Why Such a Gap in the Women’s Competition?
As regular readers will know, the Canadian Championships are my favourite competition of the year. I’m thoroughly enjoying this year’s competition in London, Ontario and think the Olympic roster is stacking up well.
While watching Joannie Rochette put together the error-free program she’s been grasping for all season, my husband asked a very good question: “Why are Rochette and Cynthia Phaneuf so far ahead of the rest of the field?” True, the ladies behind them are laying down the triples, but their programs are missing the artistry and attention to detail that Rochette and Phaneuf need to compete with the rest of the world.
Why is the skills gap between 2nd and 3rd place so dramatic? It seems to me that it must come down to resources. Skate Canada must put considerably more resources toward these top two skaters than they put toward skaters who place 3rd and below. Better coaching, top choreography and frequent work with sports psychologists give these skaters an edge. While this seems to make sense, especially in an Olympic year, it’s problematic long term because it simply reinforces the status quo instead of giving young skaters a real shot at the top.
Skate Canada provides funding to the skaters who place in the top five at Canadians. As a result, the same skaters win time after time. Rochette has now won six Canadian Championships. Under this system, skaters with real talent but too few resources to break the top five don’t get the support they need.
Figure skating clings to the status quo; it’s been the sport’s downfall and fans still aren’t convinced the sport is changing for the better. Figure skating could take some lessons from the NHL, which takes a different approach. The league constantly tries to fight legacy teams, bringing in the salary cap a number of years ago to try to even the playing field. The result is a more exciting league and happier fans. While changes to the figure skating scoring system has made inroads towards fairer competition, the funding system at Skate Canada seems to reinforce the old-school notion that “legacy” skaters must stay at the top of their field year after year, perhaps to the detriment of younger skaters.
January 17th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Sorry, but the funding that they receive is not enough to make any difference. (i was told what it was, but will not say as i forget exactly) I remember saying that it was not even enough to keep them in skates for the year.
I wish that skate canada would fully support their skaters so that they did not have to find raise or work still while they are training.
As for the gap, i am not sure why there would be such a difference other than Joannie’s many, many years at the top (oh, and performing at ice shows, where she learns from the big guns AND gets paid)
January 31st, 2010 at 4:42 pm
I happen to know that Skate Canada does give money for certain scores at international competitions. For example, a skater I am close to received a great deal of money (I don’t know the exact amount, but $5,000-9,000 or so) for a certain score at her second JGP this season.
It just seems to me that their juniors and novice ladies aren’t particularly strong either. The field isn’t nearly as competitive all the way down. For example, last years’ junior ladies champion had a program that would have certainly been competitive at US nationals, but she missed many elements, popped jumps, and fell a few times, including on a spin entry. That program would never have placed at US nationals, but was enough for a win in Canada. They produce some great skaters, but it seems like raising the consistency and quality sooner would be necessary to create a world calibre team of more of their seniors.