Grand Prix Speculation 2015-2016

[cheerknithanson]

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=51157&type=media

Finally info on USFSA's website.

 

[sabinfire]

Hmm, strange.

If this is to be believed, NBC will be carrying same-weekend coverage of all GP events, including the GP Final (TV coverage was delayed by a week last year).

Also, most of the TV coverage of Skate America will be on NBCSN -- which makes this the first time we'll see figure skating on NBCSN since the Sochi Olympics?

 

[SkateSkates]

I watched their ladies and ice dance worlds coverage on NBCSN online - not sure if that's the same thing.

 

[ice coverage]

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=51157&type=media

Finally info on USFSA's website.

Thx, CKH.

Included is confirmation that June 15 is the announcement date for GP rosters (as tweeted previously by Molina).

The complete list of athletes selected to compete at the 2015 Skate America and the rest of the 2015 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events will be announced June 15. ​

The field will include 56 competitors ...
Which at least suggests that the entries per discipline will be the same as last year:

12 men, 12 ladies, 8 dance couples, 8 pairs​

The 2015 Skate America website, which will be live May 12, will include event and All-Event ticket package information.
All-event ticket packages go on sale May 13.
Please visit www.2015skateamerica.com for more information.

Per the IN version of the Milwaukee/Skate America announcement:

In a break from tradition, the event will feature just two days of competition as opposed to the usual three. Thursday, Oct. 22, will be an official practice day, and the exhibition gala will be held Sunday, Oct. 25.
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2015/05/04/122255274​

Hmm, strange.

If this is to be believed, NBC will be carrying same-weekend coverage of all GP events, including the GP Final (TV coverage was delayed by a week last year). ...

Fingers crossed that the one-week delay for the GPF telecast really is being eliminated this year .

 

[sabinfire]

Per the IN version of the Milwaukee/Skate America announcement:

In a break from tradition, the event will feature just two days of competition as opposed to the usual three. Thursday, Oct. 22, will be an official practice day, and the exhibition gala will be held Sunday, Oct. 25.
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2015/05/04/122255274​

Can I get a 'hallelujah' on that? Just 2 days of competition will make attending both Skate America & Skate Canada (on consecutive weekends) a whole lot easier now...

 

[chuckm]

The ISU published all the B and Challenge competitions last week and there are two B events in July, both in the US. The first one is in Philadelphia, July 16-19---the Philadelphia Summer International (formerly Liberty Competition) and the second is July 30-31 in Lake Placid, NY--the Lake Placid International Dance Competition. This is the first time these events will award ISU points to the top Senior competitors.

 

[dorispulaski]

I had already planned an LPIDC trip, and now I am even more glad I am going.

 

[NaVi]

I think Samantha Cesario's retirement greatly increases the chance that Karen Chen will get Sr Grand Prix assignments.

 

[Mrs. P]

I think Samantha Cesario's retirement greatly increases the chance that Karen Chen will get Sr Grand Prix assignments.

I believe Karen was bumped up into the top 24 since Wakaba Higuchi (#10) was too young to compete in seniors. So she always has one assignment guaranteed. Cesario's retirement will now bump Joshi Helgesson (#26) up to the top 24 as well.

 

[NaVi]

I believe Karen was bumped up into the top 24 since Wakaba Higuchi (#10) was too young to compete in seniors. So she always has one assignment guaranteed. Cesario's retirement will now bump Joshi Helgesson (#26) up to the top 24 as well.

Is it the top 24 scores or the top 24 returning scores?

 

[Mrs. P]

Is it the top 24 scores or the top 24 returning scores?

I believe it's the top 24 SB scores officially, but if there are those in the top 24 who don't move up or retire, those below the 24 end up getting bumped up unofficially.

Last year's assignments included quite a few people who were not officially in top 24:
http://isuprod.blob.core.windows.net/media/155348/gp_ladies.pdf
http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2013-14/sbtslto.htm

 

[NaVi]

Of course there's quite a few people not in the top 24 who get spots... there's 72 spots to go around.

 

[Mrs. P]

Of course there's quite a few people not in the top 24 who get spots... there's 72 spots to go around.

Right, but I'd imagine that some of people were included in the intital round were in that bubble area (25-29) after ones above them were deemed to young or retired/took a year off.

 

[Layback11]

My predictions for seeded ladies

SA: Elena (because she won last year), Ashley (because it would be either her or Gracie and Gracie went last year)

SC: Satoko (because they loved her last year), Rika (because she hasn't been to either North American event)

COC: Liza (I have a feeling they would like her), Rika (because why not?)

TEB: Elena (because she need something else besides COR), Gracie (because she hasn't been yet)

COR: Liza (because she's their star), Ashley (because it's one of the last events she hasn't done)

NHK: Satoko (because, again, she's their star), Gracie (because she won it last year and has said she loves that event)

GPF:

1st Qual.: Liza
2nd Qual.: Any of the following: Comebacking Yulia, Elena (if she avoids a growth spurt), one of the new seniors (if they avoid growth spurts), Anna, Adelina (if she returns)
3rd Qual.: Satoko or Rika (depending on growth)
4rd Qual.: Gracie
5th Qual.: Ashley
6th Qual.: Any of the other Russians listed as possibilities for 2nd Qualifier

 

[Layback11]

My predictions for seeded dance

SA: Chock/Bates (because they're their stars), Gilles/Poirier (because they've never competed there)

SC: Weaver/Poje (because, well, duh), Shibs (because SC and SA should, IMHO, get their #1 team and the other federation's #2 team)

COC: Chock/Bates (because they've never competed there), Capellini/Lanotte (to redeem themselves)

TEB: Papadakis/Cizeron (for obvious reasons), Gilles/Poirier (they went last year)

COR: Weaver/Poje (they've never competed there), Capellini/Lanotte (because I'm saving the Shibs for NHK)

NHK: Papadakis/Cizeron (to close out the series with a bang-at least if they retain their current momentum), Shibs (because they love them!)

GPF:

1st Qual.: Weaver/Poje
2nd Qual.: Chock/Bates
3rd Qual.: Papadakis/Cizeron
4th Qual.: Capellini/Lanotte
5th Qual.: Shibs
6th Qual.: Ilinykh/Zhiganshin

 

[Layback11]

My predictions for seeded pairs

*This is assuming each team is moved up a place and the 7th place team is included because P/T retired*

SA: Peng/Zhang (to redeem themselves), Scimeca/Knierim (being the top US team makes them the obvious choice)

SC: Sui/Han (because they loved them last year, and I want to see if they can top the Plants Vs. Zombies ex they did there-on Halloween, no less! ), Kavaguti/Smirnov (because I realized at the last minute you can't send two world medalists to the same GP and somebody had to go in D/R's place)

COC: Peng/Zhang (because they need some home-crowd love), Tarasova/Morozov (why not?)

TEB: Duhamel/Radford (because they've never been there), Kavaguti/Smirnov (if they stick around-I think they would like them)

COR: Sui/Han (because COR needs a medal team and I'm not going to make anyone do back to back events), Tarasova/Morozov (#Homecrowdlove)

NHK: Duhamel/Radford (so we can have two world champs in one event-see my dance post), Scimeca/Knierim (because they've never been there)


GPF:

1st Qual.: Voloshozhar/Trankov
2nd Qual.: Duhamel/Radford
3rd Qual.: Sui/Han
4th Qual.: Stolbova/Klimov
5th Qual.eng/Zhang
6th Qual.: Kavaguti/Smirnov if they stick around, Tarasova/Morozov if they don't

 

[anyanka]

Do Aljona and Bruno get GP seedings too? Or will they not, due to their not having competed together yet? If they don't, then we can presume they'll hit the B-circuit (Nebelhorn, Triglav, Warsaw, Nice, Nebelhorn, NRW, Zagreb) to test out their programs en route to German nationals and Euros / Worlds?

 

[Skategmt]

Since Sammi Cesar io is retired, does that mean all the ladies below her move up a spot?

 

[skatemouse]

My predictions for seeded pairs

*This is assuming each team is moved up a place and the 7th place team is included because P/T retired*

SA: Peng/Zhang (to redeem themselves), Scimeca/Knierim (being the top US team makes them the obvious choice)

SC: Sui/Han (because they loved them last year, and I want to see if they can top the Plants Vs. Zombies ex they did there-on Halloween, no less! ), Kavaguti/Smirnov (because I realized at the last minute you can't send two world medalists to the same GP and somebody had to go in D/R's place)

COC: Peng/Zhang (because they need some home-crowd love), Tarasova/Morozov (why not?)

TEB: Duhamel/Radford (because they've never been there), Kavaguti/Smirnov (if they stick around-I think they would like them)

COR: Sui/Han (because COR needs a medal team and I'm not going to make anyone do back to back events), Tarasova/Morozov (#Homecrowdlove)

NHK: Duhamel/Radford (so we can have two world champs in one event-see my dance post), Scimeca/Knierim (because they've never been there)


GPF:

1st Qual.: Voloshozhar/Trankov
2nd Qual.: Duhamel/Radford
3rd Qual.: Sui/Han
4th Qual.: Stolbova/Klimov
5th Qual.eng/Zhang
6th Qual.: Kavaguti/Smirnov if they stick around, Tarasova/Morozov if they don't

S/K were at NHK and it was a cool program too. I think it was really their first ever International actually but not sure. Here is the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVyD8HZxnyM

 

[chuckm]

C'mon. Skate Canada is going to host-pick Duhamel/Radford; the other seed will be Scimeca/Knierim (preferably) or Tarasova/Morozov.