POSTED: Tuesday February 15th 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2011 will open in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, on February 17. 93 skaters/couples from 16 ISU members have been entered for the Championships. Chinese Taipei hosts an ISU Figure Skating Championship for the first time in history. All reigning World Champions in the four disciplines are competing in the event.

Overview over the top contenders

The Ice Dance event will see the season debut of reigning World and Olympic Champions Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN). World and Olympic silver medalists Meryl Davis/Charlie White (USA) are ready for the challenge after winning the Grand Prix Final with a seasons best score of 171.58 points. A group of up and coming young teams are aiming for the podium as well: Grand Prix Final bronze medalists Vanessa Crone/Paul Poirier (CAN/seasons best 154.42 points), U.S. silver medalists Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (seasons best 144.81 points), Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN/seasons best 142.34 points) and 2009 World Junior Champions Madison Chock/Greg Zuerlein (USA/seasons best 139.05 points).

Reigning World Champion Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) leads the Men and will face a stiff challenge by Grand Prix Final bronze medalist Takahiko Kozuka (JPN). Takahashi got a seasons best of 234.79 points while Kozuka scored a seasons best of 248.07 points. 2010 Four Continents Champion Adam Rippon (USA/seasons best 233.04 points) is hoping to defend his title. Others to watch out for are Jeremy Abbott (USA/seasons best 218.19 points), 2010 Four Continents bronze medalist Kevin Reynolds (CAN/seasons best 218.65 points), Armin Mahbanoozadeh (USA/seasons best 211.17 points) and 2010 World Junior Champion Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN/seasons best 207.72 points).

2010 World Champion Mao Asada (JPN) headlines the Ladies' field. The Japanese Champion got a seasons best of 148.02 points. The challenge should come from current Grand Prix Final Champion Alissa Czisny (USA), who has achieved the highest seasons best so far with 180.75 points, as well as from Japanese Champion Miki Ando (seasons best 174.47 points) and Japan's Akiko Suzuki (seasons best 173.72 points). Other medal contenders include U.S. silver medalist Rachael Flatt (USA/seasons best 162.86 points), Mirai Nagasu (USA/seasons best 167.79 points) and Canadian Champion Cynthia Phaneuf (seasons best 156.24 points).

2010 World Champions Qing Pang/Jian Tong (CHN) are aiming for their fifth Four Continents title. The current Grand Prix Final silver medalists have posted a seasons best of 189.93 points. Competition should come from Canadian Champions Kirsten Moore-Towers/Dylan Moscovitch (seasons best 175.48 points), U.S. Champions Caitlin Yankowskas/John Coughlin (seasons best 166.72 points) and Junior Grand Prix Final Champions Narumi Takahashi/Mervin Tran (JPN/seasons best 165.47 points). Other contenders include Amanda Evora/Mark Ladwig (USA/seasons best/162.85 points), Paige Lawrence/Rudi Swiegers (CAN/seasons best 161.15 points) and Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford (CAN/seasons best 158.53 points).

Please note that for the seasons best total scores only the ISU Grand Prix competitions (senior and junior) have been taken into consideration, not other international competitions or National Championships.

Prize money

The ISU awards a global prize money of US$ 250,000 at the Four Continents Championships to skaters/couples placed 1st to 12th. The prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples as follows:

Men and Ladies  
1st place US$ 15,000
2nd place US$ 9,000
3rd place US$ 6,000                                                                    
4th place US$ 4,500                                                                    
5th place US$ 3,250
6th place US$ 2,500
7th place US$ 2,250
8th place US$ 2,000
9th place US$ 1,750                                                
10th place US$ 1,500
11th place US$ 1,250
12th place US$ 1,000                                                                

Pairs and Dance (per couple)
1st place US$ 22,500
2nd place US$ 13,500
3rd place US$ 9,000
4th place US$ 6,750
5th place US$ 5,000
6th place US$ 3,750
7th place US$ 3,500
8th place US$ 3,000
9th place US$ 2,500
10th place US$ 2,250
11th place US$ 1,750
12th place US$ 1,500

The schedule of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2011 is as follows:

Thursday, February 17: Short Dance, Pairs Short Program

Friday, February 18: Men Short Program, Pairs Free Skating, Free Dance

Saturday, February 19: Ladies Short Program, Men Free Skating

Sunday, February 20: Ladies Free Skating, Exhibition Gala

For more information, full entry lists and results please see: www.isu.org and http://www.figureskating.com.tw/2011FCC/eng/default.html

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Keywords · International Skating Union · ISU · Four Continents · Figure Skating Championships · Taipei · Chinese Taipei ·

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Name: Selina Vanier
Organization: International Skating Union
Email:
Phone: 41216126666
URL: www.isu.org

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Press Release Source: ETS On Monday February 14, 2011, 10:41 am EST

TAIPEI CITY, TAIWAN--(Marketwire - 02/14/11) - In preparing for the Four Continents Figure Skating Competition (4CC) which begins tomorrow, the Chinese Taipei Skating Union and Taipei Sports Office selected the TOEIC® test to identify the skill level of this year's event volunteers.

"We chose the TOEIC test to be the language requirement because it is an international standard in the global workforce," said Rick Y.H. Lee, the chief secretary of the Chinese Taipei Skating Union. "It helped us select the best candidates to contribute to the success of this international event."

Organizers for this international event to take place in Taipei City received applications from more than 500 students looking to fill the 165 positions ranging from event announcers to help desk volunteers. Given the various degrees of proficiency needed for these positions, the hiring committee needed a way to measure the English language skills of all applicants to ensure that the skill level of the volunteer matched the need of the position they were assigned.

"Successfully hosting a high profile event can change the international perception of a city and hosting international guests is often the most difficult task," said David Hunt, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ETS's Global Division. "The global recognition of the TOEIC test makes it an ideal tool in this situation by setting a language standard and ensuring participants and guests are understood and well received."

With more than 6 million TOEIC tests administered globally in 2010, the TOEIC test is the largest and most widely used English-language assessment for the workplace. In addition to the 10,000 organizations worldwide that use the test, organizing committees at international events often use the TOEIC test to set English language standards for employees and volunteers. Recent events include the 2014 FIFA World Cup volunteers in Brazil's state of Minas Gerais, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo in China, and the G20 Summit in Seoul, Korea.

"We are excited to be working with the Chinese Taipei Skating Union in their effort to set English-language skill standards for this international event," said T.J. Shao, Chairman of Chun Shin Ltd. "Placing importance on international communication will ensure the success of this event and will help build Taiwan's reputation and business globally."

For more information on the TOEIC test and other services provided by the TOEIC Program visit www.ets.org/toeic.

About ETS
At nonprofit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English-language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually -- including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® tests and The Praxis Series™ assessments -- in more than 180 countries. www.ets.org.

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