The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating and ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating culminate this week with the Finals in Marseille (FRA). The events feature the top six skaters/couples in each category from the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series and the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating series.
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final
36 skaters/couples from seven ISU members will compete in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. They are vying for a global prize money of U.S. $ 272,000. Six skaters/couples in each category qualified in the six events of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series: Progressive Skate America in Hoffmann Estates/Chicago, Skate Canada International in Mississauga, Rostelecom Cup in Moscow (RUS), Audi Cup of China in Beijing, Trophée de France in Paris and NHK Trophy in Sapporo.
Overview over the participants
Reigning World Champion Javier Fernandez (ESP) and three-time World Champion Patrick Chan lead the Grand Prix standings with two victories on the circuit. Fernandez achieved a seasons best of 292.98 points at Rostelecom Cup while Chan has 279.72 points from Cup of China. However, Olympic and ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) so far scored the highest seasons best with 301.47 points at NHK Trophy. Defending ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalist Shoma Uno (JPN) is back to the Final (seasons best 257.43 points). ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Champion Nathan Chen (USA/seasons best 268.91 points) and Adam Rippon (USA/seasons best 267.53 points) qualified for their first Final (senior level).
Reigning World and ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS) tops the Ladies standings and comes with a seasons best of 221.54 points from Trophee de France to Marseille. Anna Pogorilaya (RUS) returns to the Final after missing it last season (seasons best 215.21 points) after winning her two events. Reigning ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalist Elena Radionova (RUS/seasons best 205.90 points) will compete in her fourth consecutive Final at the senior level while Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN/seasons best 206.45 points) and World Junior silver medalist Maria Sotskova (RUS/seasons best 200.35 points) debut in the Final at the senior level. Reigning ISU Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist Satoko Miyahara (JPN) returns to the event with a season best of 206.75 points.
Two-time and reigning World Champions Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford (CAN) lead the Pairs following two victories on the circuit and have set the highest seasons best so far with 218.30 points. Xiaoyu Yu/Hao Zhang (CHN/season best 203.76 points) and Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN/seasons best 196.97 points) return to the Final after switching partners in between them. Julianne Seguin/Charlie Bilodeau (CAN/seasons best 208.30 points) are also returning while Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (RUS/seasons best 206.94 points) qualified for the first time. Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS/seasons best 197.77 points) replaced Aliona Savchenko/ Bruno Massot (GER) who withdrew due to injury.
The Ice Dance event features 2010 Olympic Champion and 2014 Olympic silver medalists Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN) who returned strongly after taking a break of two years. The two-time World Champions won their two Grand Prix events and set a new highest total score with 195.84 points at NHK Trophy. Two-time World Champions Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA/seasons best 193.50 points) missed the Grand Prix Series last year due to injury but is back in full force. World silver medalists Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (USA/seasons best 185.75), Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev (RUS/seasons best 186.68 points), Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA/seasons best 188.24 points) and Madison Hubell/Zachary Donohue (USA/seasons best 175.77 points) all competed in the Final a year ago as well.
The prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples as follows:
Men and Ladies, Pairs and Ice Dance (per couple)
1st place: US$ 25,000
2nd place: US$ 18,000
3rd place: US$ 12,000
4th place: US$ 6,000
5th place: US$ 4,000
6th place: US$ 3,000
ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final
36 skaters/couples from seven ISU members have qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Six skaters/couples per discipline qualified in the seven events of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in France, Czech Republic, Japan, Russia, Slovenia, Estonia and Germany.
Alexander Samarin (RUS/seasons best 234.29 points) and Jun Hwa Cha (KOR/seasons best 239.47 points) are the top qualifiers in the Men’s as they won their two events. Alexei Krasnozhon (USA), Roman Savosin (RUS) and Ilia Skirda (RUS) qualified for their first Final while ISU Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist Dmitri Aliev (RUS) squeezed into the Final as the last qualifier.
Anastasiia Gubanova (RUS/seasons best 194.57 points) tops the Ladies standings with two victories on the circuit. 2016 World Junior Champion Marin Honda (JPN) grabbed the last qualifying spot to return to the Final. Also back is Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) while Rika Kihira (JPN) and Alina Zagitova (RUS) will compete in their first Final as will Elizaveta Nugumanova (RUS), who replaces Polina Tsurskaya (RUS) who has withdrawn due to injury.
World Junior silver medalists Anastasia Mishina/Vladislav Mirzoev (RUS/seasons best 175.82 points) lead the Junior Pairs and are the only pair with two victories on the circuit. They debut in the Junior Final. They are joined by reigning World Junior Champions and ISU Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalists Anna Duskova/Martin Bidar (CZE), Amina Atakhanova/Ilia Spiridonov (RUS) and newcomers Alina Ustimkina/Nikita Volodin (RUS) and Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitrii Kozlovskii (RUS). Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya/Harley Windsor (AUS) are the first Australian skaters to qualify for any ISU Grand Prix Final, Junior or senior level. They came in as first substitutes to replace defending ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Champions Ekaterina Borisova/Dmitry Sopot (RUS), who withdrew due to injury.
In the Ice Dance event, the leading three teams all return: World Junior and ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Champions Lorraine McNamara/Quinn Carpenter (USA/seasons best 159.30 points), World Junior and ISU Grand Prix Final silver medalists Rachel Parsons/Michael Parsons (USA/seasons best 160.42 points) and World Junior and ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalists Alla Loboda/ Pavel Drozd (RUS/seasons best 161.87 points) all won their two events. The other three couples will debut at the Junior Final: Angelique Abachkina/Louis Thauron (FRA), Christina Carreira/ Anthony Ponomarenko (USA) and Anastasia Shpilevaya/Grigory Smirnov (RUS).
The prize money made available by the ISU is 105,000 US$. The prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples as follows:
Junior Men and Ladies Junior Pairs and Dance (per couple)
1st place US$ 6,000 1st place US$ 9,000
2nd place US$ 5,000 2nd place US$ 7,500
3rd place US$ 4,000 3rd place US$ 6,000
4th place US$ 3,000 4th place US$ 4,500
5th place US$ 2,000 5th place US$ 3,000
6th place US$ 1,000 6th place US$ 1,500
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final will be available in live streams and on-demand videos on the ISU Junior Grand Prix YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ISUJGP2011. The live feed will be geoblocked in the Republic of Korea due to television rights.
The full list of entries and results are available at www.isu.org
The schedule of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final (Junior & Senior) is as follows:
Thursday, Dec 8: Junior Short Dance, Junior Men, Junior Pairs, Junior Ladies, Pairs & Men’s Short Programs
Friday, Dec 9: Junior Free Dance, Junior Ladies Free Skating, Short Dance, Pairs Free Skating & Ladies Short Program
Saturday, Dec 10: Junior Men, Junior Pairs Free Skating, Free Dance, Ladies & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, Dec 11: Exhibition Gala
For further information please contact
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating & Final
Selina Vanier, Media Coordinator
email: vanier@isu.ch