U.S. skaters will receive cash for winning medals
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- U.S. figure skaters will now get cash bonuses along with the medals they win.
U.S. Figure Skating said Monday it will award bonuses ranging from $1,000 to $35,000 to American skaters who win a medal at any of 11 international events, starting with this weekend's Skate America in Pittsburgh. The bonuses will be in addition to any prize money earned by the skater.
"I continue to look for new ways of working to support and work with our skaters in ensuring that U.S. athletes are on the cutting edge for the future," U.S. Figure Skating president Chuck Foster said.
Bonuses will be awarded for medals won at senior Grand Prix events as well as the Grand Prix final; the Four Continents Championships; and the World Figure Skating Championship in Moscow next March. Junior skaters can win bonuses for medals at the junior Grand Prix final and junior World Championships.
Skaters will get $10,000 for a gold medal at the senior Grand Prix events, $5,000 for silver and $3,000 for bronze. The bounty jumps to $15,000 for gold at the Grand Prix final or Four Continents, $10,000 for silver and $5,000 for bronze.
But the big prizes are at worlds, where a gold medal will bring a $35,000 bonus, a silver $25,000 and bronze $15,000.
A gold medal at the junior Grand Prix final will earn $5,000; a silver $3,000, and a bronze $1,000. A gold at junior worlds means $15,000; a silver will be worth $10,000; and a bronze $5,000.