Bofrost Cup on Ice

Last updated

Bofrost Cup on Ice
StatusDefunct
Genre ISU Grand Prix
Location(s) Gelsenkirchen
Country Flag of Germany.svg Germany
Years active1986–2004
Organized by German Ice Skating Union

The Bofrost Cup on Ice was an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the German Ice Skating Union (German : Deutsche Eislauf-Union). The first iteration was held in 1986 in Frankfurt. When the ISU launched the Champions Series (later renamed the Grand Prix Series) in 1995, the German competition – then called the Nations Cup – was one of the five qualifying events. It remained a Grand Prix event until 2002, after which point it was supplanted by the Cup of China. This event was held under several names, including the Fujifilm Trophy and the Sparkassen Cup on Ice. The last installment of this competition took place in 2004.

Contents

Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earned points based on their results at the qualifying competitions each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline were invited to then compete at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Evgeni Plushenko of Russia holds the record for winning the most Bofrost Cup on Ice titles in men's singles (with four), while Maria Butyrskaya of Russia holds the record in women's singles (with three). Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer of Germany hold the record in pair skating (with four), while Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov of Russia hold the record in ice dance (with four).

History

Beginning with the 1995–96 season, the International Skating Union (ISU) launched the Champions Series – later renamed the Grand Prix Series – which, at its inception, consisted of five qualifying competitions and the Champions Series Final. This allowed skaters to perfect their programs earlier in the season, as well as compete against the skaters with whom they would later compete at the World Championships. [1] This series also provided the viewing public with additional televised skating, which had been in demand. [1] The five qualifying competitions during the inaugural season were the 1995 Nations Cup, the 1995 NHK Trophy, the 1995 Skate America, the 1995 Skate Canada, and the 1995 Trophée de France. [2] Skaters earned points based on their results in their respective competitions and the top skaters or teams in each discipline were invited to compete at the 1995–96 Champions Series Final. [1]

The inaugural competition – the 1986 Fujifilm Trophy – was held in Frankfurt. Petr Barna of Czechoslovakia won the men's event, Dianne Takeuchi of Canada won the women's event, Melanie Gaylor and Lee Barkell of Canada won the pairs event, and Lia Trovati and Roberto Pelizzola of Italy won the ice dance event. [3] From 1986 to 1987, the competition was known as the Fujifilm Trophy. There was no event held in 1988. In 1989, the competition – now known as the Nations Cup – moved to Gelsenkirchen, where it remained for the entirety of its run. In 1998, the competition changed its name to the Sparkassen Cup on Ice, and in 2002, it again changed its name, this time to the Bofrost Cup on Ice, in recognition of its sponsor, the frozen foods company Bofrost.

In 2003, the Bofrost Cup on Ice lost its spot in the Grand Prix series after the Chinese Skating Association reached a more lucrative television contract with the ISU, and the Cup of China replaced it on the schedule. [4] Reinhard Mirmseker, then-president of the German Ice Skating Union, tried to convince the ISU that rather than stripping the rights to a Grand Prix event from Germany, they should hold a seventh Grand Prix event instead, or perhaps rotate the sixth event among the nations of Europe, but those suggestions were turned down. [4]

Despite losing its spot in the Grand Prix series, the German Ice Skating Union continued to stage the competition anyway, but with a unique format. In lieu of the usual short programs, singles skaters competed in a jumping event, where each skater performed a particular jump or jump combination in a round-robin format and were scored by a panel of judges. After each skater received their score, they had the option of either keeping it, or risk performing the jump again for a potential higher score. Skaters with the lowest average scores were eliminated in each round. [4] Carolina Kostner of Italy praised the format of the event: "This competition was very cool. Every skater had a second chance." [4] Likewise, Joannie Rochette of Canada stated: "This competition is really good. It's exciting and thrilling. I like the combination of a jump competition with a free program." [4] The comparable event for pair teams involved performing throw jumps, side-by-side jumps, and lifts in the same competitive format. Ice dance teams performed their original dances as they would have at a normal competition. [4] All skaters and teams performed their free skates or free dances for the second half of the competition. Although this new format was well received, and the German Ice Skating Union had hoped to continue it as an annual invitational event, [4] the Bofrost Cup on Ice did not continue after 2004.

Medalists

Men's singles

Men's event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1986 Frankfurt Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Petr Barna Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Riccitelli Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhang Shubin [3]
1987 Flag of the United States.svg Christopher Bowman Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Vladimir Petrenko Flag of Japan.svg Makoto Kano [5]
1988No competition held
1989 Gelsenkirchen Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Petr Barna Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Viktor Petrenko Flag of the United States.svg Paul Wylie [6]
1990 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kurt Browning Flag of the United States.svg Todd Eldredge Flag of Germany.svg Ronny Winkler [7]
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Mark Mitchell Flag of Germany.svg Mirko Eichhorn Flag of Germany.svg Daniel Weiss [8]
1992 Flag of the United States.svg Todd Eldredge Flag of Russia.svg Alexei Urmanov Flag of Ukraine.svg Viacheslav Zagorodniuk [9]
1993 Flag of Ukraine.svg Viktor Petrenko Flag of the United States.svg Scott Davis Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Sébastien Britten [10]
1994 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Elvis Stojko Flag of the United States.svg Shepherd Clark Flag of Ukraine.svg Dmitri Dmitrenko [11]
1995 Flag of Ukraine.svg Viacheslav Zagorodniuk Flag of Russia.svg Alexei Urmanov Flag of the United States.svg Todd Eldredge [12]
1996 Flag of Russia.svg Alexei Urmanov Flag of Ukraine.svg Dmitri Dmitrenko Flag of Russia.svg Alexei Yagudin [13]
1997 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Elvis Stojko Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Igor Pashkevich Flag of Russia.svg Alexander Abt [14]
1998 Flag of Russia.svg Alexei Yagudin Flag of Russia.svg Alexander Abt Flag of Germany.svg Andrejs Vlascenko [15]
1999 Flag of Russia.svg Evgeni Plushenko Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Guo Zhengxin Flag of the United States.svg Matthew Savoie [16]
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Timothy Goebel Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Li Chengjiang [17]
2001 [18]
2002 Flag of Russia.svg Alexander Abt [19]
2003 Flag of Germany.svg Stefan Lindemann Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jeffrey Buttle Flag of Germany.svg Silvio Smalun [20]
2004 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ben Ferreira Flag of the United States.svg Matthew Savoie [21]

Women's singles

Women's event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1986 Frankfurt Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dianne Takeuchi Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Fu Caishu Flag of Germany.svg Cornelia Renner [3]
1987 Flag of Japan.svg Midori Ito Flag of the United States.svg Jill Trenary Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Natalia Gorbenko [5]
1988No competition held
1989 Gelsenkirchen Flag of the United States.svg Tonya Harding Flag of Germany.svg Marina Kielmann Flag of Germany.svg Patricia Neske [6]
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Kristi Yamaguchi Flag of Germany.svg Evelyn Großmann Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Karen Preston [7]
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Kerrigan Flag of Germany.svg Marina Kielmann Flag of France.svg Laëtitia Hubert [8]
1992 Flag of France.svg Surya Bonaly Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tanya Bingert Flag of Germany.svg Marina Kielmann [9]
1993 Flag of Germany.svg Tanja Szewczenko Flag of Ukraine.svg Oksana Baiul Flag of Japan.svg Rena Inoue [10]
1994 Flag of Germany.svg Marina Kielmann Flag of Ukraine.svg Elena Liashenko Flag of Germany.svg Tanja Szewczenko [11]
1995 Flag of the United States.svg Michelle Kwan Flag of Russia.svg Maria Butyrskaya Flag of the United States.svg Nicole Bobek [12]
1996 Flag of Russia.svg Irina Slutskaya Flag of the United States.svg Tara Lipinski Flag of France.svg Vanessa Gusmeroli [13]
1997 Flag of Germany.svg Tanja Szewczenko Flag of Russia.svg Irina Slutskaya Flag of Ukraine.svg Elena Liashenko [14]
1998 Flag of Russia.svg Elena Sokolova Flag of Ukraine.svg Yulia Lavrenchuk Flag of Russia.svg Maria Butyrskaya [15]
1999 Flag of Russia.svg Maria Butyrskaya Flag of Ukraine.svg Elena Liashenko Flag of Russia.svg Irina Slutskaya [16]
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Sarah Hughes Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Tatiana Malinina [17]
2001 Flag of Japan.svg Yoshie Onda Flag of the United States.svg Angela Nikodinov [18]
2002 Flag of Japan.svg Yoshie Onda Flag of Japan.svg Fumie Suguri Flag of Finland.svg Susanna Pöykiö [19]
2003 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Joannie Rochette Flag of Finland.svg Susanna Pöykiö Flag of Hungary.svg Júlia Sebestyén [20]
2004 Flag of the United States.svg Jane Bugaeva Flag of Germany.svg Constanze Paulinus Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Annie Bellemare [21]

Pairs

Pairs event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1986 Frankfurt
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
  • Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
  • Colette May
  • Carl Nelson
  • Flag of Germany.svg
  • Kerstin Kiminus
  • Stefan Pfrengle
[3]
1987
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
  • Laurene Collin
  • John Penticost
[5]
1988No competition held
1989 Gelsenkirchen
  • Flag of the United States.svg
[6]
1990 [7]
1991 [8]
1992 [9]
1993 [10]
1994 [11]
1995 [12]
1996 [13]
1997 [14]
1998 [15]
1999 [16]
2000 [17]
2001 [18]
2002 [19]
2003 [20]
2004 [21]

Ice dance

Ice dance event medalists
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeRef.
1986 Frankfurt
  • Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
[3]
1987
  • Flag of Italy.svg
  • Michela Malingambi
  • Andrea Gilardi
[5]
1988No competition held
1989 Gelsenkirchen
  • Flag of Germany.svg
[6]
1990 [7]
1991 [8]
1992 [9]
1993 [10]
1994
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
[11]
1995 [12]
1996 [13]
1997 [14]
1998 [15]
1999 [16]
2000 [17]
2001 [18]
2002 [19]
2003 [20]
2004 [21]

Records

Records
DisciplineMost titles
Skater(s)No.YearsRef.
Men's singles41999–2002 [22]
Women's singles31999–2001 [23]
Pairs41992;
1994;
1996–97
[9] [11]
[13] [14]
Ice dance41995–98 [24] [9]
[a] 51992;
1995–98
  1. Anjelika Krylova won three titles while partnered with Vladimir Fedorov (1992) and four with Oleg Ovsyannikov (1995–98).

Cumulative medal count

Men's singles

Total number of Bofrost Cup medals in men's singles by nation
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 64212
2Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 35412
3Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 3216
4Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 2147
5Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 2125
6Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 2002
7Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 0202
8Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 0145
9Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan 0101
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0101
11Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 0011
Totals (11 entries)18181854

Women's singles

Total number of Bofrost Cup medals in women's singles by nation
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 53210
2Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 5229
3Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 3328
4Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 2215
5Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2125
6Flag of France.svg  France 1023
7Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0415
8Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 0123
9Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 0112
10Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 0101
11Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 0011
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 0011
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 0011
Totals (13 entries)18181854

Pairs

Total number of Bofrost Cup medals in pairs by nation
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 56314
2Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 4318
3Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 3418
4Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 2103
5Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 2013
6Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1258
7Flag of France.svg  France 1001
8Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 0112
9Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 0101
10Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 0022
11Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 0011
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 0011
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 0011
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 0011
Totals (14 entries)18181854

Ice dance

Total number of Bofrost Cup medals in ice dance by nation
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 5049
2Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 4004
3Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 3137
4Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2327
5Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 2013
6Flag of France.svg  France 1225
7Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 1113
8Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 0235
9Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 0213
10Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 0202
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 0202
12Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 0112
13Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 0101
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 0101
Totals (14 entries)18181854

Total medals

Total number of Bofrost Cup medals by nation
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 21121144
2Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1010626
3Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 9121233
4Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 991028
5Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 63110
6Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 36514
7Flag of France.svg  France 3249
8Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 3238
9Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 2259
10Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 2226
11Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 2013
12Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 2002
13Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 0246
14Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 0224
15Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 0202
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 0202
17Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 0112
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 0112
19Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan 0101
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 0101
21Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 0011
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 0011
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 0011
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 0011
Totals (24 entries)727272216

References

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