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Shoma Uno (JPN) performs in the Gala Exhibition at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France. ©ISU
Top Figure Skaters of the world including reigning World Champions Shoma Uno (JPN), Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) as well as Olympic, World and European medalists are getting ready to compete in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2022/23 in the post-Olympic season when accomplished Skaters meet the up and coming next generation.
Overview of the events
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series consists of six events: Skate America in Norwood (USA) October 21-23, Skate Canada International in Mississauga (CAN) October 28-30, Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA) November 4-6, the MK John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield (GBR) November 11-13, NHK Trophy in Sapporo (JPN) November 18-20, and the Grand Prix Espoo (FIN) November 25-27. The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final will take place in Torino (ITA) December 8-11. A particularity of this year’s Series is that Great Britain will host an ISU Grand Prix event for the first time.
Gold medallists Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA), Pairs World Champion 2022 perform during the gala exhibition at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France. © ISU
The ISU Grand Prix starts traditionally with Skate America, which will highlight World Champions Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) as well as 2022 Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama (JPN), 2022 ISU Four Continents Champion Junhwan Cha (KOR), 2022 ISU World Junior Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) and 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalist Haein Lee (KOR). Three-time World medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) and 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalists Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) will face off in the Ice Dance event. 2022 ISU World Junior Champion Isabeau Levito (USA) will debut at the ISU senior-level Grand Prix.
Boyang Jin (CHN) skates during the Figure Skating Gala Exhibition at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. © Getty Images
Skate Canada International in Mississauga is headlined by reigning World Champion Shoma Uno (JPN), two-time World medalist Boyang Jin (CHN), two-time Four Continents Champion Rika Kihira (JPN), 2018 World silver medalist Wakaba Higuchi (JPN), 2020 Four Continents silver medalist Young You (KOR) and 2017 World bronze medalist Gabrielle Daleman (CAN).The Pairs are led by 2022 World silver medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN), 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalists Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe (USA) and 2022 ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Evelyn Walsh/Trennt Michaud (CAN). The top contenders in the Ice Dance competition are 2021 World bronze medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) and 2022 ISU Four Continents Champions Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (USA).
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Loena Hendrickx (BEL) competes at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France. © ISU
The third event, the Grand Prix de France in Angers, features Yuma Kagiyama (JPN), ISU Grand Prix Finalist Kevin Aymoz (FRA), 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalist Kazuki Tomono (JPN), 2022 World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL), Haein Lee (KOR), 2022 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist Yelim Kim (KOR) as well as two-time ISU Four Continents medalists Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN). 2022 ISU World Junior Champions Karina Safina/Luka Berulava (GEO) will be competing in the Pairs, while 2022 European bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) are performing in the Ice Dance event.
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Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (GBR) skate during the Ice Dance Free Dance at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. © Getty Images
The first ISU Grand Prix to be held in Great Britain welcomes Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA), 2022 ISU European silver medalist Daniel Grassl (ITA), 2022 ISU European bronze medalist Deniss Vasiljevs (LAT), 2022 ISU Four Continents Champion Mai Mihara (JPN) and Young You (KOR). Top contenders in the Ice Dance competition include Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) and Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR). 2022 ISU World Junior Ice Dance Champions Oona Brown/Gage Brown (USA) debut on the senior-level Grand Prix circuit. Bradie Tennell (USA) returns to the circuit after missing the past season due to injury.
Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) competing at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France. © ISU
The ISU Grand Prix circuit then travels to Japan for NHK Trophy in Sapporo. Shoma Uno (JPN) and Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) lead the line-up and are joined by Junhwan Cha (KOR), Boyang Jin (CHN) and Wakaba Higuchi (JPN) respectively, while the Pairs competition features Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) and Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe (USA). The Ice Dance event includes Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA), Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (USA) and Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi (JPN).
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Ilia Malinin (USA) competes in the Junior Men's Free Skating at the 2022 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.© ISU
The last spots for the Final will be decided in Espoo with Rika Kihira (JPN), Mai Mihara (JPN), 2020 European bronze medalist Morisi Kvitelashvili (GEO), Ilia Malinin (USA), Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN), Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) and Kaitlyn Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA) competing.
48 Men, 47 Women, 26 Pairs and 36 Ice Dance couples representing 29 ISU Members currently have been invited. The maximum number of entries for each event is 12 Ladies, 12 Men, 8 Pairs and 10 Ice Dance couples.
Selection Criteria
The Skaters are selected and invited to the six Grand Prix of Figure Skating events based on the results of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2022. Skaters/Couples who have placed 1 to 6 in each of the four categories are seeded and assigned to two events. Skaters/ Couples who have placed 7-12 at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships are selected for two ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events, and Skaters with a top 24 Seasonal Best Scores (from the 2021/22 season) as well as those placed in the top 24 of the ISU World Standings can also be invited. If available, medalists from the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships can also be selected.
In order for a Skater/Couple to be eligible to compete at an ISU Grand Prix event, a minimum total score must have been achieved in the 2021/22 or current 2022/23 season at an ISU event (Grand Prix, Junior Grand Prix, Championships) or a Challenger Series event. Exceptions apply to host country Skaters, previously ranked Skaters or split ranked Couples who return with new partners. The minimum total score is 3/5 of highest score per discipline at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2022 and are as follows: Women: 141.65, Men: 187.49, Pairs: 132.65, Ice Dance: 137.89
Prize Money
Competitors collect points in their Grand Prix events towards the qualification for the Grand Prix Final. The global prize money per individual event of the Grand Prix is US $ 180,000 and the prize money is awarded to winners and placed Skaters/Couples at the events as follows:
1st place: US $ 18,000
2nd place: US $ 13,000
3rd place: US $ 9,000
4th place: US $ 3,000
5th place: US $ 2,000
The points are awarded as follows:
1st place: 15 points
2nd place: 13 points
3rd place: 11 points
4th place: 9 points
5th place: 7 points
6th place: 5 points
7th place: 4 points
8th place: 3 points
The General Announcement of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series will be available in due time at the ISU website. The individual announcements are published under the respective events. For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series please visit here.