ISU announces roster for 2018/19 Grand Prix series
from the International Skating Union (ISU)
The World’s best figure skaters including reigning Olympic Champions Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) and Alina Zagitova (RUS), 2018 World Champion Nathan Chen (USA) and three-time Ice Dance World Champions Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) as well Olympic, World, European and Four Continents medalists will compete in the six events of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in the 2018/19 season. At the same time, the next generation of up and coming skaters is ready to take center stage in this post-Olympic season.
Following the decision of the Chinese Skating Association (CSA) not to hold this year the annual ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event (the Cup of China) and after consultation with other interested ISU Member federations to organize this event, the ISU Council has decided that the third Grand Prix event of the season 2018/19 shall be held in Helsinki (FIN) on November 2-4, 2018.
Overview of the events
The Grand Prix series kicks off with Skate America in Everett, WA (USA) October 19 to 21.
World Champion Chen, World bronze medalist Satoko Miyahara (JPN), two-time European Pairs Champions Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (RUS) and Ice Dance World silver medalists Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA) lead the line-up.
Skate Canada in Laval, QC (CAN), October 26 to 28 is headlined by Olympic and World silver medalist Shoma Uno (JPN), 2018 Four Continents bronze medalist Jason Brown (USA), Olympic silver medalist Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS), World silver medalist Wakaba Higuchi (JPN), World bronze medalists Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres (FRA) in the Pairs and Hubbell/Donohue in the Ice Dance competition. World Junior Ice Dance Champions Anastasia Skoptcova/Kirill Aleshin (RUS) will debut on the Grand Prix series.
For the first time, Helsinki (FIN) will host a Grand Prix event on November 2 to 4. Helsinki had hosted the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in the 2004/05 season when it was still held separately from the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The event features two-time Olympic Champion Hanyu, current World bronze medalist Mikhail Kolyada (RUS), two-time World bronze medalist Boyang Jin (CHN) as well as Olympic Champion Zagitova (RUS), five-time European Champion Carolina Kostner (ITA), Olympic Pairs silver medalists Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN), two-time Ice Dance World medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) and European bronze medalists Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin (RUS). World Junior Champion Alexey Erokhov (RUS) and World Junior Pairs Champions Daria Pavliuchenko/Denis Khodykin (RUS) will debut on the senior circuit.
The series continues with the NHK Trophy in Hiroshima (JPN) November 9 to 11 with Uno, European silver medalist Dmitri Aliev (RUS), 2017 World Junior Champion Vincent Zhou (USA), Miyahara, Sui/Han and World Ice Dance Champions Papadakis/Cizeron.
The circuit then moves back to Europe for the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow (RUS) November 16 to 18. Competing are Hanyu, Kolyada, Denis Ten (KAZ), Zagitova, Higuchi, Tarasova/Morozov, Chock/Bates and Stepanova/Bukin.
The last spots for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final will be then decided in Grenoble (FRA) at the Internationaux de France November 23 to 25. Top contenders include Chen, Jin, Kostner, Medvedeva, James/Cipres and Papadakis/Cizeron.
44 Men, 41 Ladies, 27 Pairs and 35 Ice Dance couples from 31 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 Final in Vancouver (CAN), December 6 to 9, 2018.
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 2018. 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 (GP, JGP, Championships) or a Challenger Series event. Exceptions apply to host country skaters, previously ranked skaters or split ranked couples who return with new partners.
Prize Money & Points
Competitors collect points in their Grand Prix events towards the qualification for the Grand Prix Final. The global prize money for the Grand Prix is US $ 272,000 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
Pairs and Ice Dancers collect points up to 6th place.
The General Announcement of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series will be available shortly and will be followed by the publication of the individual announcements.
For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series please visit: https://isu.org/GrandPrix
About ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series started in 1995 (previously known as the ISU Champions Series) and consists of six international senior invitational events and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The skaters are seeded and invited to the six Grand Prix of Figure Skating events based on the results of the previous ISU World Figure Skating Championships. Competitors collect points in their Grand Prix events towards the qualification for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Only the top six Skaters / Couples in each discipline can qualify for the Final.