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| USFSA.org |
Team Japan won the event and Team Canada came in third. This is only the second time the ISU has held a team competition—the last one was held in 2009, when Team USA took home the gold. There was to have been another last year, but the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March of 2011 put a hold on things. From here on out it looks like this competition will be held every two years.
Skaters on a recreational level are no strangers to team competitions, especially if they've ever participated in ISI-sanctioned events. SCNY has been incorporating a team event at Mid Atlantics for the No-Test through Pre-Juvenile events for a few years now, using a scoring method similar to that used in the World Team Trophy competitions.
To participate in the Mids team competition, all you have to do is indicate your home rink on your entry form—that will be the team that you skate for. Many skaters skate at multiple rinks, so the choice as to which rink you represent is yours. That is all you need to do and there are no additional events or fees. The winning team will be awarded a trophy to take home to their rink.
Sochi 2014 is slated to make Olympic history by featuring a team competition for the first time. I'm a huge fan of watching figure skating's summer cousin, gymnastics, which seems to place more emphasis on the overall team aspect of competitions than the individual's performance. I always wondered why figure skating events on a world scale didn't have a similar team competition. I feel like it amps up the spirit and collegiality of a skating competition when you're not just in it for yourself.
To participate in the Mids team competition, all you have to do is indicate your home rink on your entry form—that will be the team that you skate for. Many skaters skate at multiple rinks, so the choice as to which rink you represent is yours. That is all you need to do and there are no additional events or fees. The winning team will be awarded a trophy to take home to their rink.
Sochi 2014 is slated to make Olympic history by featuring a team competition for the first time. I'm a huge fan of watching figure skating's summer cousin, gymnastics, which seems to place more emphasis on the overall team aspect of competitions than the individual's performance. I always wondered why figure skating events on a world scale didn't have a similar team competition. I feel like it amps up the spirit and collegiality of a skating competition when you're not just in it for yourself.
What do you think? Should there be more team competitions in the higher echelons of figure skating? Let us know in the comments section below!
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