2021 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships

The 2021 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships were scheduled to be held from February 9–14, 2021 in Sydney, Australia.[1] Held annually since 1999, the competition would have featured skaters from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Medals were to be awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pairs, and ice dance.

2021 Four Continents Championships
Type:ISU Championship
Date:February 9 – 14
Season:2020–21
Location:Sydney, Australia
Host:Ice Skating Australia
Venue:Quaycentre
Defending champions
Men's singles:
Yuzuru Hanyu
Ladies' singles:
Rika Kihira
Pair skating:
Sui Wenjing / Han Cong
Ice dance:
Madison Chock / Evan Bates
Previous:
2020 Four Continents Championships
Next:
2022 Four Continents Championships

Sydney was announced as the host in June 2019.[2] Following the cancellation of the event on October 16, 2020, the International Skating Union provisionally awarded Sydney the right to host the 2023 edition of the event.[3] This would have been Australia's first time hosting the Four Continents, having last held an ISU Championship event in 1996.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The Australian government closed the country's borders to non-citizens in March 2020 to prevent the spread of the pandemic and, as of the event's cancellation date, had not yet reopened them.[4] In August 2020, Australia's flagship airline Qantas announced the suspension of all international flights through at least July 2021, making it unlikely for athletes to be able to travel to the competition if it were to be held.[5]

On October 14, 2020, two days before the event's official cancellation, Ice Skating Australia announced the suspension of all ticket sales until further notice.[6]

The ISU and various host federations had already cancelled several events earlier in the season, including the 2020–21 ISU Junior Grand Prix, several 2020–21 ISU Challenger Series events, and the 2020 Skate Canada International.

Qualification

Age and minimum TES requirements

The competition was to be open to skaters from all non-European member nations of the International Skating Union. The corresponding competition for European skaters was scheduled to be the 2021 European Championships, before it was cancelled in December 2020.[7]

Skaters would have been eligible for the 2021 Four Continents Championships if they turned 15 years of age before July 1, 2020 and met the minimum technical elements score requirements. The ISU accepts scores if they were obtained at senior-level ISU-recognized international competitions at least 21 days before the first official practice day of the championships.[1]

Minimum technical scores (TES)
Discipline SP / RD FS / FD
Men2846
Ladies2340
Pairs2542
Ice dance2844
Must be achieved at an ISU-recognized international event
in the ongoing or preceding season.
SP/RD and FS/FD scores may be attained at different events.

Number of entries per discipline

Each qualifying ISU member nation may have up to three entries per discipline.[8]

Schedule
Date Discipline Time Segment
Thursday, February 11 All 13:15 Opening ceremony
Ladies 14:10 Short program
Men 18:45 Short program
Friday, February 12 Ice dance 12:45 Rhythm dance
Pairs 16:00 Short program
Ladies 19:00 Free skating
Saturday, February 13 Pairs 15:00 Free skating
Men 19:00 Free skating
Sunday, February 14 Ice dance 12:30 Free dance
All 17:30 Exhibition gala
All times are listed in local time (UTC+11:00).[1]

Entries

Member nations had yet to announce their selections at the time of cancellation.

References
  1. "Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2021 Announcement". International Skating Union.
  2. "Provisional allotments of ISU Championships 2021 and 2022". International Skating Union. June 15, 2019.
  3. "Cancellation of ISU Four Continents Championships 2021 and Provisional allotments of ISU Championships 2022 and 2023" (Press release). International Skating Union. October 16, 2020.
  4. Waterhouse, Jonah (September 8, 2020). "When Exactly Will Australia's Borders Reopen?". Elle Australia.
  5. Han, Sol (August 19, 2020). "Australia's Qantas says international flights 'unlikely' to resume before July 2021". CNN.
  6. Four Continents Championships 2021 [@4CC2021Sydney] (October 14, 2020). "Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, tickets for the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2021 have been postponed until further notice" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. "Update on ISU Event Calendar season 2020/21". International Skating Union. December 10, 2020.
  8. "Communication No. 2336: Entries for ISU Figure Skating and Synchronized Skating Championships 2021". International Skating Union. July 23, 2020.
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