Update on 2022-23 Grand Prix Series

[lariko]

There are the facts, and the interpretation of such facts

I presented some facts too... some Canadian pair teams who have all the same elements as the top teams who didn't get to attend the GPs last year... these teams do not do lower level lifts and double throws. I am looking forward to seeing them on the circuit.

Regarding your experience at Skate America, good you enjoyed it. In general, the biggest point gaps come in the singles discipline, not in pairs or dance as teams have more or less the same elements...

The GP I attended saw Trusova with almost 100 points over the last place finisher Veronik Mallet.
In the men division, Hanyu had about 60 points over the second place finisher Nam Nguyen and about 130 over last place finisher Kerry.

Pairs and dance, with the main contenders from the elite 50 points from the top to the last place... much more homogeneous.

So remove a few top pairs in the pairs division, I believe that the field overall will be weaker of course, but the gap, not so much widened.

It is a personal bias, I know, but I feel that in singles and ice dance, I can watch a lot of lower level of mastery skaters with a lot of pleasure, because they could bring energy on ice and just substitute easier elements without losing the feel of excellence—I mean, look at Taljegard—but in pairs, the elements are so tied to mastery, that it is hard to watch. And, well, I am also terrified of the higher potential for injury, if the pairs unused to the limelight try to step-up, because pair falls are horrific.

I dunno. I feel that I am going to go and cheer anyway, but I would have preferred GP to stick to the ‘best of the best’ idea under these trying circumstances.

Do you think they will put Nadau in this season? I want to see how he does as a pair skater.

 

[Warwick360]

If the Grand Prix does come to Sheffield (and I had to make double-triple verification that it wasn't some other Sheffield in the world), does anyone know how hard and where one might be able to get those tickets?

And also, if anyone here has been to a Grand Prix, what are the price ranges for the competitions in the recent years in USD?

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I've seen it floating around that in order to get assignments we need the Sheffield Steelers to move venues for one of their games or else look at alternative venues in England, because the ISU will not start assignments without 6 confirmed venues.

The British Fed are obsessed with holding everything in Sheffield. And, failing that, they would reluctantly consider Nottingham. They are simply not interested in holding events anywhere else. Put it like this, the last time the British Championships was held anywhere other than one of those two rinks was 2003. And the last time it was held in Nottingham was 2009. It has been Sheffield every year since then.

Admittedly, there has been one exception to the Sheffield-or-Nottingham hegemony in recent years. A Senior B, the Tayside Trophy, has been held in Dundee in Scotland.

However, I just had a look at the Elite League website, and the Sheffield Steelers, Nottingham Panthers and Dundee Stars all have home matches the week of the 4th Senior GP.

Here are the matches being played that week:

Date​	Time​	Championship​	Home Team​	Away Team​
Wednesday 9th November	19:30​	Elite League​	Sheffield Steelers​	Coventry Blaze​
Friday 11th November	19:30​	Elite League​	Manchester Storm​	Belfast Giants​
Friday 11th November	19:30​	Elite League​	Glasgow Clan​	Fife Flyers​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Elite League​	Nottingham Panthers​	Belfast Giants​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Elite League​	Dundee Stars​	Cardiff Devils​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Elite League​	Sheffield Steelers​	Glasgow Clan​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Challenge Cup​	Coventry Blaze​	Guildford Flames​
Sunday 13th November	18:00​	Elite League​	Fife Flyers​	Nottingham Panthers​
Sunday 13th November	18:00​	Elite League​	Cardiff Devils​	Manchester Storm​
Sunday 13th November	18:00​	Challenge Cup​	Guildford Flames​	Coventry Blaze​

There is actually only one team that is not playing any home matches that week. So...

ODYSSEY ARENA, BELFAST, FOR THE SENIOR GP, BABY!!!

...and Dundonald Ice Bowl for the Practice Rink!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[4everchan]

It is a personal bias, I know, but I feel that in singles and ice dance, I can watch a lot of lower level of mastery skaters with a lot of pleasure, because they could bring energy on ice and just substitute easier elements without losing the feel of excellence—I mean, look at Taljegard—but in pairs, the elements are so tied to mastery, that it is hard to watch. And, well, I am also terrified of the higher potential for injury, if the pairs unused to the limelight try to step-up, because pair falls are horrific.

I dunno. I feel that I am going to go and cheer anyway, but I would have preferred GP to stick to the ‘best of the best’ idea under these trying circumstances.

Do you think they will put Nadau in this season? I want to see how he does as a pair skater.

i understand your point of view.. i have seen a twist crash live and it's no fun.. but i have also seen a fall from a dance lift that was super scary AND max aaron (before your time) do a belly flop while dressed like the lion king on a jump...ALL of this, if I recall correctly in the same ACI weekend

it is a dangerous sport.. but mind you, one of the scariest moment in pairs I have ever seen was Cain-Gribble-Le Duc at worlds this year and they were podium contenders until then... and the twist crash i have seen was the Canadian champions... so, it happens to the best teams just as much. (and let's not forget M/G's fall at the Olympics team event...)

I do hope they would give a host spot to Nadeau if they won't give that pair 2 GPs. I am very excited to watch them.. Don't miss championnats québécois d'été.. they usually do live and archived streaming. They are signed up to compete there in a couple weeks.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

There is actually only one team that is not playing any home matches that week. So...

ODYSSEY ARENA, BELFAST, FOR THE SENIOR GP, BABY!!!

...and Dundonald Ice Bowl for the Practice Rink!

CaroLiza_fan

Unfortunately, I was premature in my excitement.

Just looked at the Odyssey Arena website, and it turns out that there are two concerts being held there that week.

Date​	Time​	Event​
Wednesday 9th November	19:30​	Biffy Clyro
Saturday 12th November	20:00​	Kevin Bridges: The Overdue Catch-Up

A Scottish rock band and a Scottish comedian.

The Jocks are conspiring to prevent Northern Ireland hosting it's first ever ISU event!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[litenkyckling]

The British Fed are obsessed with holding everything in Sheffield. And, failing that, they would reluctantly consider Nottingham. They are simply not interested in holding events anywhere else. Put it like this, the last time the British Championships was held anywhere other than one of those two rinks was 2003. And the last time it was held in Nottingham was 2009. It has been Sheffield every year since then.

Admittedly, there has been one exception to the Sheffield-or-Nottingham hegemony in recent years. A Senior B, the Tayside Trophy, has been held in Dundee in Scotland.

However, I just had a look at the Elite League website, and the Sheffield Steelers, Nottingham Panthers and Dundee Stars all have home matches the week of the 4th Senior GP.

Here are the matches being played that week:

Date​	Time​	Championship​	Home Team​	Away Team​
Wednesday 9th November	19:30​	Elite League​	Sheffield Steelers​	Coventry Blaze​
Friday 11th November	19:30​	Elite League​	Manchester Storm​	Belfast Giants​
Friday 11th November	19:30​	Elite League​	Glasgow Clan​	Fife Flyers​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Elite League​	Nottingham Panthers​	Belfast Giants​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Elite League​	Dundee Stars​	Cardiff Devils​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Elite League​	Sheffield Steelers​	Glasgow Clan​
Saturday 12th November	19:00​	Challenge Cup​	Coventry Blaze​	Guildford Flames​
Sunday 13th November	18:00​	Elite League​	Fife Flyers​	Nottingham Panthers​
Sunday 13th November	18:00​	Elite League​	Cardiff Devils​	Manchester Storm​
Sunday 13th November	18:00​	Challenge Cup​	Guildford Flames​	Coventry Blaze​

There is actually only one team that is not playing any home matches that week. So...

ODYSSEY ARENA, BELFAST, FOR THE SENIOR GP, BABY!!!

...and Dundonald Ice Bowl for the Practice Rink!

CaroLiza_fan

I believe Sheffield play at IceSheffield when the arena is in use - they also post disclaimers that dates and times can change. I'd also argue that Sheffield could play against Glasgow at Braehead that week since Braehead Arena is purely only used for hockey and skating lessons - so nothing else would be booked in then.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

By the way, does anyone know how many returning split couples there are? And how many of those are eligible for GP spots?

If the ISU keeps 3 seasons of World Standing for entry determination, then there are at least two new pairs that could end up getting GP spots due to being in the top 24 in World Standing with their former partners at the end of the 2019-2020 season (Zabiiako/Daleman (CAN), Efimova/Blommaert (GER)). Are there any others?
Zabiiako/Daleman also could possibly get GP spots due to Zabiiako/Enbert placing 3rd at Worlds in the 2018-19 season.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Zabiiako/Daleman (CAN)

They are no longer skating together, Zabiiako left Canada.

 

[el henry]

They are no longer skating together, Zabiiako left Canada.

We have Alexander Kogan (not very trustworthy, IMO) and Dave Lease saying he talked to Bruno Marcotte (slightly more trustworthy. Goes to show what I think of Kogan when I trust Dave Lease more. Bruno is of course trustworthy, talking about Dave's reporting of what he said). Link here in the Zabaiiko/Daleman thread.

Update: Zabiiako not representing Canada

Canada has apparently withdrew its support https://www.sports.ru/figure-skating/1110527103-aleksandr-kogan-kanadskaya-federacziya-otkazalas-ot-zaprosa-po-povodu-.html Per Kogan “The Canadian Figure Skating Federation has previously contacted us about Natalia Zabiyako and has already sent a...

www.goldenskate.com

But no official announcement yet. ETA: But given what Bruno was reported to have said, I think it is unlikely they would be assigned a GP slot.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

They are no longer skating together, Zabiiako left Canada.

They are (were?) entered in a Canadian competition, I can't currently find it but I'll continue searching.

 

[el henry]

They are (were?) entered in a Canadian competition, I can't currently find it but I'll continue searching.

They are entered in Skate Ontario, I believe, and AFAIK have not withdrawn. But if you click on the link in my earlier post, you may see some of the reporting that Natalia went home to Barcelona to be with her partner Daria.

 

[AlexBreeze]

But no official announcement yet.

Bruno told Russian media about it today:
'Natalia flew to Europe. It's a pity, because she was improving everyday.'

 

[el henry]

Bruno told Russian media about it today:
'Natalia flew to Europe. It's a pity, because she was improving everyday.'

Thank you for the link. Looks like Russian media listens to TSL and makes their own calls.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Bruno told Russian media about it today:
'Natalia flew to Europe. It's a pity, because she was improving everyday.'

The whole statement is so vague - Is the partnership actually fully over? Or is she taking time off but is ultimately planning on returning to Canada and still competing with Zach?

Because it's quite hard for me to believe that she would just so easily completely give up on her plans to return to competition after finally finding a partner she can work with.

I don't think it will be easy for her to find a new partner in Spain/willing to train in Spain if she does still plan to return but not in Canada or with Zach (Nolan Seegert? He doesn't seem willing to restart his career with a new partner. Marco Zandron? Seems to be willing to stick with Laura Barquero for the time being.)

 

[el henry]

The whole statement is so vague - Is the partnership actually fully over? Or is she taking time off but is ultimately planning on returning to Canada and still competing with Zach?
Because it's quite hard for me to believe that she would just so easily completely give up on her plans to return to competition after finally finding a partner she can work with.

She may be leaving her options open. On TSL, Dave said that Bruno said she wanted to return home after Daria came out. (Hmmm why would TASS omit that piece of the story? ) Kogan implied that it was Canada's choice, at least by my reading of the translation, which is most certainly wasn't. But she is missing training time

 

[Jumping_Bean]

She may be leaving her options open. On TSL, Dave said that Bruno said she wanted to return home after Daria came out. (Hmmm why would TASS omit that piece of the story? ) Kogan implied that it was Canada's choice, at least by my reading of the translation, which is most certainly wasn't. But she is missing training time

I'm wondering if (should it be a short-term arrangement) it wouldn't have been an option for Zach to accompany her to Spain (if he was willing to relocate for a short time) and for Bruno to do distance coaching. Natalia is by far the best partner Zach has ever had, and with the weakened pairs field this would have been a huge opportunity for him.
And Natalia has (and will be, if she is looking for another partner) really been struggling to find a partner of a suitable height and acceptable technical skills.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Hold on… Spain… that’s where that Spanish pair is benched for doping. Was it the male or female partner who doped in Oly? Maybe… and hear me out… it’s not all over yet for Zabiiako?

Female partner, but Marco seems to not want to change partners despite them not being able to compete due to the ongoing investigation into Laura's doping case (Some rumours about them being a couple privately as well, which would explain why he is holding on to her as a skating partner.)

 

[lariko]

Female partner, but Marco seems to not want to change partners despite them not being able to compete due to the ongoing investigation into Laura's doping case (Some rumours about them being a couple privately as well, which would explain why he is holding on to her as a skating partner.)

I deleted the post, because I realized this was GP update thread, lol.

 

[*~RussianBleux~*]

Female partner, but Marco seems to not want to change partners despite them not being able to compete due to the ongoing investigation into Laura's doping case (Some rumours about them being a couple privately as well, which would explain why he is holding on to her as a skating partner.)

I thought she has already been suspended? The investigation is ongoing?

 

[el henry]

Sorry I got sidetracked into pairs. Back on topic....

Someone take Tim Koleto's phone away.