International Skating Union

Can't believe nobody's started a thread for the GPF yet!

Hanyu is out, for the second year in a row. That ankle he twisted at Grenoble is still troublesome, it seems Apparently it's not clear if he'll be fighting fit for Japanese Nationals in less than three weeks.

(Per Japan Times: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/11/29/figure-skating/injured-yuzuru-hanyu-miss-grand-prix-final-second-consecutive-year/#.XAaxnNs3mM8)

Good news for Keegan Messing, the first alternate.

So to my mind this sets up a head-to-head battle between Uno and Chen. Anybody want to handicap that one? (my money's on Uno)

We still have a day to go before the event page is up with the tech teams and judging panels.
I will set up separate threads for the JGPF and Golden Spin.

I'm looking forward to some really good duels!!

I'll go w/my heart on the pairs and bet on James & Cipres over Tarasova & Morozov.

I'll go w/Uno over Chen among the men as I think Uno has the superior program and Chen hasn't really maxed out his quad attempts on the Grand Prix. Voronov for the bronze.

Presumably, it'll be Kihira vs Olympic Champ Zagitova for the ladies. I find Kihira more pleasing to watch, but I predict Zagitova will be held up just enough to win. Kihira will need to go squeaky clean and with one 3Axel in both programs to have a chance. I'll predict Miyahara over Tuktamysheva for bronze.

Your thoughts...

START ORDER MEN SHORT PROGRAM Thu Dec 6 7:45 pm PST / 10:45 pm EST

1 Keegan MESSING CAN
2 Junhwhan CHA KOR
3 Michal BREZINA CZE
4 Nathan CHEN USA
5 Sergei VORONOV RUS
6 Shoma UNO JPN

Tech Team

Ref: Hunter-CAN
TC: Okabe-JPN
TS: Chung-KOR
ATS: Loriol-Oberwiler-SUI

Judges: KOR CZE FRA USA CAN JPN FIN ITA RUS

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START ORDER LADIES SHORT PROGRAM Thu Dec 6 9:00 pm PST / 12 midnight EST

1 Sofia SAMODUROVA RUS
2 Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA RUS
3 Rika KIHIRA JPN
4 Satoko MIYAHARA JPN
5 Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN
6 Alina ZAGITOVA RUS

Tech Team

Ref: Pfister-SUI
TC: Tauchmanova-CZE
TS: Markova-RUS
ATS: Bianconi-ITA

Judges: USA CHN GEO JPN CAN KOR ESP RUS FIN

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START ORDER RHYTHM DANCE - Fri Dec 7 7:05 pm PST / 10:05 pm EST

1 Victoria SINITSINA / Nikita KATSALAPOV RUS
2 Kaitlin HAWAYEK / Jean-Luc BAKER USA
3 Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS
4 Alexandra STEPANOVA / Ivan BUKIN RUS
5 Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE USA
6 Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI ITA

Tech Team

Ref: Shekhovtsova-RUS
TC: Molina-FRA
TS: Elek-HUN
ATS: Blumberg-USA

Judges: UKR JPN USA RUS FRA GEO ITA ESP CAN
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START ORDER PAIRS SHORT PROGRAM Fri Dec 7 8:27 pm PST / 11:27 EST

1 Daria PAVLIUCHENKO / Denis KHODYKIN RUS
2 Cheng PENG / Yang JIN CHN
3 Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA
4 Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA
5 Natalia ZABIIAKO / Alexander ENBERT RUS
6 Evgenia TARASOVA / Vladimir MOROZOV RUS

Tech Team

Ref: Zionneyken-BEL
TC: Kimminus-GER
TS: Collin-Knoblauch-CAN
ATS: Gaynor-USA

Judges: CZE RUS FIN CHN JPN ITA CAN USA FRA
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The MEN's FREESKATE is scheduled for Fri Dec 7 at 9:35 pm PST / 12:35 am EST

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Well well well, looks like Alina has to work this time. Go Rika!

RESULTS SENIOR MEN SHORT PROGRAM

1 Nathan CHEN USA 92.99 48.78 44.21 8.89 8.68 8.79 8.96 8.89 0.00 4 3a, 4f, 4t-so-nc
2 Shoma UNO JPN 91.67 46.88 44.79 9.00 8.75 8.93 9.07 9.04 0.00 6 4f<, 4t+2t, 3a
3 Michal BREZINA CZE 89.21 46.14 43.07 8.71 8.29 8.75 8.61 8.71 0.00 3 4s+2t, 3f, 3a
4 Junhwhan CHA KOR 89.07 47.35 41.72 8.36 8.04 8.43 8.50 8.39 0.00 2 4s<, 3z+3lo, 3a
5 Sergei VORONOV RUS 82.96 42.56 40.40 8.32 7.75 8.18 8.11 8.04 0.00 5 4t-fwd, 3lo+3t, 3a
6 Keegan MESSING CAN 79.56 37.56 42.00 8.32 8.21 8.54 8.50 8.43 0.00 1 4t<+3t, 3a<, 3z

START ORDER SENIOR MEN FREESKATE Fri Dec 7 9:35 pm PST / 12:35 am EST

1 Sergei VORONOV RUS
2 Junhwhan CHA KOR
3 Keegan MESSING CAN
4 Nathan CHEN USA
5 Michal BREZINA CZE
6 Shoma UNO JPN

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RESULTS SENIOR LADIES SHORT PROGRAM

1 Rika KIHIRA JPN 82.51 47.36 35.15 8.86 8.46 8.96 8.82 8.82 0.00 3 3a, 3f+3t, 3z
2 Alina ZAGITOVA RUS 77.93 42.10 35.83 8.96 8.82 9.00 8.96 9.04 0.00 6 3z+3lo, 2a, 3f
3 Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA RUS 70.65 38.25 32.40 8.11 7.75 8.18 8.21 8.25 0.00 2 3a<-to, 3t+3t, 3z
4 Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN 70.23 37.23 33.00 8.36 7.96 8.39 8.25 8.29 0.00 5 3f+3t, 2a, 3lo
5 Sofia SAMODUROVA RUS 68.24 37.12 31.12 7.79 7.57 7.86 7.79 7.89 0.00 1 3f+3t, 3lo, 2a
6 Satoko MIYAHARA JPN 67.52 32.58 34.94 8.68 8.57 8.71 8.82 8.89 0.00 4 3z<, 2a, 3lo+2t


START ORDER SENIOR LADIES FREESKATE Sat Dec 7 1:55 pm PST / 4:55 pm EST

1 Sofia SAMODUROVA RUS
2 Satoko MIYAHARA JPN
3 Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN
4 Alina ZAGITOVA RUS
5 Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA RUS
6 Rika KIHIRA JPN

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Clearly, the 3Axel helped Kihira with the SP win here. After I saw Kihira skate I thought that there should be no way Zagitova can beat this, but I could see the judges inflating Zagitova's PCS to keep it close. But not really -- Kihira's PCS are right up there and rightfully so! There's a lovely ease to Kihira's movement and it really shines through when she's on.

Michal Brezina continues what is really his dream Fall season. That 4Sal combo really shouldn't have happened -- he looked off to me right on takeoff, but he made it happen! Something is just clicking for him this season and it's really nice to see. The costume change is very welcome too: more subdued and soft spoken, but more flattering.

Your thoughts...

Coaching change to Raf Arutunian is what rejuvenated Michal Brezina. Pretty soon Raf is going to be the most sought-after coach in NA.

RESULTS SENIOR RHYTHM DANCE

1 Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE USA 80.53 43.16 37.37 9.29 9.25 9.43 9.32 9.43 0.00 5
2 Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI ITA 78.30 42.59 35.71 8.89 8.75 9.00 8.96 9.04 0.00 6
3 Victoria SINITSINA / Nikita KATSALAPOV RUS 77.33 40.88 36.45 9.04 8.93 9.21 9.18 9.21 0.00 1
4 Alexandra STEPANOVA / Ivan BUKIN RUS 77.20 40.57 36.63 9.04 9.00 9.21 9.25 9.29 0.00 4
5 Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS 72.98 39.21 33.77 8.46 8.29 8.50 8.54 8.43 0.00 3
6 Kaitlin HAWAYEK / Jean-Luc BAKER USA 71.33 37.58 33.75 8.36 8.29 8.50 8.54 8.50 0.00 2

START ORDER SENIOR FREE DANCE Sat Dec 8 7 pm PST / 10 pm EST

1 Kaitlin HAWAYEK / Jean-Luc BAKER USA
2 Alexandra STEPANOVA / Ivan BUKIN RUS
3 Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS

4 Victoria SINITSINA / Nikita KATSALAPOV RUS
5 Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE USA
6 Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI ITA

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RESULTS SENIOR PAIRS SHORT PROGRAM

1 Cheng PENG / Yang JIN CHN 75.69 42.29 33.40 8.32 8.14 8.57 8.39 8.32 0.00 2
2 Natalia ZABIIAKO / Alexander ENBERT RUS 75.18 39.80 35.38 8.79 8.61 8.96 8.86 9.00 0.00 5
3 Evgenia TARASOVA / Vladimir MOROZOV RUS 74.04 39.64 35.40 9.00 8.79 8.75 8.93 8.79 1.00 6
4 Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA 71.51 36.52 34.99 8.71 8.64 8.68 8.82 8.89 0.00 4
5 Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA 69.77 36.77 33.00 8.32 8.04 8.14 8.36 8.39 0.00 3
6 Daria PAVLIUCHENKO / Denis KHODYKIN RUS 61.24 32.90 29.34 7.46 7.29 7.18 7.46 7.29 1.00 1

START ORDER SENIOR PAIRS FREESKATE Sat Dec 8 8:20 PST / 11:20 EST

1 Daria PAVLIUCHENKO / Denis KHODYKIN RUS
2 Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA
3 Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA

4 Evgenia TARASOVA / Vladimir MOROZOV RUS
5 Natalia ZABIIAKO / Alexander ENBERT RUS
6 Cheng PENG / Yang JIN CHN

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RESULTS SENIOR MEN FREESKATE

1 Nathan CHEN USA 189.43 101.79 88.64 9.04 8.64 8.82 8.93 8.89 1.00 4 4f, 4z<↓, 4t, 3a, 4t+3t, 3z+3t, 3f+eu+3s
2 Shoma UNO JPN 183.43 93.29 90.14 9.18 8.89 8.93 9.07 9.00 0.00 6 4s<<, 4f<, 4t, 4t+2t, 3a, 3a+eu+3f, 3s+3t
3 Junhwhan CHA KOR 174.42 91.58 91.58 83.84 8.43 8.21 8.43 8.39 8.46 1.00 2 4t<↓, 4s, 3z+3lo, 3a+2t, 3a, 3f+eu+3s, 3lo
4 Michal BREZINA CZE 167.05 79.67 87.38 8.68 8.54 8.89 8.79 8.79 0.00 5 4s<↓, 3a+2t, 3f, 3z, 3a, 3f+2t+2lo, 3lo
5 Keegan MESSING CAN 156.49 74.93 83.56 8.39 8.14 8.14 8.57 8.54 2.00 3 4z-hd, 4t, 3a+2t, 3lo, 2t+2t*, 3s+3t, 3a<↓, late start
6 Sergei VORONOV RUS 143.48 66.76 76.72 8.07 7.25 7.68 7.75 7.61 0.00 1 4t+2t, 3lo, 4t, 3s, 3a-so, 3a<+2t+1lo, 3z+2t*


FINAL STANDINGS SENIOR MEN

1 - Nathan CHEN USA 282.42 1 1
2 - Shoma UNO JPN 275.10 2 2
3 - Junhwhan CHA KOR 263.49 4 3
4 - Michal BREZINA CZE 256.26 3 4
5 - Keegan MESSING CAN 236.05 6 5
6 - Sergei VORONOV RUS 226.44 5 6

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RESULTS SENIOR LADIES FREESKATE

1 Rika KIHIRA JPN 150.61 78.21 72.40 9.07 8.86 9.04 9.07 9.21 0.00 6 3a<<, 3a+2t, 3lo, 3z+3t, 3f, 3z+2t+2lo, 3s
2 Alina ZAGITOVA RUS 148.60 75.90 72.70 9.04 9.00 9.04 9.18 9.18 0.00 4 2a, 3z+1t, 3s, 2a, 3z+3lo, 3f+2t+2lo, 3f
3 Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA RUS 144.67 78.06 66.61 66.61 8.39 7.96 8.46 8.32 8.50 0.00 5 3a-to, 3z+3t, 3f, 3s^2a, 2a+3t+2t, 3z, 3lo
4 Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN 141.45 74.45 68.00 8.64 8.36 8.54 8.50 8.46 1.00 3 3f+3t, 2a, 3z, 3s, 2a+2t+2t<↓, 3f+2t, 3lo
5 Sofia SAMODUROVA RUS 136.09 72.82 63.27 63.27 7.93 7.57 8.11 7.93 8.00 0.00 1 3f+3t, 3z, 3lo, 3s, 2a+3t, 3f, 2a+2t+2lo
6 Satoko MIYAHARA JPN 133.79 64.23 69.56 8.61 8.46 8.79 8.75 8.86 0.00 2 3s, 3z<+3t, 3lo, 3z<<, 2a+3t, 3f!<+2t+2lo, 2a


FINAL STANDINGS SENIOR LADIES

1 - Rika KIHIRA JPN 233.12 1 1
2 - Alina ZAGITOVA RUS 226.43 2 2
3 - Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA RUS 215.32 3 3
4 - Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN 211.68 4 4
5 - Sofia SAMODUROVA RUS 204.33 5 5
6 - Satoko MIYAHARA JPN 201.31 6 6

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RESULTS SENIOR FREE DANCE

1 Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE USA 124.82 67.73 57.09 9.46 9.29 9.64 9.54 9.64 0.00 5
2 Victoria SINITSINA / Nikita KATSALAPOV RUS 124.04 68.29 55.75 9.25 9.14 9.46 9.25 9.36 0.00 4
3 Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI ITA 120.35 66.38 53.97 8.86 8.86 9.11 9.04 9.11 0.00 6
4 Alexandra STEPANOVA / Ivan BUKIN RUS 119.52 64.67 54.85 9.00 8.96 9.25 9.25 9.25 0.00 2
5 Kaitlin HAWAYEK / Jean-Luc BAKER USA 112.71 61.59 51.12 8.54 8.21 8.64 8.57 8.64 0.00 1
6 Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS 111.39 60.69 50.70 8.36 8.46 8.43 8.54 8.46 0.00 3


FINAL STANDINGS SENIOR ICE DANCE

1 - Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE USA 205.35 1 1
2 - Victoria SINITSINA / Nikita KATSALAPOV RUS 201.37 3 2
3 - Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI ITA 198.65 2 3
4 - Alexandra STEPANOVA / Ivan BUKIN RUS 196.72 4 4
5 - Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS 184.37 5 6
6 - Kaitlin HAWAYEK / Jean-Luc BAKER USA 184.04 6 5

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RESULTS SENIOR PAIRS FREESKATE

1 Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA 148.37 75.59 73.78 9.14 9.00 9.36 9.25 9.36 1.00 2
2 Cheng PENG / Yang JIN CHN 141.21 70.12 71.09 8.82 8.75 9.04 8.86 8.96 0.00 6
3 Evgenia TARASOVA / Vladimir MOROZOV RUS 140.16 69.72 70.44 8.89 8.75 8.71 8.89 8.79 0.00 4
4 Natalia ZABIIAKO / Alexander ENBERT RUS 125.89 58.75 67.14 8.54 8.21 8.36 8.39 8.46 0.00 5
5 Daria PAVLIUCHENKO / Denis KHODYKIN RUS 125.57 66.31 59.26 7.50 7.25 7.54 7.43 7.32 0.00 1
6 Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA 117.86 55.59 64.27 8.14 7.96 7.75 8.18 8.14 2.00 3

FINAL STANDINGS SENIOR PAIRS

1 - Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA 219.88 4 1
2 - Cheng PENG / Yang JIN CHN 216.90 1 2
3 - Evgenia TARASOVA / Vladimir MOROZOV RUS 214.20 3 3
4 - Natalia ZABIIAKO / Alexander ENBERT RUS 201.07 2 4
5 - Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA 187.63 5 6
6 - Daria PAVLIUCHENKO / Denis KHODYKIN RUS 186.81 6 5

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Somewhat of a sloppy men's event over two programs. I was kinda hoping for a head to head between Chen and Uno and just more fireworks in general. Not terrible, but not great either. Maybe I'll chalk it up to saving some gas for the end.

The ladies FS was quite well skated, however.

Sofia Samodurova is making a strong case for RUS to send her to Worlds as the 3rd lady -- right now, I'd say it's between her and Medvedeva for this spot. Medved's got the resume history, but Samodurova has just been more consistent this season. I'd say the medal for Tuktamysheva here really gained her lots of momentum going into Russian Nationals. I thought Tukt was better in the FS than Zagitova was. I think that pop early on zapped the life out the program.

For Japan: Miyahara skated a solid FS performance, but upon closer inspection those carrots really cost her again. Sakamoto's brain fart fall on that 2toe probably cost her the bronze medal -- even w/Tukt's two 3Axel attempts between two programs, Sakamoto came within less than 4 points without one. I'd hate to jinx her, but I think it's safe to say at this point that Rika Kihira has established herself as the favorite to win Worlds. I'd be surprised if this was not Japan's team for Saitama.

After a relatively shaky SP, James & Cipres had the audience's attention from the get-go in their FS. Their big trick elements aren't always the best executed out there, but no one in this field has the same performance quality.

Peng & Jin deservedly won the SP, but didn't quite have the same umph as James & Cipres in the FS. The doubled sbs Salchow certainly didn't help. I didn't see them in their previous Grand Prix events, but here they look like they're flourishing more now that they're clearly the team that CHN is focusing most of its coaching energies on. They've really gelled better from since they first were switcharoo'ed and teamed up. They seemed genuinely happy w/their efforts here and rightfully so.

Your thoughts...