first in SWR; second at Worlds)​

CAN Gilles/Poirier $10,000 (third at Worlds)​

(GBR Fear/Gibson were second in SWR)​

Pairs:

JPN Miura/Kihara $30,000 (first at Worlds, second in SWR)​

ITA Conti/Macii $30,000 (first in SWR, third at Worlds)​

USA Knierim/Frazier $20,000 (second at Worlds)​

(ITA Ghilardi/Ambrosini were third in SWR)​

Men:

JPN Uno $30,000 (first at Worlds, first in SWR)​

KOR Cha $20,000 (second at Worlds, third in SWR)​

USA Malinin $20,000 (second in SWR, third at Worlds)​

Women:

JPN Sakamoto $30,000 (first at Worlds, first in SWR)​

KOR Lee $20,000 (second at Worlds)​

USA Levito $20,000 (second in SWR)​

(BEL Hendrickx was third at worlds, third in SWR)​

Also, per the document, the JSF can invite up to 4 skaters from non-qualifying countries who had the highest results in the Grand Prix/Worlds to participate in the Exhibition - at a cool $10k/$15k per singles/team for their trouble.

My expectation is that they will invite Hendrickx and Fear/Gibson.

 

[4rkidz]

Not sure if Daleman is going, she is apparently heading on vacay to Greece? So who will it be?

 

[Karen-W]

Not sure if Daleman is going, she is apparently heading on vacay to Greece? So who will it be?

Presumably Ruiter since she did win silver at Canadians.

 

[skatingguy]

Not sure if Daleman is going, she is apparently heading on vacay to Greece? So who will it be?

The top two Canadian women in the ISU World Standings are Madeline Schizas, and Kaiya Ruiter, so those will probably be the entries.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I don't see a requirement for TES minimums, and if there is no specific requirement based on World Standings or World Rankings, Dupuis added more points to Team Canada's qualifying total than Daleman. Not that that would happen or anything. Although I don't think the Japanese Fed or the TV networks care about who the second Italian, French, US, or Canadian woman is.

 

[Karen-W]

Likely WTT entries by country -

Japan - Uno, Tomono, Sakamoto, Mihara, Miura/Kihara, Muramoto/Takahashi

USA - Malinin, Brown, Glenn, 2nd woman, ??? (Shin WS 16, Thorngren WS 17, K Chen WS 22, Bell WS 27, Seo WS 32, Tennell WS 34, Andrews WS 35), Knierim/Frazier, Chock/Bates

Canada - Messing, 2nd man??? (Chiu WS 32, Sadovsky WS 34, Gogolev WS 51, Circelli WS 67), Schizas, Ruiter, Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps, Gilles/Poirier

Italy - Grassl, Rizzo, Gutmann, Piredda, Pair??? (Ghilardi/Ambrosini WS 3, Conti/Macii WS 4), Guignard/Fabbri

France - Siao Him Fa, Aymoz, Serna, Schild, Kovalev/Kovalev, Lopareva/Brissaud

Korea - Cha, S Lee, H Lee, Y Kim (if she's injured then You is next at WS 9), Cho/Adcock, Lim/Quan

All of them seem pretty straightforward except for -

1) 2nd US Woman - Glenn is actually behind both Shin & Thorngren at WS 19, but seeing as she was the higher of the two US women at Worlds, I can't see her not being selected. I'd sort of laugh for days if the USFS called up Karen or Mariah and offered them the 2nd spot over Tennell. But, if you're going to consider WS, then Thorngren probably should get the nod because at least she showed up at Nats. I do think it will wind up being Tennell, which, whatever... If her jump rotations had been put under the same microscope as Thorngren's were at Nats, she wouldn't have been at Worlds at all.

2) 2nd Canadian Man - I'd probably send Chiu seeing as Orzel completely imploded here in Saitama.

3) Italian Pair - I expect it will be Conti/Macii even though Ghilardi/Ambrosini have the higher WS due to the points they earned last season.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I think TPTB and the fans in Japan would be WTF?? if Conti/Macii didn't get the nod.

I'd forgotten that Levito is/is likely not participating. Then, I revise my comment: the Japanese Fed and TV people probably don't care who the first or second Italian, French, US, or Canadian woman is. It's a showdown between Japan and Korea.

For the exhibition, I'd invite Schott, since they'd have an additional potential spot if they invite Hendrickx and Fear/Gibson.