The ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating is a figure skating team competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union. The World Team Trophy was held for the first time in Tokyo, Japan from April 16 to 19, 2009. Traditionally, the competitive skating season had concluded with the World Figure Skating Championships. The new event was announced at a news conference during the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships, in the hope of encouraging countries to develop top figure skaters in all disciplines.[1]
[edit] Competition and participants
Selected skaters from the six countries with the best results during the season compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing in a team format. The participating countries in the inaugural event were (in descending order of finish) the USA, Canada, Japan, France, Russia and China. The Japan Skating Federation paid the global prize money for the ISU World Team Trophy in 2009. [2] Total prize money in 2009 was 1,000,000 USD, the highest ever in an ISU event [3]
[edit] Criticism and reactions
There were reports that some of the participating skaters did not wish to take part in the event. Canadian ice dancer Scott Moir was quoted as saying that although the event was fun, skaters had been pressured to attend.[4]
U.S. ice dancer Tanith Belbin told an interviewer that she and partner Benjamin Agosto had not been aware of the event until after the 2009 World Championships. Evan Lysacek, who had won the World Championship shortly before the World Team Trophy, was quoted in the same article as saying he was excited and looking forward to competing in Japan as part of the American team, referring to the event as "icing on the cake".[5]
[edit] Team standings
Team USA at the 2009 World Team Trophy medal ceremony.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating
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Tokyo
United States
Canada
