Adult Skaters Set Their Sights on First ISU-Sanctioned International Competition
by Michele Cooper, Special to U.S. Figure Skating Online |
| Paula Smart was part of the working group that helped create the first ISU-sanctioned adult competition. She will also compete at the event. Photo by Paul Harvath |
(3/23/05) — The first ISU-sanctioned adult international competition will take place in Oberstdorf, Germany, June 10–12, marking a major milestone in the evolution of competitive adult skating. The application deadline is April 1, April Fool's Day, but adult figure skaters all over the world know that it's no joke.
“With an international competition sponsored by the ISU, adult skating has really come of age,” said Caroline Thornton, a skater from the Washington, D.C. area who will be competing at the silver III level in Oberstdorf.
Isabelle Setzkorn, from Le Havre, France, agreed.
“We never (thought) that there would be an ISU-approved adult competition,” said Setzkorn, who will compete with her husband, Bert, at the gold dance level in Oberstdorf. “We are very happy about this development and proud to take part in this first event. We want to make a real success of this event, because if it is a success – and I know it will be – perhaps the clubs in France and (throughout) Europe will better accept the adult skaters.”
A Long, Slow Process
Former U.S. Figure Skating Adult Committee Chair Rhea Schwartz originally proposed the idea of an ISU-sponsored international adult event to ISU President Ottavia Cinquanta in 2001. Schwartz, who was one of the driving forces behind the U.S. Figure Skating adult test structure and the first national championships in 1995, followed up with Cinquanta at the 2003 World Championships in Washington, D.C., and plans unfolded.
In November 2003, Cinquanta approved a working group to pursue the possibility of such an event. The group included Schwartz, former U.S. Adult Committee Chair Paula Smart, Switzerland's Wolfgang Stummer and France's Barbara Standke, who has organized the Mountain Cup Adult International Competition for many years.
“Of course, this is the one that most of our adult skaters have been waiting for,” Standke said. “We are surely all going to Oberstdorf with high hopes of getting recognition from the ISU.”
Since the Oberstdorf competition is designated as an ISU pilot program to gauge the interest level of adult skating in countries outside of the United States, Schwartz encourages adult skaters everywhere to sign up before the April 1 deadline for a good turnout.
“This is very exciting, but we're not there yet,” Schwartz said. “We have to pull this off.”
A Challenge in Itself
Schwartz, noting that former U.S. Figure Skating President Phyllis Howard was also instrumental in talking to Cinquanta about an ISU-sanctioned event for adults, said the biggest challenge in gaining approval had to do with logistics.
“I think adult skating was not on the ISU's radar screen,” Schwartz said. “It's never been a focus, even though speed skating has had a masters program for a long time (overseen by the ISU). It (speed skating) has the advantage of being a sport that's against the clock. Competitions are easier to deal with, easier to organize. The figure skating element in the ISU has just never dealt with adults.”
In addition, most ISU member federations do not recognize adult skating and do not have any programs or test structures for adult skaters.
Schwartz recalled similar challenges when creating the first U.S. Adult Championships.
“This recreates the same problems we had in the U.S., where judges had never seen adult skaters,” she said. “Their expectations were zero, and that will be a problem here at this competition. This is really a pilot to see who comes out and what their skill level is.”
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| Isabelle and Bert Setzkorn from France will be competing in the first ISU adult sanctioned competition. |
Although Schwartz said the Oberstdorf competition is a natural outgrowth of the success of the program in the United States, the application form reveals some notable departures from the familiar U.S. Figure Skating adult structure.
First is the age range. Skaters must be 30 years old to enter (they must have turned 30 by July 1, 2004), rather than 25, and the top end cut-off is 65. The U.S. has no maximum age.
“Mr. Cinquanta was very concerned that in the ISU universe, in the World Championships, there are lot of older skaters doing dance and pairs,” said Schwartz. “He didn't want there to be any confusion or any siphoning off (of athletes). He wanted to make sure that this looked like an adult competition.”
Other differences include no test requirements, a nod to the fact that most countries do not have adult figure skating tests. Instead, skaters are asked to identify themselves on the application according to jumping ability – Axel, no Axel, double jumps or single jumps. That's how organizers approached the first Mountain Cup competition.
“The structure for the competition in Oberstdorf is very clear as to what each level is required to do, and skaters can enter where they feel most comfortable,” said Smart, the 2004 U.S. gold ladies bronze medalist who will compete at gold III level in Oberstdorf.
Dance events have also been designed to be user-friendly. Unlike U.S. adult competitions, where ice dancing teams must skate three events — compulsory dance, original dance and free dance — in Oberstdorf teams can choose to compete in only one dance if they like, or if they prefer they can compete in all three.
“We did this because dancing is much more popular outside of the U.S. with adult skaters,” Schwartz said. “Even where there is no competitive structure, like Switzerland or Italy, social adult skating is primarily dance. We wanted to attract as many of these people as possible, so we created an encouraging environment for ice dancers.”
Interpretive events – immensely popular at U.S. competitions and the Mountain Cup – will not be a part of the Oberstdorf experience, “because they do not exist in the ISU realm,” Schwartz said.
The most exciting difference, however, is the use of the new ISU judging system.
“That's what I'm most looking forward to – seeing how my skating stacks up in the new system I've read so much about,” said Tim Fisher from the Washington, D.C. area, who will compete in men's silver freestyle, age group II. “I'm also looking forward to skating in this amazing venue and experiencing the special camaraderie of adult competition on the international stage.”
Off to Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf is a fabulous venue with two rinks, and it's loaded with skating history. Schwartz likened the charm of the area to Lake Placid.
With the April 1 application deadline looming, adult skaters everywhere are encouraged to sign up soon.
“This competition will be the key to the future of adult skating within the ISU, so we need to make it a success,” Standke said. “Therefore, we need the help from as many skaters as possible to show to the ISU that there is a need to support adult skating in the future.”
Schwartz agreed.
“Participation is the key,” she said. “The ISU needs to see that the adults are behind this. I'm really looking forward to it.”
Download the announcement and entry form here.
