2020-21 ISU Grand Prix season - Assignments Announced

[ice coverage]

... Spots

Skate America:
Pairs: Kate Finster / Balazs Nagy (USA), Winter Deardorff / Mikhail Johnson (USA), Anastasia Smirnova / Danil Sianitsya (USA)
Ice Dance: Yura Min / Daniel Eaton (KOR), Bailey Melton / Ryan O'Donnell (USA), Maxine Weatherby / Termilan Yerzhanov (KAZ) ...

Re possibilities for filling open spots:

- Min/Eaton are listed for Skate America in yesterday's USFS announcement, although they are not named on the ISU chart.
It seems unclear whether or not Skate America has an unfilled dance spot.

2020 SKATE AMERICA INTERNATIONAL ATHLETES​

​

Ladies: Ashley Lin (CHN)​

Men: Stephen Gogolev (CAN), Keegan Messing (CAN), Michal Brezina (CZE), Alexei Bychenko (ISR)​

Pairs: Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov (RUS)​

Ice dance: Yura Min and Daniel Eaton (KOR)​

2020 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series Selections Announced - U.S. Figure Skating

The International Skating Union announced today the athlete selections for the 2020 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, which will begin Oct. 23-25 with 2020

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

- The Melton/O'Donnell partnership no longer exists. Two months ago, O'Donnell announced his new partnership with Hilary Asher.​

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In the announcement they are also saying that skaters won't even get Seasons best scores at the GP since there won't be international judges at some competitions, whereas skaters can get SBs at Challenger competitions this season. So there is no point for skaters to attend the GP. No SB, no World standing points. And only European skaters can basically attend Challengers this season to earn SB scores... will there still be prize money this GP season? Would be the only thing that speaks for attending a GP at this point..

In addition to the GP prize money that has been announced, another possible motivation for attending GPs would be that GP results could be taken into consideration when a federation selects its skaters for Worlds and other international assignments. U.S. Figure Skating is an example of a federation that does take GP results into consideration (and per usual will do so this season).

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Apparently the ISU did not notify skaters about their GP assignments nor consult them. Kao Miura voiced his confusion on instagram about being assigned to NHK, apparently he did not know about it.

Other skaters did know (Joseph Phan discussed his a few days ago), so it may be a difference in host federation approaches.

Agree with Colonel Green.
Communicating with skaters would be a matter for the federation to handle, not the ISU.

(AFAIK, the ISU itself never notifies skaters before the public announcement.)

 

[aka_gerbil]

The decision for t/m to not go back to the US was just made by Zoueva and RusFed. It sounds like a big part is worry that if they leave again, they will have problems getting back later. They also lost a lot of training time.

Vladimir has had several negative tests and has been released from quarantine. They are going to resume training on Monday.

Given some of the other things we’ve heard, it sounds like even if they did notify the ISU immediately, the ISU might not be paying attention.

 

[Skatesocs]

prior to that they were planning to go. It was a last minute change.

I don't know if I can suspend my disbelief with this, but good to know that (they wouldn't even have had enough training time lol)

Given some of the other things we’ve heard, it sounds like even if they did notify the ISU immediately, the ISU might not be paying attention.

Not sure if this is better than not even communicating

 

[DenissVFan]

Too bad that Korea, with its several very good skaters who got the short end of the stick, doesn't get to organise an additional GP (or "GP") in these circumstances. I feel like it'd be the best solution (I assume there'll be some domestic competitions in Korea anyway).

 

[GarthAqua]

Host Spots

Skate America:
Pairs: Kate Finster / Balazs Nagy (USA), Winter Deardorff / Mikhail Johnson (USA), Anastasia Smirnova / Danil Sianitsya (USA)
Ice Dance: Yura Min / Daniel Eaton (KOR), Bailey Melton / Ryan O'Donnell (USA), Maxine Weatherby / Termilan Yerzhanov (KAZ)

Cup of China:
Men: Lufeng Li (CHN), Chih-I Tsao (TPE)
Ladies: Xiangning Li (CHN), Zhang Yixuan (CHN), Kang Shuhui (CHN), Cheuk Ka Khalen Cheung (HKG), Shi Jiaxin (CHN)
Ice Dance: Ren Junfei / Alexei Karpushov (CHN), Shi Shang / Wu Nan (CHN)

Internationaux de France:
Ladies: Alizee Crozet (FRA), Julie Froechster (FRA)
Ice Dance: Natacha Lagouge / Arnaud Caffa (FRA)

Rostelecom Cup:
Men: Artem Kovalev (RUS), Anton Shulepov (RUS), Egor Murashov (RUS
Ladies: Anastasia Gubanova (RUS), Ksenia Tsibinova (RUS), Valeria Shulskaya (RUS), Maria Talalaykina (RUS)
Pairs: Yasmina Kadyrova / Ivan Balchenko (RUS), Anastasia Balabanova / Alexei Svyatchenko (RUS)

NHK Trophy:
Ladies: Rin Nitaya (JPN), Rika Hongo (JPN)

Where did you get the list? Those CHN Ladies host spots seem wired. Kang Shuhui and Shi Jiaxin are both Novice B skaters last season. Kang is only 12 this year.
Are you suggesting the possoble host picks?

 

[surimi]

No Yi Christy Leung in China, and no Loena Hendricx in France? :[

 

[kan01]

In the announcement they are also saying that skaters won't even get Seasons best scores at the GP since there won't be international judges at some competitions, whereas skaters can get SBs at Challenger competitions this season. So there is no point for skaters to attend the GP. No SB, no World standing points. And only European skaters can basically attend Challengers this season to earn SB scores... will there still be prize money this GP season? Would be the only thing that speaks for attending a GP at this point..

I don't agree. Skaters need to showcase their new programmes in Real competition. It's like test skates. It's much better to go to Nationals where stakes are high with one competition under your belt than to have the Nationals as your first competition. Skaters need competing experience, not just training time, in general.
I know some want this whole season cancelled and erased, but apparently it's not gonna happen.
This whole local type Grand Prix is a great idea given the world situation. Who cares if it's called Grand Prix or whatever (it's 2020, a special kind of Grand Prix, and it will go into history as just that, not a normal perfect Grand Prix).
Skaters need to skate, just like other people still go to work every day and run errands and stuff.
It may not be essential for you, but it is essential for them.
Plus, skaters are free to withdraw just like Hanyu did, and as we saw at Nebelhorn, there where proper precautions taken, again, just like you would take at a workplace. I agree with another poster, too much drama in figure skating regarding this season. It is what it is, and I see ISU doing their best IMO.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

I don't agree. Skaters need to showcase their new programmes in Real competition. It's like test skates. It's much better to go to Nationals where stakes are high with one competition under your belt than to have the Nationals as your first competition. Skaters need competing experience, not just training time, in general.
I know some want this whole season cancelled and erased, but apparently it's not gonna happen.
This whole local type Grand Prix is a great idea given the world situation. Who cares if it's called Grand Prix or whatever (it's 2020, a special kind of Grand Prix, and it will go into history as just that, not a normal perfect Grand Prix).
Skaters need to skate, just like other people still go to work every day and run errands and stuff.
It may not be essential for you, but it is essential for them.
Plus, skaters are free to withdraw just like Hanyu did, and as we saw at Nebelhorn, there where proper precautions taken, again, just like you would take at a workplace. I agree with another poster, too much drama in figure skating regarding this season. It is what it is, and I see ISU doing their best IMO.

Very good point. I think this is important. This has something to do with the skaters motivation too. I would be really worried if there wasn´t a arena for the skaters to challenge themselves. It is hard to keep the training motivation up for months without setting some goals and have competing experience. Olympic season is not far away (if it will be held) and if anything the skaters need to keep it up.

Personally I think there are some positive outcomes. Some of the skaters here would not be assigned for this GP if there wasn´t this situation. And i´m very happy I get to see skaters Like Gracie and Evgenia after all.

I would also think this year every single event will be a highlight, because there is no upcoming final for now. The events will be about the medals now, not just qualification for the final - and I hope it means we will see every skater being very motivated!

 

[snowflake]

I´m so happy Nikolaj Majorov got a spot for the one in France!

Me too. He must be thrilled getting a GP spot after his first senior worlds got cancelled

Curious about Yudong in his first senior event. I liked him at junior gp and hope he'll become another star in Chinese men's skating. Saw Arutyunyan is one of his coaches. When did that happen?

Whatever the rewards I'm sure skaters love to finally compete. With or without audience it's still much better than training or competing virtually.

 

[YuBluByMe]

I’m gonna ask the real questions around here: Is there going to be one of those prediction games this year? I may participate as I’m feeling quite confident about the winner in the ladies field in Cup of China.

 

[Fireplace7890]

Too bad that Korea, with its several very good skaters who got the short end of the stick, doesn't get to organise an additional GP (or "GP") in these circumstances. I feel like it'd be the best solution (I assume there'll be some domestic competitions in Korea anyway).

That’s an interesting idea, I wonder if they’d ever consider it. it would be great to be able to see the Korean skaters at some point this year.

 

[snowflake]

I’m gonna ask the real questions around here: Is there going to be one of those prediction games this year? I may participate as I’m feeling quite confident about the winner in the ladies field in Cup of China.

Skate America men an Rostelecom ladies are super competitive. Who wants to put in bets on the medals? (Except for one gold of course )

 

[sheetz]

Curious about Yudong in his first senior event. I liked him at junior gp and hope he'll become another star in Chinese men's skating. Saw Arutyunyan is one of his coaches. When did that happen?

He's been working with Raf for over 2 years now but didn't list him as a coach until more recently.

He's in this Team Raf photo from Aug 2018.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmhLeckAZYW/

 

[icybear]

I’m gonna ask the real questions around here: Is there going to be one of those prediction games this year? I may participate as I’m feeling quite confident about the winner in the ladies field in Cup of China.

Haha, I just love how in some fields, some random home skater/team is going to win a gp gold and then in the russian ladies field its going to be the most gruesome gp ever

 

[skylark]

In the announcement they are also saying that skaters won't even get Seasons best scores at the GP since there won't be international judges at some competitions, whereas skaters can get SBs at Challenger competitions this season. So there is no point for skaters to attend the GP. No SB, no World standing points. And only European skaters can basically attend Challengers this season to earn SB scores... will there still be prize money this GP season? Would be the only thing that speaks for attending a GP at this point..

Except for skaters who enjoy and benefit from the chance to compete and show their programs to fans.

Some skaters have said that they're very happy to have the competitions to look forward to and prepare for. Training for a competition gives them a chance to progress their skating and plan a rhythm to their training and season. Also they get valuable feedback.

Russian skaters have several opportunities to get the benefits of the above in their Russian Cup events, called Phases I believe? As far as I know, none of the other feds are able to provide those opportunities for their skaters.

I'm excited for these events, and I think everyone: skaters, fans, judges, officials -- know that it's wildly, wildly not the same as previous years. I just want to see new skating, I'm even loving the ISP videos, however rough. If the skaters love to skate and perform for the sake and love of skating and performing, they're happy if they can have opportunities.

 

[el henry]

I would also like to confirm that from my understanding, for the “what the heck” moments in scheduling, the Fed is responsible, and not the ISU. The national Feds for these comps are the ones who select skaters, the other Feds are the ones who horse trade Skaters in and out, and presumably a Fed knows where its skaters are.

There was a very interesting interview with Meagan Duhamel, maybe on TSL? a few years back about the process. She said even when they were World Champs, she and Eric communicated their preferences through Skate Canada, and not directly to the ISU.

and presumably the US Fed knows what’s up with Andrew T. and why he is not assigned to SA wish they would tell us.....

 

[snowflake]

He's been working with Raf for over 2 years now but didn't list him as a coach until more recently.

He's in this Team Raf photo from Aug 2018.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmhLeckAZYW/

Thanks... so who knows what his plans were if not for the C. Whatever I'll cheer for Yudong.

 

[Lunalovesskating]

Except for skaters who enjoy and benefit from the chance to compete and show their programs to fans.

Some skaters have said that they're very happy to have the competitions to look forward to and prepare for. Training for a competition gives them a chance to progress their skating and plan a rhythm to their training and season. Also they get valuable feedback.

Russian skaters have several opportunities to get the benefits of the above in their Russian Cup events, called Phases I believe? As far as I know, none of the other feds are able to provide those opportunities for their skaters.

I'm excited for these events, and I think everyone: skaters, fans, judges, officials -- know that it's wildly, wildly not the same as previous years. I just want to see new skating, I'm even loving the ISP videos, however rough. If the skaters love to skate and perform for the sake and love of skating and performing, they're happy if they can have opportunities.

For skaters who have a GP in their home country or in the country they currently train in this may be a good opportunity, for the rest it involves significant risks. Some skaters are assigned to GPs they won't be able to attend due to travel restrictions, others have to take several flights between countries in order to take part in the GP, which raises the risk of getting sick. So imagine some of those skaters will WD, since there is more risk than benefit for them.

 

[TeamGubanova]

Where did you get the list? Those CHN Ladies host spots seem wired. Kang Shuhui and Shi Jiaxin are both Novice B skaters last season. Kang is only 12 this year.
Are you suggesting the possoble host picks?

I didn't know it is hard to find their ages.

 

[lariko]

Korean ladies are the most glaring omission so far, fingers crossed there will be either an option for them to compete domestically or CoC gets filled out