Generous prize money, new formats and the return of champions: what to expect from the upcoming season in Russian figure skating

The leadership of the Russian Figure Skating Federation, on the eve of the open skates of the national team, revealed the details of how the upcoming season, which is unusual in many respects, will be held.

The basis of the calendar will be the Russian Grand Prix series, created in the image and likeness of the ISU competitions.

It will consist of six stages, the dates of which completely coincide with similar international starts, with the exception of the final.

The International Union traditionally holds it in December, while Russia decided to move it to March.

Competitors will be able to perform at a maximum of two stages of the series, and the distribution will take place shortly after the September rentals.

No more than 12 single skaters and single skaters, 10 dance couples and 8 sports duets will take part in each of the preliminary rounds.

The Grand Prix will be an excellent opportunity for second-tier skaters to perform for the general public: all stages will be broadcast on the Channel One website, and the final will be broadcast live.

In addition, two tournaments of a new format will appear on the calendar this season.

First, in December, the national jumping championship will be held in St. Petersburg.

Previously, such competitions were held within the framework of the First Channel Cup, but now they have been moved to a separate start in the knockout format.

Secondly, in March, open competitions in show programs will be held in Moscow.

There will be no division by type, there will be only one winner.

Both current athletes and those who have already completed their careers will be able to compete for the main prize.

The main condition: a new, previously nowhere presented to the public indicative number.

“At least Plushenko with Yagudin or Zagitova with Medvedeva can take part.

We are waiting for everyone, ”said Alexander Kogan, Director General of the FFKKR, on this occasion.

One of the main topics discussed was a solid prize fund.

According to the FFKKR, it will amount to more than 100 million rubles, and it will be formed exclusively at the expense of partners, and not budget money.

The highest prize money is planned for the Russian Championship.

So, the winners of the tournament will receive 2.5 million rubles, silver medalists - 1.5 million, bronze - 1 million each. At the junior championship, gold is estimated at 500 thousand rubles, silver - 300 thousand, bronze - 200 thousand.

A similar distribution of prize money will be at each stage of the Russian Grand Prix series, and in the final, medalists will earn 1 million, 750 and 500 thousand, respectively.

The total prize fund of the Channel One Cup will be 20 million rubles, the Russian Jumping Championship and the show programs tournament will be 10 million rubles each.

In addition, there are special cash rewards for the leaders of the season in each of the types.

For performances at tournaments, athletes will receive rating points, and the one who scores the maximum number of them will be rewarded with 5 million rubles.

There is a $2.5 million bonus for second place and $1.5 million for third place.

To date, the prize fund in figure skating is the highest among all winter sports in Russia.

For comparison, in biathlon, victory in the summer stages of the Commonwealth Cup is estimated at 150 thousand rubles, second place - 135 thousand, third - 120 thousand. For places from fourth to sixth, payments from 100 to 65 thousand rubles are provided.

At the winter stages of the Commonwealth Cup, the prize money will be doubled.

The total prize fund for the championship and the Cup of Russia will amount to 20 million rubles.

At the summer championship of the country in cross-country skiing, payments of 100 thousand rubles are provided for a victory, 80 thousand for silver, 60 for bronze, as well as 40, 30 and 20 thousand for places from fourth to sixth.

Most of the skaters and coaches paid tribute to the federation, which, in difficult times, was able to attract sponsors and enable athletes to stay motivated.

In particular, Alexei Yagudin noted that this is the result of excellent work to popularize sports.

“I don’t know how I would react and force myself to train if I had such a situation during the years of my sports career.

It's really hard to stay motivated without international competitions.

But thanks to the FFKR and the First Channel, which always brightly covers all competitions, areas are created for athletes not to lose motivation.

The monetary component is also important.

Sponsors willingly go to figure skating.

More and more skaters are becoming the faces of advertising campaigns.

Not hockey players, not football players, ”wrote the Olympic champion in his Telegram channel.

In addition, now many skaters who have completed their careers have an incentive to prepare and take part in the spring show tournament.

Yagudin is already considering the possibility, as is his longtime rival Evgeni Plushenko.

“Good story, great, better more events.

I'll think about participating.

It is necessary to study the issue, to communicate.

It's not just like that - I like to do everything correctly, it's a whole process.

In principle, there is time to prepare until March, ”TASS quoted Plushenko as saying.