Test track

[sk8rchicky]

I am going to do test track at this years Southwestern Regional championships and I just wanted to know what people thought about it like do you think it should be a qualifying thing to go to nationals or junior nationals?

[drskater]

Could you please clarify or be more specific? As worded, your question is difficult to understand.

[FigureSpins]

No, I don't think that Test Track events should be included in Nats/Jr Nats and require a qualifying event at Regionals. 

Adding Test Track events to Nats and Jr Nats would be cost-prohibitive.  Those competitions are already very long and exhausting for the skaters, their families, coaches and the LOC.  It really wouldn't be profitable to add the test track events and increase costs further.

The purpose behind creating Test Track events was to provide test-level skaters with a place to compete fairly against one another on a level playing field with some restrictions tied to the required test elements.  It was never intended to provide a showcase for skaters at the highest level.  If you really want to get to Nationals/Jr Nats, you have to compete in the regular events and qualify.

[techskater]

While test track has it's place, that place is not as a qualifying event unless it had its own Nationals like collegiate, adult, the solo dance they tried or National Showcase.  Nationals is a long and stressful two weeks.  JNs is a very long and stressful week.  Right now, there are very few entries in test track events, even when we have 500 starts at our club's competition.  It would have to gain a lot of popularity for it to have a qualifying structure.

[tazsk8s]

I don't think test track should go to JN's or Nationals, and I don't think that was ever the intent.  I do like that it exists, though.  At least there's some sort of competitive opportunity for skaters who aren't going to have the jumps beyond what is necessary to pass the tests to compete on a level playing field.