‘We are in for a treat’
Excitement grows for battle of world’s top teams by KAMA KORVELA
Which continent has the best skaters in the world? A new team competition hopes to answer that very question. Te inaugural KOSÉ Team Challenge
Cup will take place April 22–24 at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington. Forty-two skaters representing Team Asia, Team Eu- rope and Team North America will compete for more than $600,000 in prize money — and bragging rights — in a unique team for- mat. Skaters will be grouped together based on the continent they represent. “It’s like the Ryder Cup in men’s golf [a head-to-head event between Europe and the U.S. held every other year] and an all-star game combined,” U.S. Figure Skating Chief Marketing Officer Ramsey Baker said. “It’s a competition, but it’s fan-friendly and a cel- ebration of sorts for the competitors at the end of the season.” Athletes were invited to participate
based on the International Skating Union’s (ISU) World Standings as of Jan. 1, 2016. One lady and one man will be added to each team through a Captain’s Pick fan vote. 2016 KOSÉ Team Challenge Cup kicks
off Friday night, April 22, with a head-to- head singles competition. Te team earning the most combined points will be crowned the winner, while the woman and man earn- ing the highest total score will be recognized as well. Defending World champion Elizaveta
Tuktamisheva (Russia), 2015 World silver medalist Satoko Miyahara (Japan) and two- time U.S. champion Gracie Gold lead the ladies, but the fan vote will make this field even more exciting with Russia’s Elena Ra- dionova and Evgenia Medvedeva, Japan’s Rika Hongo and Americans Ashley Wagner and Polina Edmunds all nominated for the fan vote. Defending World bronze medalist
Dennis Ten of Kazakhstan leads a men’s field that even before the fan vote has four of the world’s top 10 men. Two-time Russian champion Sergei Voronov and 2015 U.S. champion Jason Brown will surely electrify crowds.
Te excitement will intensify Saturday,
April 23, as all four disciplines will compete for the Team Challenge Cup title. “I feel like it will be an event that’s
just as exciting for the skaters as it is for the fans,” Brown said. “Also, I’m looking forward to returning to
14 APRIL 2016 Denis Ten W
Spokane. Te fans there are absolutely in- credible. I think we are in for a treat.” Team-format competitions have grown in popularity since the ISU World Team Trophy was introduced in 2009. After the team event debuted at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, it was obvi- ous that fans not only enjoyed cheering for individual skaters, but for teams as well. “I loved being part of the team event
at the 2014 Sochi Olympics,” Gold said. “Te unique format of Team Challenge Cup allows for a very interesting mix of skaters. Having the opportunity to compete in my home country, especially in one of my favor- ite cities, is a gift.” Spokane, known as “Skate City USA,”
has hosted several major skating competi- tions, including the 2007 and 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. U.S. Fig- ure Skating is partnering with Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment to host the event. “We expect Spokane to once again be an outstanding host for this one-of-a-kind competition,” U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director David Raith said. “Tey have the strength and support to take on this inaugu- ral international event.” A captain will lead each of the three teams into action. Japan’s Shizu- ka Arakawa, the 2006 Olym- pic ladies champion, will serve as Team Asia’s captain. Great Britain’s Christopher Dean, the 1984 Olympic ice dance champion with Jayne Torvill, is Team Eu- rope’s captain. And Ameri- can Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1992 Olympic champi- on, will guide Team North America. KOSÉ Team
Challenge Cup also offers an-
CBS, 1–3 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 24
The competition will be streamed live on icenetwork.
TICKETS: All-event ticket packages and single-session tickets are available. Tickets start at $25 and can be pur- chased at all TicketsWest outlets, by phone at
800.325.SEAT, online at
TeamChallengeCup.com or at the Spokane Arena box office.
Gracie Gold
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