Event supported by Sportdienst Stad Gent 

OFFICIAL INVITATION

International Free Skating and Artistic Free Skating Adult Competition

&

International Recreational Ice Dance Pattern Dance Competition

KRISTALCUP GHENT

1. Organisation:

Gentse Schaatsclub Kristallijn GSK

Warmoezeniersweg 20

9000 Ghent

Belgium

Tel.: + 32 9 2221010

Website: www.gskristallijn.be

Secretary: Claudia Verplanke - Waas, email: claudiav@skynet.be

President: Daniël Van Quickelberghe, email: quicks@skynet.be

2. Date:

Sunday, 21 April 2024

3. Ice rink:

IJsbaan "Kristallijn"

Warmoezeniersweg 20

9000 Ghent

Belgium

Website: www.kristallijn.be

The ice rink is a non-heated, indoor rink. The skating area is 60m x 30m, with an extra outer ring. Ice Rink Kristallijn offers a variety of snacks and free parking space.

4. Invited members:

Clubs from all over the world shall receive this invitation.

5. Entries:

a. National entries

We have organised a pre-registration for Belgian clubs to enter their skaters via the Excel entry form one week prior to the opening of the entry form for international skaters. Alternatively, the Twizzit entry form may be filled out for Belgian skaters by the club secretaries as well.

Preregistration for Belgian club skaters start 10 February 2024 until 16 February 2024.

Payments for these entries made by the Excel form or Twizzit MUST be received on our club account on 17 February 2024 at the latest, due to technical circumstances.

All entries or payments received after this period follow the rules for international entries.

The use of this Excel entry form shall be equal to agreeing to the terms and conditions mentioned in this announcement and those mentioned on the Twizzit entry form.

b. International entries

All international entries must be made through the form on our website https://kristalcup.gent.

The Twizzit entry form will be made available on 18 February 2024 at 10 p.m. for international entries.

For Belgian skaters who want to take part, but have not used the early entry period, this will become the only way of entering the competition. You will receive an e-mail after you have completed your entry to configure or update your account on the Twizzit app. This platform will process your information GDPR compliant for registration.

For our international enthusiasts: we should expect a maximum of about 50% of all available (Artistic) Free Skating spots to be claimed if all possible, national entries would already be made and paid for during this week. For the Ice Dance spots, this should be a maximum of about 30%. This means that we shall be able to welcome many international skaters in all categories as well. However, time will be of the essence: for both the (Artistic) Free Skating and Ice Dance categories we had people on our waitlist in 2023, so if you would like to take part, do make sure to claim your spot as early as possible.

The organizing committee will limit the entries up to the maximum in relation to the available ice. Entries will be accepted on a first come, first serve base.

The closing date for all entries is 24 March 2024 at 10 p.m. In case we reach the maximum capacity before this date, waiting list entries will be accepted until this date.

6. Limitations:

All clubs are invited to take part in this competition. In case of too many entries the organizer reserves the right to limit the number of participants on a first come, first served base.

7. Time table:

A detailed timetable will be published as soon as possible after closing of entries. This timetable will be published on https://kristalcup.gent or alternatively via www.gskristallijn.be. Please check for possible changes when nearing the day of the competition.

During the competition, minor changes to the time table may occur due to organizational circumstances.

8. Music and 'planned elements form' for Free Skating:

Every individual skater shall provide their competition music before 24 March 2024 at 10 p.m., by uploading an mp3-file via their Twizzit account (form will be made available when your entry is accepted and processed).

On the day of the competition, every free skater shall have a memory stick with their music as a backup.

Every individual skater shall provide their Planned Elements form (PE-form) before 24 March 2024 at 10 p.m., by uploading the file via their Twizzit account (form will be made available when your entry is accepted and processed).

For the Ice Dance categories, participants shall also provide their competition music, according to the ISU requirements of rhythm and (constant) tempo, which can also be found in this announcement. They must do so before 24 March 2024 at 10 p.m., by uploading an mp3-file via their Twizzit account (form will be made available when your entry is accepted and processed).

On the day of the competition, every ice dancer shall have a memory stick with their music as a backup.

9. Starting order:

For each category, the starting order will be determined by draw. Further details will follow as soon as we have been able to process all necessary information.

10. Liability:

According to ISU rules, skaters participate in the competition at their own risk. The liability for health and accident insurance lies with the athletes, officials, and all other members of the team. Such insurance must include full medical care and repatriation. The organizer cannot be held liable for accidents or damage caused by a third party.

11. Entry fee:

Entering the competition, the entry fee must be paid as follows:

Free Skating event: €75 per entry

Artistic Free Skating event: €75 per entry

One Solo Ice Dance event: €50 per entry

Two Solo Ice Dance events: €90 for 2 entries by the same skater

One Couple or Duo Ice Dance event: €75 per team entry

Two Couple or Duo Ice Dance events: €140 for 2 entries by the same team

The total entry fee for all your entries shall be calculated upon completing your entry or entries via the website, both for individual entries and for club entries. Your entry to the competition can only be completed once the payment has been cleared.

Your entry to the competition can only be completed once the payment has been cleared. In case you require an invoice for your records, please contact info@kristalcup.gent.

There will be no refund of entrance fee in case of withdrawal or other circumstances.

12. Podium:

There will be a podium for all categories. There is a podium for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. All skaters can verify the results afterwards on the official page of the Belgian Figure Skating Federation KBKF: https://www.skatebelgium.be/competitions-and-tests.html .

13. Rules:

ISU judging-system will be used.

RULES FREE SKATING COMPETITION

Age Category Singles:

Age Category Young Adults Free Skating:

Skaters have reached at least the age of sixteen (16) by 1 July preceding the competition for Ladies and Men for all categories.

Class I:

skaters born between 1 July 1985 and 30 June 1995

Class II:

skaters born between 1 July 1975 and 30 June 1985

Class III:

skaters born between 1 July 1965 and 30 June 1975

Class IV:

skaters born between 1 July 1955 and 30 June 1965

Class V:

skaters born on or before 30 June 1955

Based on the number of entries, some age Classes may be combined.

The Adult Figure Skating Single Regulations will include the following skating levels:

Adult Bronze Free Skating Ladies and Men

This is a category for skaters who can execute all single jumps but NO single Axel.

Adult Silver Free Skating Ladies and Men

This is a category for skaters who can execute all single jumps including single Axel.

Adult Gold Free Skating Ladies and Men

This is a category for skaters who can execute all single jumps including single Axel and double jumps but NO double Flip, double Lutz and no double Axel.

Adult Master Free Skating Ladies and Men

This is a category for skaters who can execute all single and double jumps including double Axel and triples.

General rules Single Skating: (International Criteria)

The competition will follow the international rules as published by ISU for single skating (Free Skating and Artistic Free Skating only) in the following document: https://www.isu.org/docman-documents-links/isu-files/event-documents/adult-figure-skating/related-documents-1/31140-technical-requirements-season-2023-24/file. We are not able to accept any entries in the pairs' categories. The rules for the ice dance categories have been may be found in full below.

For Belgian skaters, the specific Belgian national rules and regulations apply.

RULES RECREATIONAL ICE DANCE PATTERN DANCE COMPETITION

Age categories:

Kids Ice Dance:

Skaters have not reached the age of sixteen (16) by 1 July preceding the competition for all categories.

Ice Dance:

Skaters have reached at least the age of sixteen (16) by 1 July preceding the competition for all categories.

Based on the number of entries, some categories may be divided into different groups.

Pattern Dances:

The pattern dances can be skated solo or in couple. Additionally, two ice dancers of any gender may compete together as a duo.

For solo ice dancers: ISU has not yet published any official information for adult solo ice dancers at the time of publication. Some federations have published their own regulations or drafts of what is to be expected. Some continue to make a distinction between women's and men's steps (or A steps and B steps) for some or all age categories. Others offer solo ice dance competitions only for women's steps/A steps. ISU requires an alternation of A steps and B steps (always starting with the A steps) for all Novice categories, but adult skaters are not yet mentioned. For the 2024 edition, we shall allow solo ice dancers for the categories Pre-Bronze and up to choose which steps they would prefer to skate (A, B or the alternation of A and B). Some of these categories (A/B/AB) may have to be combined, though we will try to keep them apart.

If both dances of the same level have identical A and B steps (i.e. Preliminary 1 and 2), all Solo Ice Dancers will compete in the same category, regardless of their gender.

Each couple consists of a man and a woman. The man must skate the man's steps, the woman must skate the woman's steps, both skating in the prescribed ice dance hold(s). When a couple consists of 2 skaters of a different age class, the youngest skater will determine the age class (applicable . If a dance team is formed of skaters having different skill levels, it is recommended that they will enter at the level of the more skilled skater.

Each duo consists of two ice dancers of any gender. Both skaters have the choice of skating the man's or the woman's steps according to their personal preference and regardless of their gender. They may skate in hold (prescribed or other), in shadow or in any combination of shadow and ice dance hold(s) that may enhance the performance. As a courtesy, we ask that team consisting of a man and a woman skating in the required hold(s) would participate in the couples category. When a duo consists of 2 skaters of a different age class, the youngest skater will determine the age class. If a dance team is formed of skaters having different skill levels, it is recommended that they will enter at the level of the more skilled skater.

An ice dancer can enter solo and/or couple and/or duo categories as they like, and according to their own capabilities. They may also enter another level category with a different partner. Ice dancers may also register in 2 consecutive categories, either as a solo ice dancer or skating with the same partner (e.g.: Preliminary 1 + Preliminary 2, Bronze + Pre-Silver, Pre-Silver + Silver, etc.).

Couples shall provide their own music for all pattern dances. The music must be chosen in accordance with the rhythm of the Pattern Dance and may be vocal. The tempo throughout the required sequences must be constant and in accordance with the required tempo of the Pattern Dance (see ISU Handbook Ice Dance 2003), within the margins stipulated by the ISU (more information below).

Notes:

• The chosen music may be a tune selected from the ISU Ice Dance music. In this case, only tunes 1 to 5 can be chosen and the ice dancer(s) shall provide competition music in accordance with Rule 343, paragraph 1.
• Violation of the above music requirements or tempo specifications shall be penalized as per Rule 353, paragraph 1.n).
• All music chosen by the ice dancer(s) must be in accordance with the style/character of the Pattern Dance.
• For the application of Rule 708 paragraph 1.d) with music provided by the ice dancer(s) it is specified that the start of the first Step of the dance must be on beat 1 of a measure (unless otherwise specified in the description of the dance).
• Rule 707, paragraph 4 provides that "All Pattern Dances shall be started so that the steps of the first side of the pattern are skated in front of the Judges unless otherwise directed by the Ice Dance Technical Committee in an ISU Communication."
• The Pattern Dances will be judged without Key Points.
• Pending technical circumstances, the preliminary 1&2 categories might be judged in PCS alone; however, we shall try our utmost to provide a complete set of scores, including a TES score. All other categories should be judged in both TES and PCS.
• According to Rule 707, new paragraph 6: After the completion of the last step of the Pattern Dance, the ice dancer(s) must reach their final pose within 20 seconds. If this time limit is exceeded, a Program time deduction according to Rule 353, paragraph 1.n) shall apply.
• The score for each Program Component is multiplied by a factor of 1.17 (Rule 353, paragraph 1.m).
• In Ice Dance, for events with two (2) Pattern Dances, the Total Score for each dance will be multiplied by a factor of 0.5. (Rule 353, paragraph 2.b). This applies to our competition.
• The warm-up duration is three (3) minutes – the first 30 seconds without music followed by 2 minutes and 30 seconds of the 6th (last) tune of the ISU Ice Dance music.

[1] ISU-documents have always mentioned a tempo of 108 bpm, but for novice competitions in the 2023-2024 season, the prescribed tempo for the Tango Canasta has been published as 104 bpm (+/- 2 bpm). This explains the broader range of bpm.

14. Registration:

An info desk will be opened at the entrance of the ice rink.

All competitors must register one hour before the start of their category at the latest.

15. Accommodation close to the rink:

Skaters, coaches and supporters may book travel arrangements and accommodations individually and at their own expense.

Should you be planning to enjoy the hospitality in our beautiful city of Ghent with an overnight stay or are looking for an affordable flight, then please consider booking your stay and flight by passing through our Trooper page.The site regularly offers additional discounts and Trooper will support our club while you will not pay anything extra!Click here to go to our Trooper page and then select for example Booking, Cheap Tickets, Expedia, Brussels Airlines, Flixbus, EuropCar or any other service listed to book your trip at excellent conditions while supporting our club at the same time.
https://www.trooper.be/nl/trooperverenigingen/gskristallijn

Hotel accommodation

There are many hotels in Ghent of different categories. GSK has arranged a special agreement with following hotel in collaboration with Ice Crystal Trophy:

Hotel Holiday Inn Gent Expo****

Maaltekouter 3

9051 Gent

Tel. +32 9 220 24 24

www.higentexpo.com

Reservations by sending an e-mail to:

res.manager@higentexpo.com – Ms. Arlette Waterschoot

They are offering a double or twin room for 2 persons at a special rate of 119 Euro and a single room for 1 person at a rate of 109 Euro, large breakfast buffet, service and VAT included, and free car or coach park guaranteed. (which is 54,5 Euro per person in case of double room occupation – they also have rooms available with double bed and sofa bed). City tax of 3,5 Euro pp /night need to be added.

Reservations at that special price are guaranteed till the 01st March 2024. After that date it will be the normal day price according to availability.

Reservations must be sent to Mrs Arlette Waterschoot at res.manager@higentexpo.com with mentioning as reference: "Ice Crystal Trophy for Synchronized Skating".

This hotel is located close to the E40 and the R4 (inner ring road of Ghent), which makes it easy to access the Ice Rink by car in about 10 min. (10 km).

To reach the Ice Rink, you can use public transport services or a taxi at your own expense.

16 Location of the Ice Rink:

hotel Campanille

hotel Van der Valk Ghelamco

Ice rink

17 Tourist information:

Enjoy your stay in the beautiful, historic city of Ghent.

More information:

https://visit.gent.be/nl (web site available in Dutch, French, German, English and Spanish)

SUMMARY

Start preregistration (incl payments!) for Belgian club skaters: Saturday, 10 February 2024 until 16 February 2024.

Start registration for international skaters: Twizzit entry form from 18 February 2024 at 10 p.m.

The closing date for all entries is Sunday, 24 March 2024 at 10 p.m.

All competition music and PE must be provided before Sunday, 24 March 2024 at 10 p.m.

In case of questions before the competition day, please mail to info@kristalcup.gent.