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The 2012 World Figure Skating Championships was an international figure skating competition in the 2011–12 season. The event determined the World Champions in men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing. It was held between March 26 and April 1 in Nice, France.
In November 2009, the International Skating Union named Nice, France as the provisional host.[1][2] In early 2011, it was announced that Montpellier was also under consideration;[3] however, in May 2011, Nice's Palais des Expositions was confirmed as the event venue.[4] The nearby Jean Bouin Center was the practice rink.[5] The cost was estimated at USD $10 million.[6] The competition rink, practice rink, and athletes' accommodation facilities are within 60 yards of each other, with an efficient transportation system also boosting Nice's bid.[6]
The event determined the number of entries a country could send to the 2013 World Championships.
The event was open to figure skaters from ISU member nations who reached the age of 15 by July 1, 2011. Based on the results of the 2011 World Championships, each country was allowed between one and three entries per discipline. National associations selected their entries based on their own criteria but those skaters had to achieve a minimum technical elements score (TES) at an international event prior to the World Championships. The minimum TES for each discipline and segment were:[7]
Countries which qualified more than one entry per discipline:[7]
Member nations submitted the following entries:[8]
Some skaters were required to compete in a preliminary round, while others received a direct entry into the short program, after which the number of entries was reduced further. If a country had a non-direct entry, its lowest-ranked skater according to the Worlds Standings competed in the preliminary round.
Kiira Korpi was originally nominated to represent Finland, but announced her withdrawal on March 16, 2012 due to lingering foot and hip injuries. Alisa Mikonsaari was chosen to take her place in the competition.[9]
27 skaters competed in the men's preliminary round and the top twelve – led by Song Nan, Sergei Voronov, and Maciej Cieplucha – advanced to the short program.[10][11]Patrick Chan, Michal Březina, and Daisuke Takahashi were the top three skaters in the short program.[12][13][14]
The men's free skating was held the next evening. Chan won his second World title,[15] Takahashi won silver, and Yuzuru Hanyu won the bronze medal in his senior World debut.[16][17] Chan was the first men's single skater to win consecutive World titles since Stéphane Lambiel of Switzerland.[18] The event was the first time Japan had two men on the World podium.[18]
33 skaters competed in the ladies' preliminary round and the top twelve – led by Jenna McCorkell, Jelena Glebova, and Sonia Lafuente – advanced to the short program.[10][11] The top three skaters in the short program were Alena Leonova, Kanako Murakami, and Carolina Kostner.[19][20]
Kostner was first in the free skating, followed by Akiko Suzuki and Ashley Wagner. Kostner became Italy's first ladies' World champion, silver medalist Leonova was the first Russian to reach the ladies' World podium since 2005, and Suzuki won the bronze.[21][22] Kostner was the first European lady since 2005 (Irina Slutskaya) to win the gold medal at Worlds. Kostner said: "It is my tenth season at senior level, and in each season I've learned something. Today was my day and my competition. I would have been happy with second place, but I thought ‘keep on dreaming to the end’."[17]
Eleven couples competed in the pairs' preliminary round and the top eight – led by Sui Wenjing / Han Cong, Vanessa James / Morgan Cipres, and Mari Vartmann / Aaron Van Cleave – advanced to the short program.[23] Russian pairs Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov and Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov collided during their first practice session on March 26 but were not injured.[24]
アリョーナ・サフチェンコ／ロビン・ショルコウィ組がショートプログラムで首位に立ち、続いてパン・チン／トン・ジアン組、高橋成美／マービン・トラン組が続いた。[ 25 ]これまでの競技での試みで転倒していたサフチェンコ／ショルコウィ組は、珍しいスロートリプルアクセル（国際大会で初めて成功したのは2006年冬季オリンピックの井上玲奈／ジョン・ボールドウィン組）をキャリアで初めて着氷させたが、フリーフットが氷に触れた。[ 25 ]スケーターの中には氷の状態について懸念を表明する者もいた。マキシム・トランコフは「氷は柔らかいところもあれば、もろいところもある。氷が再表面化された直後に滑るなら問題ないと思うが、2番目のグループで最後に滑る場合は話が別だ」と述べた。[ 25 ]アレクサンダー・スミルノフは「時々、氷はガラスのようにブレードの下で砕けてしまう」と述べた。[ 25 ]
ヴォロソジャル／トランコフ組がフリースケーティングで1位、サフチェンコ／ショルコウィ組が2位、高橋／トラン組が3位となった。[ 26 ]サフチェンコ／ショルコウィ組は4度目の世界タイトルを獲得し、第二次世界大戦後5組目の快挙となった。ヴォロソジャル／トランコフ組は銀メダルを連覇し、高橋／トラン組は銅メダルを獲得した。これは日本にとって初のペア世界選手権メダルとなった。[ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 26 ]
アイスダンスの予選には23組のカップルが出場し、エレナ・イリニフ／ニキータ・カツァラポフ、黄心通／鄭迅、イリーナ・シュトルク／ターヴィ・ランドら上位10組がショートダンスに進出した。[ 23 ] パートナーのアンナ・ナゴルニュクと共に9位で予選を通過したヴィクトル・コヴァレンコは、3月26日の朝にビザを取得し、予選の競技開始予定時刻の10分前にアリーナに到着した。[ 23 ] [ 27 ]グレゴリー・メリマンのブレードは演技終了1分前にヒールから折れたが、彼とパートナーのダニエル・オブライエンも予選を通過することができた。[ 28 ]
Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir took the lead in the short dance, followed by Meryl Davis / Charlie White and Nathalie Pechalat / Fabian Bourzat.[29] The top three were the same in the free dance. Virtue / Moir won their second World title, while the 2011 World Champions, Davis / White, took silver, and Pechalat / Bourzat won bronze, their first World medal for overall placement.[20][30]
Medals for overall placement:
Small medals for placement in the short segment:
Small medals for placement in the free segment:
Table of medals for overall placement: