Lake Placid/USA

 

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The last spots for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final are on the line at Bridgestone Skate America this week in Lake Placid (USA). Among those competing for a spot are two-time World Champions Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford (CAN), two-time World medalists Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (USA) and Four Continents Champion Nathan Chen (USA).

Bridgestone Skate America is the sixth and last event in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series that culminates in the Final. A total of 57 skaters/couples from 9 ISU members compete in Lake Placid.

Overview of the top contenders

The battle for the last tickets to the Grand Prix Final will be exciting in the Men’s event. Four Continents Champion Nathan Chen (USA) comes with a gold from Rostelecom Cup while Sergei Voronov (RUS) won NHK Trophy earlier this month. NHK Trophy silver medalist Adam Rippon (USA) and Audi Cup of China silver medalist Boyang Jin (CHN) as well have a good shot at the Final.

Other contenders include Han Yan (CHN), Kevin Reynolds (CAN), Takahito Mura (JPN), Ross Miner (USA) and Maxim Kovtun (RUS).

In the Ladies, 2016 World silver medalist Ashley Wagner (USA) and Polina Tsurskaya (RUS) both have a bronze medal from their first event and can secure a spot in the Final if they win in Lake Placid.

2017 World bronze medalist Gabrielle Daleman (CAN), 2015 World silver medalist Satoko Miyahara (JPN), Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), Karen Chen (USA) and Alena Leonova (RUS) are aiming for a podium finish in Lake Placid as well.

Two-time World Champions Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford (CAN) lead the Pairs and will face World silver medalists Aliona Savchenko/Bruno Massot (GER), like at Skate Canada. The Canadians came out on top on home ice and want to book their ticket to Nagoya here in Lake Placid. Savchenko/ Massot hope to improve on their silver medal from Skate Canada. Audi Cup of China silver medalists Xiaoyu Yu/Hao Zhang (CHN) also have a chance to qualify for the Final. Other contender include Cup of China bronze medalists Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro (CAN), Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS) and Alexa Scimeca Knierim/Chris Knierim (USA).

Two-time World medalists Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (USA) headline the Ice Dance competition and following their victory at Rostelecom aim at the top of the podium and the Grand Prix Final. Competition should come from 2014 World Champions Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA), who took the bronze at NHK Trophy and Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN). Other contender are Tiffani Zagorski/Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS), Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS), who both finished fourth at their first event, as well as 2014 World Junior Champions Kaitlyn Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA). Isabella Tobias/Ilia Tkachenko (ISR) have withdrawn and were not replaced.

The schedule of Bridgestone Skate America is as follows:

Friday, November 24: Pairs and Men’s Short Program

Saturday, November 25: Pairs and Men’s Free Skating, Short Dance, Ladies Short Program

Sunday, November 26: Ladies Free Skating, Free Dance, Exhibition Gala

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series consists of six events and culminates in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Nagoya (JPN) in December. The top six skaters/couples in each discipline qualify for the Final. The global prize money for the Grand Prix is US $ 272,000.

Full entry lists and results of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2017/18 are available here. Follow the discussion on social media by using #GPFigure #FigureSkating.