Should Downgrades be saved for major Qualifing Competitions?

[FSWer]

Ok...I was watching Skate America (and somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about it not qualifing skaters for another competition. As far as I can remember,Skate America doesn't). Yet I must say that since they first began the downgrades, I haven't seen skaters that I (and I would think other Fans too) have always been used to seeing in first place, ever get it. Rachael Flatt for one. So the question I have to ask of you all today is..."Do you think Downgrades should be reserved for the major qualifying Competition (Nationals,Worlds,etc.)? Were skaters would surely need to be able to EARN a spot in the following Competition? That way skaters would be able to have a break from the Downgrades,and just be judged on the new scoring system (before the Downgrades),and at the same time it takes preasure of them and also Fans who (to them) it looks like their skater may naver get first. Any other opinins?       

[Isk8NYC]

I pick my favorite skaters and root for them without really caring whether or not they get first - I just want to see them all skate their best in every event. 

I think that any competition that uses the IJS system should have the same rules in place, including downgrades.  It wouldn't make sense to have the skater perform the same programs under different rules, knowing that they'll get slammed at the higher-level qualifying competitions for clear errors.

Skaters have to perform each element as correctly as they can to prevent downgrades.  A Flutz is a Flutz, regardless of whether or not the Tech Specialist caught the error.  At the Senior levels on the international circuit, they shouldn't be given different treatment.

Skaters and coaches may not be focused on winning during the Grand Prix events: their goals might be geared towards different titles such as Nationals and Worlds.  Why peak at Skate Canada and tank at the US Nationals, eliminating you from Worlds?  The Grand Prix events are a chance to tinker with their programs, gain exposure at the international level, and further their training for the later events.

[Schmeck]

I don't understand the reasoning FSWer - why shouldn't someone get penalized for a cheated jump?  How would that be fair to those skaters that do nice jumps?  They want to win too!

As for the fans, they are just that, fans.  The USFSA and ISU do not owe the fans any certain winner.  There should be no favoritism in figure skating, or any other sport, and I would think after the scandals in the past that the last thing the governing councils would want to do is make it easy for certain skaters to win, just to please their fans.

[techskater]

Ok...I was watching Skate America (and somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about it not qualifing skaters for another competition. As far as I can remember,Skate America doesn't). Yet I must say that since they first began the downgrades, I haven't seen skaters that I (and I would think other Fans too) have always been used to seeing in first place, ever get it. Rachael Flatt for one. So the question I have to ask of you all today is..."Do you think Downgrades should be reserved for the major qualifying Competition (Nationals,Worlds,etc.)? Were skaters would surely need to be able to EARN a spot in the following Competition? That way skaters would be able to have a break fromhhe Downgrades,and just be judged on the new scoring system (before the Downgrades),and at the same time it takes preasure of them and also Fans who (to them) it looks like their skater may naver get first. Any other opinins?       

But then the results would be unfair because a skater who "cheats" their jump (gets a < or <<) shouldn't beat a skater who has clean jumps!  Also, then it would be sending a bad signal to skaters who wouldn't know whether they were really doing well or were getting a "free pass"

If Rachel had skated a clean short program, she would have won, plain and simple...

If we're talking about PCS scores, now that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish!