ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2008
Preview
The 2008 ISU World Figure Skating Championships will open
in the Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden, on March
18. A record number of 203 skaters/couples from 48 ISU members
have been entered for the World Championships. Puerto Rico
is represented for the first time at ISU World Championships
with one entry in the Ladies division. Following a decision
of the 51st Ordinary Congress of the ISU in June 2006, no
Qualifying Rounds will be skated. All single skaters will
compete in the Short Program, and the top 24 will proceed
to the Free Skating. The World Championships return to Sweden
for the first time in 32 years. Gothenburg hast hosted World
Championships once before in 1976. Overall, Sweden has hosted
World Championships seven times before in Stockholm in 1947,
1934, 1922, 1909, 1905, 1901 and 1897.
Overview over the top contenders
Reigning World Champion Brian Joubert (FRA) is keen on defending
his title, but competition will be extremely tough. World
silver medallist Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) has had a great season
so far and posted a new personal best and record score of
264.41 points at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
in Goyang, Korea in February. His only defeat this season
so far was handed to him by two-time World Champion Stéphane
Lambiel (SUI), who beat the Japanese at the ISU Grand Prix
of Figure Skating Final in December where he also earned his
new personal best of 239.10 points. Lambiel is the reigning
World bronze medallist and finished second at the 2008 European
Championships. Joubert was third at the European Championships
and scored a season’s best of 219.45 points in Zagreb.
The Frenchman had missed his second Grand Prix competition
in November and subsequently didn’t qualify for the
Grand Prix Final as he was suffering from a virus.
Tomas Verner (CZE) upset both Lambiel and Joubert at the
European Championships to win the first European gold for
a Czech man in 16 years. He achieved a new personal best of
232.67 points in Zagreb. Jeffrey Buttle (CAN) took the silver
medal at the Four Continents Championships and wants to be
back on the World podium (seasons and personal best 234.02
points). Other contenders are Johnny Weir (USA/seasons best
231.78), Canadian Champion Patrick Chan (seasons best 214.94),
Russian Champion Sergei Voronov (seasons best 210.13) and
2007 World Junior Champion Stephen Carriere (USA/seasons best
218.30 points). Two-time World bronze medallist Evan Lysacek
(USA) withdrew Thursday (March 13) due to a shoulder injury.
Reigning World Champion Miki Ando (JPN) will face stiff competition
not only from teammate and last year’s runner up Mao
Asada. Ando so far hasn’t won yet a competition this
season, but is determined to defend her title and plans to
use her ultimate weapon – the quadruple Salchow. Ando
is the first and so far only Lady to have landed a quadruple
jump in competition (at the 2002 Junior Grand Prix Final).
She earned her seasons best score of 177.66 points at the
ISU Four Continents Championships, where she came in third.
Asada won the event with a seasons best of 193.25 points.
Defending World bronze medallist Yu-Na Kim missed Four Continents
because of a hip/back injury but hoped to be back in full
force for Gothenburg. The Korean posted the highest seasons
best of any Lady so far with 197.20 points at the Cup of Russia.
Top skaters from Europe and North America are ready to challenge
the Asian stars. Joannie Rochette (CAN) comes off a second-place
finish at the Four Continents Championships (seasons best
179.54 points). European Champion and Grand Prix Final bronze
medallist Carolina Kostner (ITA) is aiming for a second World
medal after 2005. She achieved her seasons best of 178.93
points at the Final in Torino. 2006 World Champion Kimmie
Meissner (USA) hopes for a comeback in Sweden (seasons best
163.23 points). Others to watch include Grand Prix finalist
Yukari Nakano (JPN/seasons best 172.96 points), European silver
medallist Sarah Meier (SUI/seasons best 169.44), European
bronze medallist Laura Lepistö (FIN/seasons best 165.65).
The Pairs event focuses on a Chinese-German battle. Aliona
Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER) enter the World Championships
as the favourites after cruising to gold at the European Championships
and winning the Grand Prix Final (seasons best 202.39 points).
However, they were beaten once this season – by Dan
Zhang/Hao Zhang (CHN) at the Cup of Russia. The 2006 World
and Olympic silver medallist come with a season’s best
score of 196.96 points to Sweden. 2006 World Champions and
reigning World silver medallists Qing Pang/Jian Tong (CHN)
have improved from competition to competition this season
and won the ISU Four Continents Championships ahead of Zhang/Zhang
last month, earning a seasonal best of 187.33 points.
Some other couples are waiting for their chance to shine
as well: European silver medallists Maria Mukhortova/Maxim
Trankov (RUS/seasons best 179.82 points), European bronze
medallists Yuko Kawaguchi/Alexander Smirnov (RUS/seasons best
181.71 points), Grand Prix finalists Jessica Dubé/Bryce
Davison (CAN/seasons best 174.20 points) and Tatiana Volosozhar/Stanislav
Morozov (UKR/seasons best 163.43 points), who finished fourth
at the 2007 World Championships. Back in action are also Rena
Inoue/John Baldwin (USA), who sat out the Grand Prix series
earlier this season and finished fourth at the Four Continents
Championships (seasons best 156.00 points).
The Ice Dancing competition promises to be very interesting
and close. Reigning World bronze medallists Tanith Belbin/Benjamin
Agosto and 2007 European Champions Isabelle Delobel/Olivier
Schoenfelder (FRA) finished second and third at the Grand
Prix Final, separated by just 0.74 points. The French Champions
scored a seasons best of 205.92 points at the European Championships
in Zagreb, were they finished a close second to Oksana Domnina/Maxim
Shabalin (RUS). Belbin/Agosto’s seasons best dates from
the Cup of China with 195.11 points. Up and coming couples
are eager to challenge the leaders in Gothenburg. Tessa Virtue/Scott
Moir (CAN) won the ISU Four Continents Championships with
a new season’s best of 207.32 points. Meryl Davis/Charlie
White (USA) were ranked second in Korea and earned a season’s
best of 199.45 points. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski (RUS)
picked up a season’s best of 197.06 points when they
took the bronze medal at the ISU European Championships in
January.
Domnina/Shabalin withdrew from the World Championships on
March 12, citing injury. According to a press release from
the Russian Figure Skating Federation, Shabalin re-injured
his left knee in practice. He underwent meniscus surgery in
December 2007.
Note that for the seasonal best total scores only ISU Championships
and the ISU Grand Prix competitions are taken into consideration,
not other international competitions or National Championships.
There is also no Compulsory Dance skated at the Grand Prix
Final so ice dancers didn’t score a seasons best at
this event.
Prize money and World Standings Bonus
The ISU awards a global prize money of US$ 710,000 at the
World Figure Skating Championships to skaters/couples placed
1st to 12th. The prize money is awarded to winners and placed
skaters/couples as follows:
Men and Ladies Pairs and Dance (per couple)
1st place US$ 45,000 1st place US$ 67,500
2nd place US$ 27,000 2nd place US$ 40,500
3rd place US$ 18,000 3rd place US$ 27,000
4th place US$ 13,000 4th place US$ 19,500
5th place US$ 10,000 5th place US$ 15,000
6th place US$ 7,000 6th place US$ 10,500
7th place US$ 6,000 7th place US$ 9,000
8th place US$ 5,000 8th place US$ 7,500
9th place US$ 3,500 9th place US$ 5,250
10th place US$ 3,000 10th place US$ 4,500
11th place US$ 2,500 11th place US$ 3,750
12th place US$ 2,000 12th place US$ 3,000
By competing in the ISU World Figure Skating Championships
the athletes earn points towards the World Standings as well.
The three skaters/couples per discipline having earned most
World Standing points during the 2007/2008 season will be
awarded with the World Standings Bonus. The following amounts
will be awarded to the concerned skaters/couples:
Ladies & Men Pairs & Dance (per couple)
1st: US$ 45,000 1st: US$ 67,500
2nd: US$ 27,000 2nd: US$ 40,500
3rd: US$ 18,000 3rd: US$ 27,000
So far, Daisuke Takahashi is leading the 2007/2008 standings
for the Men with 1960 points ahead of Stéphane Lambiel
(1916 points) and Tomas Verner (1889). The new World Champion
will receive 1200 points, the silver medallist gets 1150 points
and the bronze medallist 1100 points for the ISU World Standings.
Last season, Takahashi won the top prize ahead of Brian Joubert.
In the Ladies, Carolina Kostner tops the ranking with 2341
points, followed by Mao Asada (1960) and World Junior silver
medallist Caroline Zhang (USA/1587 points), who will not compete
in Gothenburg. Asada and Yu-Na Kim were tied in first place
last year and both received the full prize money for the first
place.
Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER) have accumulated 2290
points this season and currently in the lead ahead of Qing
Pang/Jian Tong (1888 points) and Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang (1876
points). Savchenko/Szolkowy and Zhang/Zhang were tied in second
place last year. 2007 World Champions Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao
had won the World Standing bonus.
The top ranked ice dancing team are Isabelle Delobel/Olivier
Schoenfelder, who collected 2054 points this season so far.
Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin are currently standing in second
place with 2040 points ahead of Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (1823
points). Domnina/Shabalin were ranked third in the bonus race
last year. The winners were Albena Denkova/Maxim Staviski
(BUL), who have retired from competition.
The schedule of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships
2008 is as follows:
Tuesday, March 18: Compulsory Dance, Pairs Short Program
Wednesday, March 19: Ladies Short Program, Pairs Free Skating
Thursday, March 20: Original Dance, Ladies Free Skating
Friday, March 21: Men Short Program, Free Dance
Saturday, March 22: Men Free Skating
Sunday, March 23: Exhibition Gala
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