Olympic and World Champions to compete in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2019/20

#GPFigure #FigureSkating

The World's best Figure Skaters including reigning Olympic Champions Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) and Alina Zagitova (RUS), 2019 World Champion Nathan Chen (USA) and four-time Ice Dance World Champions Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA), two-time World Pairs Champions Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) as well Olympic, World, European and Four Continents medalists are set to compete in the six events of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in the 2019/20 season. The series also features accomplished veterans, crowd favorites as well as the next generation of up and coming Skaters.

Overview of the events

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate America

Nathan Chen (USA) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

The Grand Prix series kicks off with Skate America in Las Vegas (USA) October 18 to 20. World Champion Chen, two-time World medalist Boyang Jin (CHN), 2018 Four Continents bronze medalist Jason Brown (USA), World silver medalist Elizabet Tursynbaeva (KAZ), 2015 World Champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS), 2019 World bronze medalists Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS), 2019 Four Continents bronze medalists Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN), 2019 European silver medalists Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin (RUS), and two-time World Ice Dance medalists Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA) lead the line-up.

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate Canada

Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Skate Canada in Kelowna, BC (CAN), October 25 to 27 is headlined by two-time Olympic Champion Hanyu, 2018 World bronze medalist Mikhail Kolyada (RUS), Olympic silver medalist Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS), 2019 ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Rika Kihira (JPN), 2019 World silver medalists Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 2019 Four Continents silver medalists Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro (CAN) and Hubbell/Donohue. World Junior Champions Alexandra Trusova (RUS) and Majorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha (CAN) debut on the senior Grand Prix.

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Internationaux de France

Alina Zagitova (RUS) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

The series then moves to Europe for the Internationaux de France in Grenoble (FRA) November 1 to 3. The event features Olympic and World Champion Zagitova (RUS), 2018 World silver medalist Wakaba Higuchi (JPN), Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno (JPN), Chen, European Champions Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres (FRA), Zabiiako/Enbert, four-time World Ice Dance Champions Papadakis/Cizeron, 2019 Four Continents Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) and European bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA). World Junior Champions Tomoki Hiwatashi (USA) and Anastasia Mishina/Alexander Galliamov (RUS) debut on the senior circuit.

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Cup of China

Wenjing Sui and Cong Han (CHN) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

The series continues in Chongqing (CHN) with the Cup of China November 8 to 10 with two-time World medalist Satoko Miyahara (JPN), European Champion Sofia Samodurova (RUS), Tursynbaeva, Tuktamysheva, Jin, World bronze medalist Vincent Zhou (USA), European bronze medalist Matteo Rizzo (ITA), 2019 World Champions Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN), Peng/Jin and 2019 World Ice Dance silver medalists Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS).

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Rostelecom Cup

Alexandra Trusova (RUS) at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

The circuit then returns to Europe for the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow (RUS) November 15 to 17. Competing are Medvedeva, Trusova, Miyahara, Uno, Zhou, Tarasova/Morozov and Sinitsina/Katsalapov

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – NHK Trophy

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

The last spots for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final will be decided in Sapporo (JPN) at NHK Trophy November 22 to 24. Top contenders include Hanyu, Kolyada, Brown, Zagitova, Kihira, Sui/Han, James/Cipres, Papadakis/Cizeron and Stepanova/Bukin.

40 Men, 39 Ladies, 26 Pairs and 31 Ice Dance couples from 24 ISU Members have been invited and a few host country spots are still open. The number of entries for each event is 12 Ladies, 12 Men, 8 Pairs and 10 Ice Dance couples. The top 6 qualifiers in each discipline will proceed to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino (ITA), December 5 to 8, 2019.

Selection Criteria

The Skaters are seeded and invited to the six Grand Prix of Figure Skating events based on the results of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2019. 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 high seasons best score as well as those placed in the top 24 of the World Standings can also be invited. If available medalists from the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships and the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final gold medalists can also be selected.

In order for a Skater / Couple to be eligible to compete at a Grand Prix event, a minimum total score must have been achieved in the previous or current season in 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.