Grand Prix Assignments 2023/24 released

[moonvine]

Yeah! I was not sure about going either, but I'm really excited about Illia, Wakaba and ice dance. So I'm definitely going now (and it's my first time attending a competition, so if anyone has any tips )

Bring warm clothes. Have fun!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I wonder if Tomoki is kaput.

Is Tomoki Hiwatashi not on the ISP?

 

[yuumagical]

Is Tomoki Hiwatashi not on the ISP?

I just checked and he actually is on the ISP! Thank goodness, I can still cling onto my faint hopes for him.

 

[mrrice]

To give Lala and FBS chances to be at GPF. As simple as that. Also, to give two teams who are not necessarily going to be invited elsewhere a GP... Lala and FBS were guaranteed two spots.

Skate Canada is a fantastic event. The fans love skating and the crowds were huge and enthusiastic. That's where I saw Kevin Reynolds for the first time. Patrick Chan and Alissa Czisny were the winners but there were some great skaters there.

 

[TallyT]

I thought about general promotion, using partly exaggerating headlines, launching hype trains etc
If they had had a Nathan recently, there would be no stopping them.

See the reports above, that wasn't the answer even when there was a Nathan, winning everything and being hyped accordingly. And if he couldn't bring crowds, and if Shoma can't (see the GPF last year) then the other men, no matter what Ari Zakarian says, won't do it. I mean, I am partial to the men's discipline myself but I'd be looking elsewhere for stars. There's some wonderful, beautiful, hype-worthy women and their partners in ID after all. Bring on the new Tessa Virtue!

Know better? If they want more people to show up they will invite Gracie (who no one even knows is still skating or not)

I don't know whether this is true or not, I love Gracie and her story but I have memories of what I think was her last GP, I would not want her to go through anything like that again. Especially if she's used as pr material (which means people will be watching to see if something bad happens again as much as anything, yeah call me cynical). Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see her skate and do well in something bigger but only in a quiet, no pressure way. Not as an 'expected/invited to sell seats' way which will risk exploiting her trauma for tickets (and any press that attended probably would). If they could quietly slip her into one of the TBD, great.

(By the way, did I hear correctly that she will be coaching at Johnny Weir's new school? Good for her.)

 

[yuumagical]

See the reports above, that wasn't the answer even when there was a Nathan, winning everything and being hyped accordingly. And if he couldn't bring crowds, and if Shoma can't (see the GPF last year) then the other men, no matter what Ari Zakarian says, won't do it. I mean, I am partial to the men's discipline myself but I'd be looking elsewhere. There's some wonderful, beautiful, hype-worthy women and their partners in ID after all. Bring on the new Tessa Virtue!

You are conveniently forgetting that ticket prices for the GPF last year were insanely expensive. Had ticket prices been at a more reasonable level, more fans of Shoma (including myself) would have shown up.

 

[moonvine]

I don't know whether this is true or not, I love Gracie and her story but I have memories of what I think was her last GP, I would not want her to go through anything like that again. Especially if she's used as pr material (which means people will be watching to see if something bad happens again as much as anything, yeah call me cynical). Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see her skate and do well in something bigger but only in a quiet, no pressure way. Not as an 'expected/invited to sell seats' way which will risk exploiting her trauma for tickets (and any press that attended probably would). If they could quietly slip her into one of the TBD, great.

(By the way, did I hear correctly that she will be coaching at Johnny Weir's new school? Good for her.)

Her last GP was Skate America last year and she did ok, finishing 6th. Would I rather have had her win a medal, absolutely. But it wasn't like a dire disaster. I mean, when they heavily advertised her presence at the Cranberry Cup (she was on the Zamboni) I was like...why???


From speaking with her and from listening to all the podcasts she's been on and everything else I know about her, she loves to skate and is skating for herself. She has her own goals for herself. I have no idea if she is still injured, or if she plans to compete If she just skates in shows, I am there for that.

Yes, she's going to be coaching at Johnny's new school. I hope that doesn't mean she has to give up Road 2 Gold.

 

[Arriba627]

You are conveniently forgetting that ticket prices for the GPF last year were insanely expensive. Had ticket prices been at a more reasonable level, more fans of Shoma (including myself) would have shown up.

I thought about going, but in 2022, at that point I had already gone to U.S. Nats, Montpelier Worlds, Skate America, and Skate Canada. Maybe some day money will grow on trees!

 

[TallyT]

Her last GP was Skate America last year and she did ok, finishing 6th. Would I rather have had her win a medal, absolutely. But it wasn't like a dire disaster. I mean, when they heavily advertised her presence at the Cranberry Cup (she was on the Zamboni) I was like...why???


From speaking with her and from listening to all the podcasts she's been on and everything else I know about her, she loves to skate and is skating for herself. She has her own goals for herself. I have no idea if she is still injured, or if she plans to compete If she just skates in shows, I am there for that.

Yes, she's going to be coaching at Johnny's new school. I hope that doesn't mean she has to give up Road 2 Gold.

I must have gotten mixed up, sorry. I was thinking of Rostelecom back in 2018. I tend to skip SKAM.

As I said, I would love to see her do well.

​

 

[moonvine]

I must have gotten mixed up, sorry. I was thinking of Rostelecom back in 2018. I tend to skip SKAM.

As I said, I would love to see her do well.

​

Yes. That was a long time ago. That's actually the first time I've ever seen her WD from the long. It was hard to watch. But she's improved so very much.

 

[TT_Fin]

Finland learned the lesson. Last time my ticket at Ice level two was 335,- now 224,- in euros + 2 € delivery cost, place is now almost the same, only one row upper. There are still plenty of seats left but probably many people bought theirs after the summer vacations and some buy now after we know skaters. I think there was some announcement that there are no so many levels. Balcony tickets I think cost all the same but I have not found out what other chances there are.

Well we all know these lists are never final because there will be some withdraws because of variety reasons. Hope there will be no injuries though. So, I am too lazy to find out, who are the next ones on the lists?

I think I go to talk abot Finnish TBDs to Nordic thread.

 

[RatedPG]

I’m very happy to see Xiangyi An on the list. So glad she moved up to Seniors this year and got into Skate America. If she places top three in the Chinese summer competition, one of the TBD spots is hers. She wowed me at Junior Worlds. I’m hoping she is in good shape and has relearned that triple lutz and able to score over 200 points this year.

 

[TallyT]

You are conveniently forgetting that ticket prices for the GPF last year were insanely expensive. Had ticket prices been at a more reasonable level, more fans of Shoma (including myself) would have shown up.

No, I'm not forgetting. Do we know what they will be this year, even a hint of whether they'll be cheaper?

 

[JustSomeGuy]

In the past, too often Tarasova/ Morosov were constantly invited to SA. The fact that T/M trained in the U.S. at times, may have contributed to their selection. Plus, their star status and fanbase. For sure M/K have a large fan base in the U.S. too. I'm not saying that picking them for SA this year is a bad choice. I understand some of the process.

Remember, the top six skaters from worlds get some choice in their Grand Prix assignments, with 1-3 and 4-6 not being able to meet each other at the initial stages. The 1st and 4th place finishers from worlds essentially get their first choice of Grand Prix stage, unless a home nation space is given to another seeded skater/team from within their seeding group to block them out. The top six has been made up of 3 Russian teams and 2 Chinese teams for much of the 2018-2022 quad, and it's been a while since any USA pair were in the top six as well. If Tarasova/Morozov are seeded and they pick Skate America before any other seeded teams are assigned, USFS can't really do a whole lot about it.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I just checked and he actually is on the ISP! Thank goodness, I can still cling onto my faint hopes for him.

Let's cling together!

Perhaps Tomoki should look to gain a different perspective and shake things up by changing coaches.

 

[moonvine]

Someone speak to me of Jimmy Ma. Is he high on the substitution list?

 

[TT_Fin]

If host Fed does not have skaters for host spots or does not suggest anybody else, are the spots then given in order of substitutes?

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Oh no, she has been so unlucky, first the minimum for 2023 WC eluded her by just a few tenths IIRC, and now she's not in the GP selection pool. A real bummer for me, as she's so much fun to watch, and one of the skaters who just exude joy and draw fans. I hope she doesn't get demotivated, and stays around yet.

Yes, she really did not have the margin on her side this season. Since she is nr. 76, she was most likely just within top 75 until the end of season, and might have been pushed out of it after WC, which she also just missed because of margins.

Just checked the list: Julia Sauter got her SB score at WC, and is nr. 71 at the list, with 165.75. Her former SB score that season I think, was 160.42 points at EC. Josefin SB is 163.76. So, if i´m not wrong. Josefin was still within the top 75 until WC, but got pushed out of it because Julia achieved a better SB score.

When that said, I don´t think the panel was very lenient at WC, so there is no guarantee Josefin would have gotten any higher than her SB score, but she didn´t get to try either....

 

[Jontor]

Yes, she really did not have the margin on her side this season. Since she is nr. 76, she was most likely just within top 75 until the end of season, and might have been pushed out of it after WC, which she also just missed because of margins.

Just checked the list: Julia Sauter got her SB score at WC, and is nr. 71 at the list, with 165.75. Her former SB score that season I think, was 160.42 points at EC. Josefin SB is 163.76. So, if i´m not wrong. Josefin was still within the top 75 until WC, but got pushed out of it because Julia achieved a better SB score.

When that said, I don´t think the panel was very lenient at WC, so there is no guarantee Josefin would have gotten any higher than her SB score, but she didn´t get to try either....

Yes, Julia Sauter is the Josefin-pusher. No chance for a GP...again... as she is 76th. The season before she was 78th.

 

[Jontor]

Yay! My man Andreas got two spots! I wish for him to have a breakthrough this season.

Women:

Interesting that Wakaba got two while Rika only got one spot. None of them were guaranteed a spot but Rika is much higher on the SB list (25th) while Wakaba in only 108th(!!). Well, Rika will be on top of the Replacement List so I'm pretty sure she will get another one.

No Gubanova in Finland? Interesting...

I am wondering about Isabeau. Her technique is so strange and not sustainable so I fear she might drop this season. If so, I am sure Bradie who is a hard worker will be back on top. But my hopes will be on Lindsay. She is my favourite American skater and she deserves a breakthrough.
Hopefully Ziegler gets the host spot.

Looking at the SB list Top 24 for women there are 8 skaters in Skate America and NHK, 7 in China, 6 in France and Finland, and only 5 in Skate Canada.