events

U.S. Figure Skating Seeks Confirmation Regarding Kwan's Timing Deduction

(3/26/04) - U.S. Figure Skating has filed a protest with the International Skating Union on the timing deduction assessed to Michelle Kwan in the short program at the 2004 World Figure Skating Championships in Dortmund, Germany.

U.S. Figure Skating President Chuck Foster had the following statement: "All week long Michelle Kwan's music has been timed at 2:40. Our question is how then can the timing be off in the performance? That's the reason for the protest - to confirm that the timing of the performance was correct."

Kwan was timed at 2:42 during the short program on March 26, surpassing the 2:40 maximum time limit. For this she received a timing deduction of 0.1 for each mark from each judge.

The ISU Special Regulations Figure Skating states in rule 305: “The time must be reckoned from the moment the skater begins to move or to skate until arriving at a complete stop at the end of the program. If competitor/s fail to finish the short program within the time limit, there should be a 0.1 deduction in the marks for required elements and presentation for up to every 10 seconds in excess. The timekeepers must inform the referees who must then advise the judges of the number of seconds in excess.”

Kwan's marks put her in fourth place following the short program behind Sasha Cohen (USA, first), Shizuka Arakawa (JPN, second) and Miki Ando (JPN, third). During the World Championships three different performances count towards a skater's final score in the competition. The qualifying round is 20 percent and is given a factor of 0.4; the short program is 30 percent and has a factor of 0.6; the free skate is 50 percent and has a factor of 1.0.

The protest has been filed with the ISU. The result of the assessment is expected to be announced before the ladies free skate taking place on Saturday, March 27, at 7 a.m. EST (1 p.m. at the event in Dortmund).