2025-26 Grand Prix Assignments predictions?

[TontoK]

Skate Canada would not invite them and risk Piper and Paul placing lower

I'm sorry, what? Friend, have you lost your mind?

No way, in any universe, would a brand new partnership stand a chance against Piper and Paul. I suppose Piper and Paul could fall three times, but every team runs that risk whenever they step onto the ice.

I think people are putting way too much stock in this new pairing. At least so early.

 

[4everchan]

I'm sorry, what? Friend, have you lost your mind?

No way, in any universe, would a brand new partnership stand a chance against Piper and Paul. I suppose Piper and Paul could fall three times, but every team runs that risk whenever they step onto the ice.

I think people are putting way too much stock in this new pairing. At least so early.

I agree but I know judges

 

[Karoltyna]

I'm sorry, what? Friend, have you lost your mind?

No way, in any universe, would a brand new partnership stand a chance against Piper and Paul. I suppose Piper and Paul could fall three times, but every team runs that risk whenever they step onto the ice.

I think people are putting way too much stock in this new pairing. At least so early.

TBH I wasn't impressed with their training videos. But it was just training and you know how judges dear are...

 

[ajingmarg]

TBH I wasn't impressed withcan you their training videos. But it was just training and you know how judges dear are...

Can you send a link to the videos?

 

[Karoltyna]

Can you send a link to the videos?

It's on his FB - not much, just several secons long shots https://www.facebook.com/GCizeron

 

[4everchan]

I don't think we should judge with this video though... it is super weak.. no synergy, movements are not finished, no extension, no flow... ending position not reached... to me it just looks like training is just beginning... and i am pretty sure this is far from the final product neither of them came back to be much worse than in their previous partnership...

it will all depend on the learning curve.... will they be ready or not for GP ? if they are not quite ready, judges will not be able to prop them... but if they are...nobody will be safe...

I remember seeing Smart and Dieck ad CQE, in their first event... they looked like bambis skating together on the ice... not like skaters getting a small bronze in the free dance at worlds (though, this achievement still puzzles me)... but it took them two years... this being said, lolo and guillaume are stronger than S/D

 

[Karoltyna]

I don't think we should judge with this video though... it is super weak.. no synergy, movements are not finished, no extension, no flow... ending position not reached... to me it just looks like training is just beginning... and i am pretty sure this is far from the final product neither of them came back to be much worse than in their previous partnership...

it will all depend on the learning curve.... will they be ready or not for GP ? if they are not quite ready, judges will not be able to prop them... but if they are...nobody will be safe...

I remember seeing Smart and Dieck ad CQE, in their first event... they looked like bambis skating together on the ice... not like skaters getting a small bronze in the free dance at worlds (though, this achievement still puzzles me)... but it took them two years... this being said, lolo and guillaume are stronger than S/D

As much as I loved S/D FD, IAM bonus worked a bit, so don't be too puzzled.
I'd say FB/C know where they are and this is the reason they posted this and won't post more. Maybe aren't progressing the way they wanted, or are indeed progressing well but aiming for sweeping effect when they come out with next videos. Time is short, they have to use every chance to establish themselves.

 

[4everchan]

As much as I loved S/D FD, IAM bonus worked a bit, so don't be too puzzled.
I'd say FB/C know where they are and this is the reason they posted this and won't post more. Maybe aren't progressing the way they wanted, or are indeed progressing well but aiming for sweeping effect when they come out with next videos. Time is short, they have to use every chance to establish themselves.

I guess they just want to show that they are indeed working already on programs... at the same time as other couples who just finished WTT.... as a matter of fact, they are showing an ending pose... probably trying to convey they even finished choreo on one of these programs...
I am sure that they know what they are doing and how to obtain all the judging bonuses they need... I like both skaters and i am looking forward to seeing what they will be able to bring... and if they are the best, I will be routing for them to win it all... but if they are propped up, I will be very disgruntled about it... and unfortunately, vocal about it too

 

[4everchan]

Skate Canada new presale email features Roman (expected) SD/D (expected) and... Kaori

 

[aroundtheworld778]

question. I think it's very possible that the war in Ukraine ends and Russia gets admitted back to competition this coming season. if so, I'm assuming Russia can send three skaters to each discipline of the early Challengers to get SBs, and then they will be on the waitlist for Grand Prix? Last season we got quite far down the waitlist for pairs (down to GK who had a 157 SB).

 

[saine]

question. I think it's very possible that the war in Ukraine ends and Russia gets admitted back to competition this coming season. if so, I'm assuming Russia can send three skaters to each discipline of the early Challengers to get SBs, and then they will be on the waitlist for Grand Prix? Last season we got quite far down the waitlist for pairs (down to GK who had a 157 SB).

They'd have to win the Challenger event in order to be added to the alternates list for singles and ice dance. Winning a silver or bronze did not get skaters added for singles or ice dance.

The only exception is Pairs, where any team that met the minimum score was added to the alternates list.

 

[Karoltyna]

I guess they just want to show that they are indeed working already on programs... at the same time as other couples who just finished WTT.... as a matter of fact, they are showing an ending pose... probably trying to convey they even finished choreo on one of these programs...
I am sure that they know what they are doing and how to obtain all the judging bonuses they need... I like both skaters and i am looking forward to seeing what they will be able to bring... and if they are the best, I will be routing for them to win it all... but if they are propped up, I will be very disgruntled about it... and unfortunately, vocal about it too

I still don't have opinion on them

 

[lariko]

Yeah, but I imagine the first event with FB/C new partnership will draw extra attention. Anyway, I'll keep hoping Skate Canada will put them in.

 

[saine]

Skate Canada new presale email features Roman (expected) SD/D (expected) and... Kaori

They now have an Instagram reel for general ticket sales that features Fabbri/Ayer, Lajoie/Lagha, Laurin/Ethier, Aleksa Rakic and Gogolev. I'm sure they're grabbing highlights from SCI 2024 to sell it and wanting to feature Canadian skaters. But I probably wouldn't have picked Gogo to feature.

 

[4everchan]

They now have an Instagram reel for general ticket sales that features Fabbri/Ayer, Lajoie/Lagha, Laurin/Ethier, Aleksa Rakic and Gogolev. I'm sure they're grabbing highlights from SCI 2024 to sell it and wanting to feature Canadian skaters. But I probably wouldn't have picked Gogo to feature.

I hope LaLa will get SCI and have a great performance at home granting them to upset the second seeded team. (4th to 6th)

 

[Jontor]

Is it just me? Or is the WS/Statistics page on ISU.org down?

 

[saine]

Is it just me? Or is the WS/Statistics page on ISU.org down?

The main page is down, but the individual pages are up. I got the URLs through Internet Archive.

Seasons Bests 2025-26 (updated to include WTT)
Women - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtswto.htm
Men - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtsmto.htm
Ice Dance - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtsdto.htm
Pairs - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtspto.htm

World Standings (standings have been updated, 2022-23 points no longer included and 2023-24 at 70%)
Women - https://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wswomen.htm
Men - https://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wsmen.htm
Ice Dance - https://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wsdance.htm
Pairs - http://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wspairs.htm

 

[Jontor]

The main page is down, but the individual pages are up. I got the URLs through Internet Archive.

Seasons Bests 2025-26 (updated to include WTT)
Women - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtswto.htm
Men - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtsmto.htm
Ice Dance - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtsdto.htm
Pairs - https://results.isu.org/isujsstat/sb2024-25/sbtspto.htm

World Standings (standings have been updated, 2022-23 points no longer included and 2023-24 at 70%)
Women - https://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wswomen.htm
Men - https://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wsmen.htm
Ice Dance - https://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wsdance.htm
Pairs - http://results.isu.org/ws/ws/wspairs.htm

Yay! Thanks!

 

[Jontor]

So, things looking more clear now which skaters might get GP assignments.

Women

SB Top 24 - safe bet for 2 spots
Sakamoto, Liu, Kim, Glenn, Chiba, Lin-Gracey, Gubanova, Levito, Petrokina, Higuchi, Nakai, Tennell, Sumiyoshi, Everhardt, Gutmann, Yoshida, Pinzarrone, Matsuike, Watanabe, Repond - Total 40 spots

SB next in line - might get 2 spots
Aoki, Lee, Samodelkina, Shin, Kaiser, Schizas, (Takagi gets no spots as Japan has filled their quota), Yun, Pezzetta, Schild, Medland Spence, Serna - + 22 spots

WS Top 24 not included above - Kurakova - +1 spot
Host spots not included above - Canada +1, France +1, Finland +3, China +3

That is a total of 71, so one spot left and Thorngren is next in line on the SB list.

Big questionmarks whether You and Hendrickx gets any spots. And the US might give Ziegler one spot instead of Thorngren.

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Men

SB Top 24 - safe bet for 2 spots
Malinin, Kagiyama, Shaidorov, Sato, Aymoz, Miura, Siao Him Fa, Brown, Britschgi, Grassl, Cha, Egadze, Yamamoto, Memola, Vasiljevs, Tsuboi, Rizzo, Torgashev, Broussard, Frangipani, Litvintsev, M Selevko, Ma - Total 46 spots

SB next in line - might get 2 spots
Tomono, Sadovsky, Dai, Economides, A Selevko, Hagara, Shimada, Samoilov, Circelli - +18 spots

WS Top 24 not included above - Sanchez - +1
Host spots not included above - Canada +2, China +2, Finland +3

That is a total of 72 spots. Looks like Nordebäck just misses out, maybe Finland can give him one of their host spots? And Sanchez might get two spots as he also is the JGP winner.

It's early days, so a lot can happen. And the host federations can change a lot with their host picks.

 

[Ziotic]

So, things looking more clear now which skaters might get GP assignments.

Women

SB Top 24 - safe bet for 2 spots
Sakamoto, Liu, Kim, Glenn, Chiba, Lin-Gracey, Gubanova, Levito, Petrokina, Higuchi, Nakai, Tennell, Sumiyoshi, Everhardt, Gutmann, Yoshida, Pinzarrone, Matsuike, Watanabe, Repond - Total 40 spots

SB next in line - might get 2 spots
Aoki, Lee, Samodelkina, Shin, Kaiser, Schizas, (Takagi gets no spots as Japan has filled their quota), Yun, Pezzetta, Schild, Medland Spence, Serna - + 22 spots

WS Top 24 not included above - Kurakova - +1 spot
Host spots not included above - Canada +1, France +1, Finland +3, China +3

That is a total of 71, so one spot left and Thorngren is next in line on the SB list.

Big questionmarks whether You and Hendrickx gets any spots. And the US might give Ziegler one spot instead of Thorngren.

--------------------------------------------------

Men

SB Top 24 - safe bet for 2 spots
Malinin, Kagiyama, Shaidorov, Sato, Aymoz, Miura, Siao Him Fa, Brown, Britschgi, Grassl, Cha, Egadze, Yamamoto, Memola, Vasiljevs, Tsuboi, Rizzo, Torgashev, Broussard, Frangipani, Litvintsev, M Selevko, Ma - Total 46 spots

SB next in line - might get 2 spots
Tomono, Sadovsky, Dai, Economides, A Selevko, Hagara, Shimada, Samoilov, Circelli - +18 spots

WS Top 24 not included above - Sanchez - +1
Host spots not included above - Canada +2, China +2, Finland +3

That is a total of 72 spots. Looks like Nordebäck just misses out, maybe Finland can give him one of their host spots? And Sanchez might get two spots as he also is the JGP winner.

It's early days, so a lot can happen. And the host federations can change a lot with their host picks.

You’ve omitted that those who are top 12 at worlds get two spot guaranteed, you will need to revisit your lists.