2010 GAY GAMES HOST TO BE SELECTED IN CHICAGO, NOV 2006
Officals of the international Federation of Gay Games annouced that they have received bidding materials to host the eighth quadrennial edition of the Gay Games from groups representing Cologne, Johannesburg and Paris
"Everything is proceeding smoothly with this year's site selection process for the group that will host the Gay Games after Chicago in 2006," said Darl Schaaff, co-chair of the Federation's Site Selection Committee. " Since the three candidate groups submitted letters of intent to bid back in January, we've been looking forward to receiving their bid materials so that we can see how each group proposes to showcase the Gay Games.
The host for the Gay Games VIII will be selected this November at the Federation's annual meeting in Chicago. The annual meeting will also serve as an offical site visit by the Federation's Board of Directors for Gay Games VII, which will take place there just eight months later, from 15-22 July 2006.
"The site selection year is an exciting time during the four-year period between Gay Games," said Kathleen Webster, Federation Co-President. "The candidate bidding groups and their supporters generate a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for the Gay Games simply by entering the bidding process, and that's already carrying forward among participants as support for next year's event in Chicago."
The next step in the site selection process is a period to review the bidding materials for completeness, during which the Site Selection Committee will submit any potential questions to the bidding groups. That will be followed by site visits to survey the proposed venues and meet local supporters in each of the candidate cities between June and August 2005.
"I remember this time four years ago when our group in Chicago submitted bidding materials to host the 2006 Gay Games. So I know the sense of relief and exhilaration each of the 2010 bidders is feeling now," said Dennis Sneyers, Chicago Games Inc board member and co-chair of the Federation's Site Selection Committee.
"Putting together a bid for the Gay Games is in many ways as exciting as preparing to participate in the Games themselves, because it takes real teamwork and camaraderie to put forth your city's best effort," Sneyers said. "Iknow I speak on behalf of all of us in Chicago and on the Federation's Site Selection Committee in wishing each of the 2010 candidates the best of luck."
Each of the candidate city groups has posted information about their respective bid plans on the Internet. For Cologne, go to www.GayGamesCologne.com. Johannesburg's information can be found at www.gaygamesjohannesburg.com. The Paris bidding group website is www.parisgames2010.org.
For more information about the Federation of Gay Games, go to wwwlgaygames.org. For information about Gay Games VII Chicago 2006, including details on how to register, go to www.GayGamesChicago.org
ADULT WORLDS 2005?
from 32 Degrees Magazine
The ISU's president, Ottavio Cinquanta reportedly is very supportive of expanding adult skating on an international front. "I think this is going to happen as soon as 2005. We may well see an ISU adult figure skating event," says Rhea Schwartz, chair of the special exploratory committee on the internationalization of adult figure skating. "The event would be under the auspices of the ISU - they will help support it, promote it and run it. They are ready and we are ready."
There is already a rule with the ISU's bylaws called the Interclub Competition Rule, which allows for events such as the Mountain Cup (France) to happen. "Now there is a new rule," says Schwartz, "that says international master-level speed skating and adult figure skating events may be proposed and approved by the ISU's council."
"The ISU Congress and their council meet in June and we'll be there with a proposed competition for their approval," said Schwartz. "The event will not exactly follow our USFSA structure. It will likely feature freeskating, pairs, and dance events, but no interpretive event. Jump limits will help us sort out levels," she said. "There are lots of questions to resolve, like can we get other countries to adopt the US testing system," she said.
If the ISU passes the new Code of Points judging system, for example, we could use those point tallies to determine a skater's level. Skaters with 60-70 points, for example, might be considered Bronze, while skaters with 80-90 points considered Silver, etc. An initial round or the previous year's event might be used for determining a skater's point total. Lots of interesting possibilities exist."
But why is the ISU and Cinquanta interested in adults skating, when so little interest existed before? "Cinquanta knows there is an ever-growing population that he wants to bring into the ISU fold. This is his new baby. He is very on top of this and he has given this a lot of thought. I must say I was very pleasantly surprised by all my meetings with him," says Schwartz.
NEWS - Archive
LA OPEN HAS IT'S FIRST FIGURE SKATING COMPETITION!
Los Angeles - Over Labor Day Weekend 2002, LA Sports Alliance added Figure Skating to their roster of sporting events including tennis' Centre Court Championships, Play LA Hockey Tournament, exhibition soccer and rugby matches, a shooting demonstration and a water polo scrimmage. Hosted by IGFSU, the ISI endorsed competition/exhibition was able to prove just how inclusive a competition can be by adding straight skaters to our eclectic mix of luscious lesbians, handsome homos and gender bending performers!
Jay Kobayashi (SF) as Michelle Kwan and LA Open Chair, Charles King (LA) as himself
(click on photo to enlarge)
SKATE OUT SAN FRANCISCO A SUCCESS!
San Francisco - A dozen skaters celebrated Pride Weekend with a delightful range of skating. From beginners to skaters who are former Jr. Olympians and current US Adult Champions--there was something to inspire everyone.
Many of these skaters are training for the upcoming Gay Games in Sydney, Australia. The event was a fundraiser to assist these athletes with travel expenses and over $1,400 was raised. The event was endorsed by the ISI, which will also will endorse the upcoming Gay Games. This event brought 11 new members to the ISI, and two skaters took the ISI tests for the level they desire to skate during the Games.
Would you like to have Skate Out in your home town next year? See News for details on future hosting and competition results for Skate Out 2002.
Bradley Erickson (NY) Laura Moore (NY) Lisa Hall (San Diego), Curt Bitman (MI), Jay Kobayashi (SF) and Thom Mullins (SF) enjoy a breathtaking view of San Franciso at a Skate Out 2002 after party
(click on photo to enlarge)
The official ISI results include:
Winning Gold Medals
Mark Arteaga, Los Angeles
Artistic 3 Event
Bradley Erickson, New York City
Spotlight 3 Event
Laura Moore, New York City
Artistic 4 Event
Laura Moore, New York City
Spotlight 4 Event
Lisa Hall, San Diego
Artistic 6 Event
Lisa Hall, San Diego
Spotlight 6 Event
Winning Silver Medals
Bradley Erickson, New York City
Artistic 3 Event
Passing their Freestyle Tests
Thom Mullins FS 1-3 Tests
Curt Bitman FS 1-5 Tests (retested 6/30)
Chief Referee: Heather Belbyn, Gold Certified ISI Judge
Annetted Garcia Weiss, Bronze Certified ISI Judge
Yavi Oline Blau, Bronze Certified ISI Judge
Participation Medals awarded to
Jay Kobayashi, San Francisco
Patrick Rodgers, San Francisco
Billy Kheir, San Francisco
Harry Wing, San Francisco
Matt Newman, San Francisco
Darrin Lim, Sacramento
Audience Awards went to
Jay Kobayashi, San Francisco, 1st Place
Patrick Rodgers, San Francisco, 2nd Place
Lisa Hall, San Diego, 3rd Place
NEXT YEAR'S PLANS
Skate Out will now move to other cities each year. The event will be planned in conjunction with Pride Weekend in a different city each year, giving skaters all over the country a chance to participate.
If your city would like to play host to the event here is what is required.
1. The event must be recognized by your Pride Parade Committee as an official event of Pride Weekend.
2. There must be a rink (min. NHL in size) in the host city which is willing to donate 6 hours or more of ice time for the event. Specific seating and set up details will need to be worked out. The Skate Out producer will secure the necessary ISI endorsement, secure the judges and referee, using IGFSU and ISI rules, secure the medals and provide the design of the posters
and fliers.
3. You will need to have at least 10-20 volunteers to assist with the event production and in the following areas:
a. promotion with local community media, sending out releases
b. publicity throughout the community, fliers and posters
c. getting prize donations from community businesses
d. day of event set-up, donation table, flower sales, runners, etc.
If you think this is possible for your city to host, please let us know, we'd love to visit your city next June during Pride Month.
Contact: Thom Mullins, Skate Out producer at skateout@sbcglobal.net
ISI TESTS NOW TRANSLATED INTO FRENCH AND GERMAN
See ISI Tests Freestyle for translations into French and German for Freestyle 1 to 10.
IGFSU SKATERS MAKE HISTORY
Richard Quon, David Blankenship, Laura Moore, Tom Terry and Bradley Erickson of IGFSU New York
(click on photo to enlarge)
A small band of New York IGFSU skaters held two 'in-house' ISI competitions in May of 2002, satisfying the minimum required intra rink events and therefore allowing us to hold skating events anywhere in the world, open to any ISI member! This has paved the way for an ISI endorsement of the Gay Games and the beginning of an annual circuit of gay and lesbian skating events. For a listing, see Events.
MOUNTAIN CUP 2002 BRINGS GGVI SKATERS TOGETHER
Frank Graber (Switzerland), Bradley Erickson (USA), Bettina Keil (Germany),
Wade Corbett (USA), Laura Moore (USA), Mario Manns (Germany), Jean-Francois Col (France)
(click on photo to enlarge)
The fourth installment of the Mountain Cup, an open international adult skating competition, was held in Villard-de-Lans, France on May 16 through 19. It was a rare opportunity for a handful of Gay Games VI skaters to meet, compete and enjoy the high altitudes of the French Alps. European skaters were also given the chance to get their ISI testing out of the way thanks to a few US coaches on hand. For more pictures see MountainCup2002