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February 21, 2004
1500m Gold Background
From Yano, another 1500m gold anniversary piece - a background you can download. Click thumbnail for the large version - enjoy!
Posted by noelle at 12:42 PM | Comments (15)
February 20, 2004
1500m art
Here's the latest anniversary art from PinkishFunk - 2 years today since the 1500m final in Salt Lake!
Posted by noelle at 11:18 PM | Comments (12)
Post-Bormio Reflections - Refereeing
Post-Bormio Reflections - Refereeing
1500m heat: Fabio Carta asks the starter to hold his fire so he can remove an object from the ice
This morning I was thinking about the judging/refereeing in short track in general, an aspect of short track that remains pretty opaque to spectators. I think (in)consistency is a real problem in this sport, although people say it was worse in the past.
I described the questionable calls against Apolo at the time they happened. Later I spent time talking to a European coach who has issues with short track referees in general. I was surprised to hear that he believes refs make biased calls based on their nationalities. He gave a couple examples from Bormio (which I can't remember - although there was a British ref, and he said that the outcome of one call was meant to benefit a British skater).
He thought the decision to reverse the DQ of Franceschina in Apolo's 500m semifinal was outrageous and that it was done to please the locals. Apparently there is a rule that says once refs have announced to the coaches that a skater is DQ'ed, they can't reverse the DQ -- which is exactly what did happen after that 500m semi. (But this baffles me too. If that is the rule, how could a coach ever challenge a call? You can't protest a decision that hasn't been announced.)
This coach also believes that the ISU and referees try in arbitrary ways to make it difficult for coaches to challenge calls. He said in the past they did so by requiring coaches to provide a written description of which rule was broken. So rather than be caught unprepared, his solution was to prepare boilerplate copies from the rulebook of various infractions, and when he thought a call went against his skater, he simply handed the appropriate paper to the refs. He says they no longer require written documentation, but make it difficult in other ways, sometimes refusing to accept any challenges. You have to admit though that if it was open season on every unpopular decision, short track would descend into chaos pretty quickly.
I want to say that I have no reason to think the refs in Bormio were biased or unfair in any way. It's a very subjective process, which means that people will make honest mistakes. Jen and I spent a good deal of time speaking with one of the refs in Bormio, and there is no doubt in my mind that this individual wanted nothing but to ensure the fairness of the event for all of the skaters. Being a ref is in many ways a thankless task because someone is always going to be unhappy with you.
The aspect of the judging from last weekend that I find fault with was the starting. I don't know if you all were aware, watching Live CSB, how many false starts there were. Nearly every heat in the 1500m had a false start, as well as the 500m (more normal) and many of the 1000m heats as well. At one point on Sunday, Rusty remarked he'd been called for a false start 5 races in a row - from his 500m heat, quarter, semi and final the day before through to his 1000m heat. It seemed that the starter was holding all the skaters too long at the line. Having to wait a couple extra beats in the ready position while trying to anticipate the gun sets skaters up for a false start. Two (and maybe three) skaters in Bormio got DQ'ed for 2 false starts in a row, which almost never happens. It seems like the ISU could do more to ensure uniformity in these procedures so the skaters know what is expected of them from event to event, rather than being subjected to the style of whoever is pulling duty any given weekend.
Speaking of the ISU, at one point I asked someone a question that began, 'Why does the ISU...?' and got cut off. 'Why does the ISU do anything it does? No one knows!' was the wry answer I got.
This sport remains a mystery is many ways!
Posted by noelle at 10:07 AM | Comments (18)
February 19, 2004
A pair of articles
A pair of articles
1. This is a lovely article about the Bay State Speedskating Club, which produced Caroline Hallisey, Eric Flaim and Dan Weinstein:
Dan Weinstein, still wearing his national team gear
First steps at speed skating: "Two winters ago, as speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno flew around the short track to Olympic gold, I was mesmerized. The balletic synchrony of a pack of skaters, their speed, and their appearance of hardly moving their bodies at all."
Read more (via Boston Globe)
2. Stars Shine Bright At Winter Sports Festival: "In the spotlight on Thursday was short track skating star Kim Dong-sung, who participated in the men’s 500-meter race. 'I am content with the result, but not completely. I will try my best to get back on the national team,' Kim said." Read more (via Korea Times)
Posted by noelle at 4:08 PM | Comments (18)
February 18, 2004
1500m start line
1500m Start Line, Bormio 2/12/04
Hyun-kon Kim (KOR), Apolo Anton Ohno (USA), Mathieu Turcotte (CAN)
Posted by noelle at 10:06 PM | Comments (11)
Bormio 1500m Semi
Bormio 1500m Semi, 2/12/04
Nicola Rodigari (ITA), Apolo Anton Ohno (USA), Jiajun Li (CHN)
Posted by noelle at 10:03 PM | Comments (3)
1500m Podium
It's not easy to make it to the top: Apolo climbs up to the top of the 1500m podium, joining Suk-woo Song (KOR) and Mathieu Turcotte (CAN)
Posted by noelle at 10:01 PM | Comments (16)
Pre-relay
The guys get ready for the relay
Posted by noelle at 9:59 PM | Comments (2)
Italian gesture
Did Apolo pick up a local gesture? ;)
Posted by noelle at 9:58 PM | Comments (5)
Relay
Rusty exchanges to Apolo
Posted by noelle at 9:56 PM | Comments (0)
Bormio Wrapup
Bormio Wrapup
I couldn't post results from the finals while I was in Bormio. I won't post them all now, but here are some noteworthy stats from the weekend:
World Cup #6 overall classification - men
1. Apolo Anton OHNO (USA) 68 pts
2. Mathieu TURCOTTE (CAN) 55 pts
3. Steve ROBILLARD (CAN) 45 pts
4. JiaJun LI (CHN) 36 pts
5. Suk-Woo SONG (KOR) 34 pts
6. Rusty SMITH (USA) 32 pts
World Cup #6 overall classification - ladies
1. Eun-Kyung CHOI (KOR) 89 pts
2. Tianyu FU (CHN) 63 pts
3. Meng WANG (CHN) 63 pts
4. Min-Jee KIM (KOR) 55 pts
5. Marta CAPURSO (ITA) 29 pts
6. Xiaolei CHENG (CHN) 10 pts
*********
2003-04 Overall Rankings - Men
1. Hyun-Soo AHN (KOR) 198 pts
2. Suk-Woo SONG (KOR) 194 pts
3. Apolo Anton OHNO (USA) 193 pts*
4. JiaJun LI (CHN) 186 pts
5. Jonathan GUILMETTE (CAN) 184 pts
20. Rusty SMITH (USA) 126 pts
51. J.P. KEPKA (USA) 57 pts
67. Misi TOTH (USA) 30 pts
*While the race for 2nd was tight, Song had to finish lower than 6th in Bormio in order for Apolo to overtake him for 2nd overall for the season.
2003-04 Overall Rankings - Ladies
1. Eun-Kyung CHOI (KOR) 200 pts
2. Chun-Sa BYUN (KOR) 197 pts
3. Meng WANG (CHN) 191 pts
4. Tianyu FU (CHN) 188 pts
5. Amelie GOULET-NADON (CAN) 187 pts
14. Caroline HALLISEY (USA) 151 pts
19. Allison BAVER (USA) 140 pts
37. Maria GARCIA (USA) 58 pts
47. Brigid FARRELL (USA) 33 pts
*********
Yes, the ice was fast in Bormio. How fast? Four USA skaters set new personal records. Congratulations to Rusty Smith and Caroline Hallisey, who both also established new American records in the process!
- Rusty turned in a couple of personal records in Bormio. He skated his silver-medal winning 500m final Friday in 41.556. In addition, he was part of the World Record-breaking 1000m semifinal on Saturday. His time of 1:24.938 bettered his previous personal best at this distance by nearly 2.5 seconds and set a new American record in the process!
- Caroline also lowered her personal best in the 1000m with a time of 1:32.975 in her heat on Saturday. This time was fast enough for a new American record in that distance!
- Allison Baver has 2 new personal records: 45.844 seconds in her 500m heat, and 2:24.459 in her 1500m heat. The latter shattered her previous PB in the 1500m (set in Bormio in 2002) by nearly 6 seconds!
- Also getting a pair of PBs in Bormio was Maria Garcia, with a time of 45.671 in her 500m heat and 1:36.069 in her 1000m heat there.
Posted by noelle at 8:07 PM | Comments (8)
February 17, 2004
Korean Leapfrog Clip
Korean Leapfrog Clip
As requested, here's the brief (~10 sec.) clip of the Korean men playing leapfrog as part of their warmups prior to getting on the ice in Bormio last Wednesday. I was tempted to join in!
Latecomers: This clip has now been removed - if you missed it, contact me and I will email it to you.
Posted by noelle at 7:16 PM | Comments (15)