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February 21, 2004
From Yano, another 1500m gold anniversary piece - a background you can download. Click thumbnail for the large version - enjoy!
February 20, 2004 Here's the latest anniversary art from PinkishFunk - 2 years today since the 1500m final in Salt Lake!
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 | 10:07 AM | Comments [18]February 19, 2004 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 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 | 04:08 PM | Comments [18]February 18, 2004 1500m Start Line, Bormio 2/12/04 Hyun-kon Kim (KOR), Apolo Anton Ohno (USA), Mathieu Turcotte (CAN) Bormio 1500m Semi, 2/12/04 Nicola Rodigari (ITA), Apolo Anton Ohno (USA), Jiajun Li (CHN) 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) The guys get ready for the relay Did Apolo pick up a local gesture? ;) Rusty exchanges to Apolo 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 World Cup #6 overall classification - ladies 2003-04 Overall Rankings - Men 2003-04 Overall Rankings - Ladies 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 | 08:07 PM | Comments [8]February 17, 2004 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 | 07:16 PM | Comments [15]February 16, 2004 Thanks to PinkishFunk for this artwork commemorating the 2-year anniversary of Apolo's 1000m final at the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
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