2018-2019 GP Assignments | Page 10 | Golden Skate

2018-2019 GP Assignments

We've talked a bit about placement for the top three ladies, and also the Russian issue re: the unseeded Medvedeva. The latter also interacts with the politics of the second bracket, the fourth through sixth seeds.

There's some uncertainty here since Kostner is the fourth seed, but she may or may not be retiring. If she retires, then Alina is fourth seed, Bradie the fifth, and Gabby the sixth. Bradie would pre-emptively get Skate America, and Gabby Skate Canada (if there's any good news for her out of how Worlds went, it's that she and Kaetlyn aren't in the same seed bracket anymore and so can both do Skate Canada).

Alina then gets to pick first, and here's where Russia's decisions regarding how to handle her and Evgenia will really come into play. If they're absolutely set on Evgenia and Alina doing different events, then at first glance Alina should pick something other than CoR, because that means Russia can give Evgenia an invite there and only has to arrange an invitation for her to one other event. But on closer inspection that's also kind of unforgiving, schedule-wise:

Oct 19 - Oct 21, 2018 Skate America
Oct 26 - Oct 28, 2018 Skate Canada
Nov 02 - Nov 04, 2018 Cup of China
Nov 09 - Nov 11, 2018 NHK
Nov 16 - Nov 18, 2018 Rostelecom Cup
Nov 23 - Nov 25, 2018 Internationaux de France

Assuming they want to give Alina and Evgenia both some breathing space, then the most logical pairings are CoC+CoR and NHK+France. Getting Evgenia and invitation to France should be easy enough, but it will depend on whether (as we discussed above) the Japanese are such good sports as to give her an NHK invite.

Although Alina is seeded and garaunteed two spots, she won’t choose her assignments, she will be at the mercy of which Fed gets to make their choices first.
 
Although Alina is seeded and garaunteed two spots, she won’t choose her assignments, she will be at the mercy of which Fed gets to make their choices first.
When I'm talking about "Alina" I obviously mean the fed, but yeah, you're right that that also depends on what order the feds get to choose.

If Kostner retires, the third bracket is Maria, Loena and Mirai, interestingly. Loena has talked in the past about having to decline invitations for financial reasons, if I recall correctly (Belgium not overly generous with its figure skaters), so I hope that doesn't cause any issues for her here, with such a great opportunity (particularly since France is the only one that's remotely close to where she lives).
 
When I'm talking about "Alina" I obviously mean the fed, but yeah, you're right that that also depends on what order the feds get to choose.

If Kostner retires, the third bracket is Maria, Loena and Mirai, interestingly. Loena has talked in the past about having to decline invitations for financial reasons, if I recall correctly (Belgium not overly generous with its figure skaters), so I hope that doesn't cause any issues for her here, with such a great opportunity (particularly since France is the only one that's remotely close to where she lives).

I think the GP that invites you pays for your participation!

Hopefully her excellent placement at worlds will encourage more investment
 
The “seeders”don’t decide where to go, they are drawn by the various Feds. That said, usually the national champs get their country’s GP +another one with less strong contenders. So quite peobably. Chen will get SA + CoC or IdF, not NHK. And Kaetlyn SC + IdF or CoC.
 
They’re changing the name because they have no more big sponsors- as were Lalique first and then Bompard - and “Internationaux de France” recalls the big French tennis tournament, called “Internationaux de France”or “the Roland Garros”.
 
Does anyone know who the top 10 ladies will be after the list is updated?

What list? The World Standings list?

1 Kaetlyn OSMOND
2 Evgenia MEDVEDEVA
3 Alina ZAGITOVA
4 Wakaba HIGUCHI
5 Maria SOTSKOVA
6 Carolina KOSTNER retired?
7 Mai MIHARA
8 Satoko MIYAHARA
9 Kaori SAKAMOTO
10 Gabrielle DALEMAN
 
What list? The World Standings list?

1 Kaetlyn OSMOND
2 Evgenia MEDVEDEVA
3 Alina ZAGITOVA
4 Wakaba HIGUCHI
5 Maria SOTSKOVA
6 Carolina KOSTNER retired?
7 Mai MIHARA
8 Satoko MIYAHARA
9 Kaori SAKAMOTO
10 Gabrielle DALEMAN

Which one is it that determines GP invites and top 3 who cannot be invited to the same event - World Standings or Season World Rankings?
 
Which one is it that determines GP invites and top 3 who cannot be invited to the same event - World Standings or Season World Rankings?
Neither, it’s top 3 from world championships.

So Kaetlyn, Wakaba and Satoko won’t meet on the GP.
 
Be interested to see how the ice dance spots break down. Weaver and Poje got into the top three for the first time in years.
 
Which one is it that determines GP invites and top 3 who cannot be invited to the same event - World Standings or Season World Rankings?

I believe the seedings (who cannot be invited to the same event) and who is guaranteed two spots depends on placement at Worlds.

Next most important in determining who is invited is season's best score.

The final (and least important) determination of who gets invited are World Standings. But it's the World Standings that aren't out yet - after the changes for the new year. Looking at the current Standings, the bottom/oldest year will be dropped, the next one moved down and factored, the top/current one moved down, and a new year with all zeros added at the top.
 
Are there any possibilities for Yi Christy Leung from Hong Kong to take the third spot in COC?She placed 9 and 11 in the recent junior worlds and has reached the minimum technical score for senior GP events
 
Looking over some of the stats, Evgenia should do the CoC this year. It’s the only Grand Prix event she hasn’t won.
 
Barring a meltdown or two, there are a few ladies who can be reasonably predicted for the Final based on expected results.

Alina and Evgenia will either have two golds each, or, if they have to double up at CoR, two golds and one gold, one silver.

Kaetlyn will aim for gold at Skate Canada and a silver/bronze finish elsewhere.

If five of the six gold medals are accounted for, the ripest remaining plum is Skate America. Obviously this will be Satoko/Wakaba’s to lose (whichever goes), but this is also where Bradie could try to squeak in (and needs to make a move if she’s going to). Skate America gave Bradie by far her best international FS score last year (and the bronze medal), and that was before she became America’s last best hope. You’d have to think she’ll do better than her 67/137 from last year, and that puts her into the range where victory is possible, especially if Satoko/Wakaba (off-topic, my Autocorrect has continually interesting suggestions for Wakaba’s name) make a mistake. If Bradie could manage that, she’d then need a relatively good placement at whatever her other event is, but it’s far from impossible.

Everybody else (e.g., Gabby, Maria) is probably looking to scrape together enough silver to squeak in (Gabby could also win Skate Canada; it’s not like she’s never beaten Kaetlyn, by any means).
 
I think Panenkova has a pretty good shot at the final (especially if others falter) as does Sakamoto

My dream final would be:
Medvedeva
Zagitova
Tsurskaya
Panenkova
Sakamoto
Miyahara
 
I love Tennell but I don't think she'll make the final, a silver and a bronze would be a good result for her, or two silvers. Hmm, not sure.
 
I love Tennell but I don't think she'll make the final, a silver and a bronze would be a good result for her, or two silvers. Hmm, not sure.
A silver and a bronze has been good enough to make the Final the last two years (Higuchi in 2017-2018, Sotskova and Miyahara in 2016-2017).

Looking over recent history, 2015-2016 had each of the six finalists winning one gold medal apiece. Quite an equitable division.
 
Looking over recent history, 2015-2016 had each of the six finalists winning one gold medal apiece. Quite an equitable division.

Huh, that's pretty interesting. I don't feel like things are quite that equitable these days, though you never know when you'll get an upset like this year's Worlds.
 
Be interested to see how the ice dance spots break down. Weaver and Poje got into the top three for the first time in years.

I think it will be:

P/C: COC, IDF
H/D: NHK, SA
W/P: SC, RC

IDF, SA, SC will go to the respective top 3 home team. P/C will likely want the earliest grand prix of the remaining choices so I think they will get COC. Remaining 2 events are toss ups but this set-up will space out the events well for all of the top 3. Assuming C/L are retiring, S/B will be seeded and get RC. It'll be interesting if the host feds want C/B vs. H/D at SA and G/P vs. W/P at SC or if they think their GPF chances will be better if they compete in different events. Also, if Shibs compete in GP next season, they would want SA and NHK. I think B/S have said that they will be taking at least 1 year off.
 
It'll be interesting if the host feds want C/B vs. H/D at SA and G/P vs. W/P at SC or if they think their GPF chances will be better if they compete in different events.
I’d definitely say they’ll put G/P at Skate Canada to lock down a home silver. That’s been their strategy in most recent Grand Prix when viable:

2017 - V/M gold, W/P silver
2016 - V/M gold, G/P bronze
2014 - W/P gold, G/P silver
2013 - V/M gold, W/P silver
2011 - V/M gold, W/P silver

Looking at pairs, another interesting tactical question that Skate Canada will have to answer: Julianne and Charlie are generally considered the more promising pairs team overall, but their unfortunate Worlds result means they aren’t seeded; conversely, Kirsten and Michael are the sixth seed (possibly fifth, if Savchenko/Massot don’t continue). Do they try to boost Kirsten/Michael’s chances at home silver (or more of a longshot gold, depending on which of the top seeds shows up) at Skate Canada by not using their host power to invite Julianne/Charlie and try to get those two an invite elsewhere? KMT/Marinaro probably are owed some consideration for saving Team Canada’s bacon at Worlds.
 
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