Wilkes: Olympic Eligibility
 Debbi Wilkes
1/16/2006 This time Skate Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee are on the same page about qualifications for Canada's skating team in Torino next month.
Thinking back over the last couple of Winter Games, it's a refreshing departure from the long list of "must-haves" that Canadian skaters faced if they had any thoughts about being named to Canada's Olympic teams. Back in '98 and '02 the formula involved a complicated series of top 6 finishes in Grand Prix events and/or beating skaters with top 6 GP placements.
For the 2006 Games in Italy, the recipe is an old and familiar one based on the same International Skating Union (ISU) criteria for the World Championships. From last year's results at the Worlds in Moscow, Canada can send 2 Pairs, 2 Dance, 2 Women and 3 Men.
As far as technical criteria for the Games, Skate Canada has discussed with all its athletes what's expected.
Results from events at Canadians will have the most significant impact on that decision, although a podium placement does not necessarily guarantee a spot on the team. That decision will also be effected by a skater's placements and performances leading up to Canadians either from Junior and Senior Worlds last year or from the Grand Prix circuit last fall. Just to make things even tougher on the skaters, if there's still some question about who might be the best representative, the upcoming Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs could also have an impact on the make-up of the team.
Skate Canada is trying to get it right by rewarding its most accomplished and talented athletes. And they're also looking for a magic balance between inspiration, consistency and experience but despite the organization's intended fairness, it's pretty much a given that somebody's Olympic nose will be out of joint.
We've got some skaters who have enormous international experience but have still been unable to break into that top international echelon … and likely never will. Their hopes to become Olympians may be dashed by a much younger, much less experienced group of youngsters who are still improving and developing.
Nobody's admitting it but I think there could be another factor in the selection too. It's silent and unspoken - just 4 short numbers - 2010. Any potential Olympic medalist for Vancouver would gain rink-loads of experience by competing in Torino regardless of where they place. Most of the learning curve is steepest in a skater's first exposure so if they have a chance to get that out of the way this time in 2006, 2010 is looking that much sweeter.
Thankfully, in the end, the competitors at Canadians did their jobs in a way that has made the team selection a pretty easy thing for Skate Canada. All the vets produced material they can proudly carry on to Torino. The youngsters stepped up their game in a big way too and should feel proud of what they accomplished considering the value of the stakes.
Dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won't go to Italy but they still showed their incredible potential and I predict will be "the" leading force in dance for the next many years.
In Pairs Annabelle Langlois and Cody Hay missed out by a whisker too but showed off some remarkable skills after only a few months together. Coach Lee Barkell mentioned what an unbelievable year they've had … so much success in such a short period of time that it was hard not to get greedy about an Olympic berth.
And the Men!
In the recent Canadian tradition of remarkable battles - Browning vs. Stojko, Buttle vs. Sandhu - some new lines are being drawn on the ice. I predict a triumvirate of Canadian men to lead the way to 2010 - Chris Mabee, Shawn Sawyer and the new kid on the block, Patrick Chan.
The official announcement about naming the Olympic and World teams comes later today but unless my senses are completely compromised from all the insulation dropping from the roof of the Civic Centre, it's safe to say that Skate Canada will go the protocol route. Top 2 placements in Women, Pairs and Dance … and top 3 in Men.
Hopefully they'll also announce a 4 Continents team that lets the O contingent stay home and work while sending our future champions to Colorado Springs.
That decision would protect both the present and the future.
For TSN.ca, I'm Debbi Wilkes.
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