2025-26 Grand Prix Assignments predictions? | Page 4 | Golden Skate

2025-26 Grand Prix Assignments predictions?

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I'd normally say that the top seeds will opt for the first events, if they were Skate America and Skate Canada.

But, if as @4everchan reports, Skate Canada is the third event, that might shake things up. I can see both Ilia and Alysa doing US and Canada, foregoing the travel to China (did we decide they'd be second?). I think Maddie and Evan might go to China to give Canada to Piper and Paul. Of course, Skate America will absolutely call dibs on their newly minted WCs, and that works out to all their advantages.

Honestly, for all the top competitors, the GP might be something of an afterthought this season. Get them "over with" right off the bat and then go into heavy training mode.

Did we ever decide how the top 3 seeds divided up the GPs? I always sort of assumed that #1 takes his picks, then #2, and #3 gets what's left over... but giving space for national heroes to get their home GPs...
With the 3rd and 5th/6th seeds, it looks as though they were all assigned to Cup of China this season. So I think that's the one they'll get for the upcoming season.
 
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Host picks take priority to their preferences.

P/P will get skate Canada regardless of what C/B wants for example
The P/P situation makes perfect sense. Just like Skate America wouldn't want to lose their toppest stars.

But the hosts don't have the final say, do they? I mean what if Piper and Paul were assigned to China, and they definitely didn't want to go there because Skate Canada was the next week and that's a lot of travel. They couldn't be forced to accept that assignment, could they?

I've got to imagine there's some sort of give and take negotiations going on. I just wonder what that process looks like.
 
The P/P situation makes perfect sense. Just like Skate America wouldn't want to lose their toppest stars.

But the hosts don't have the final say, do they? I mean what if Piper and Paul were assigned to China, and they definitely didn't want to go there because Skate Canada was the next week and that's a lot of travel. They couldn't be forced to accept that assignment, could they?

I've got to imagine there's some sort of give and take negotiations going on. I just wonder what that process looks like.
it's always been a bit nebulous but... it's a combination of things...
the ones who really have a chance to pick their way is the top seeds.. but as you have pointed out, there is no way that skate canada would accept Madi and Evan instead of Piper and Paul...
So the way I think this works is that top seeds will pick their choices.
Hosts will approve or not... So for instance,
Madi and Evan pick USA and Canada... Skate America says yes and Skate Canada says no.. Then Madi and Evan decide to go somewhere else that is not China due to back to back events, most likely in Europe.
Then Piper and Paul are next to pick... They pick Canada and also, they do not want to travel to China so they pick the European GP that Madi and Evan didn't pick...
In that scenario, Lilah and Lewis pick China and NHK.
 
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Surely Loena will recieve at least one spot? She is 8th on the WR.
At the moment she is. When the standings are adjusted before the assignments are made, she will be out of the top 24 since she'll only have standings at 70% for the 2023-24 season.
 
At the moment she is. When the standings are adjusted before the assignments are made, she will be out of the top 24 since she'll only have standings at 70% for the 2023-24 season.
Yeah, that's worrying for Loena. And outside WS top 24 don't usually get any spots at all (if you are not on the SB list). And as you pointed out, her competing at Shanghai this season makes it impossible for her to use the comeback rule. We'll see. Maybe Loena will be happy to just compete in one or two Challengers before Euros, and the big event, Olympics.
 
Yeah, that's worrying for Loena. And outside WS top 24 don't usually get any spots at all (if you are not on the SB list). And as you pointed out, her competing at Shanghai this season makes it impossible for her to use the comeback rule. We'll see. Maybe Loena will be happy to just compete in one or two Challengers before Euros, and the big event, Olympics.
She will also have the qualification event!
 
because i'm french, I will share a few prediction for the Grand Prix de France

Men :
- Adam Siao Him Fa (of course he is our national star so he will be there)
- Probably Mikhail (Kagiyama will probably make NHK one week before and Ilia will make the US GP and Canada)
- 2 other french but not Kevin Aymoz because he is top 5 at the worlds
- Memola, Vasiiljevs or Britschgi to represent another top european contender

Women :
I probably think if this has logic, japanese girls who made the top 6 at the worlds will avoiding each other. Same for the americans who will try to not be on the sames GP. So if we think about that, my predictions are
- Wakaba Higuchi (she went to France a lot of time and looks in great everytime)
- Alysa Liu (to avoid other american women)
- Rion Sumiyoshi (she is in her prime everytime she goes to France I don't know why but good for her)
- Lorine Schild + Léa Serna for France
- Samodelkina/Naki Gutmann/Repond/Pinzaronne for a top european women contender
- Loena Hendricks comeback (she's already won the title in 2022)
 
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Skate America and Grand Prix de France have switched dates so France will now be first.
Yes, all my earlier ramblings about who might go where because of where it fits in the schedule are irrelevant.

Here's the Grand Prix order: France, China, Canada, Japan, USA, Finland
 
I'd normally say that the top seeds will opt for the first events, if they were Skate America and Skate Canada.

But, if as @4everchan reports, Skate Canada is the third event, that might shake things up. I can see both Ilia and Alysa doing US and Canada, foregoing the travel to China (did we decide they'd be second?). I think Maddie and Evan might go to China to give Canada to Piper and Paul. Of course, Skate America will absolutely call dibs on their newly minted WCs, and that works out to all their advantages.

Honestly, for all the top competitors, the GP might be something of an afterthought this season. Get them "over with" right off the bat and then go into heavy training mode.

Did we ever decide how the top 3 seeds divided up the GPs? I always sort of assumed that #1 takes his picks, then #2, and #3 gets what's left over... but giving space for national heroes to get their home GPs...
Yeah, the GPs are not the most important thing next season.

So why not stir things up a bit. US fed have the power to make Ilia and Jason NOT to go to Skate America. If they can get Ilia's and Jason's spots in other GPs, it would be an opportunity to play with the host spots. I hope Jacob Sanchez and Patrick Blackwell are going senior next year. They are both diamonds in the ruff, both have enormous potential. So let's give them a host spot each, and who knows, they might even be Olympic material! Jacob will get a spot anyway (JGP win) so it would be good for him to get two. Patrick (who has HUGE technical potential) is no where near a GP assignment, so a host spot in SA might ease him into the seniors...and if all goes well, might fight for an Olympic spot.

With the women it is more difficult, but doable. Alysa can get her GP spots elsewhere, Amber and Isabeau are seeded in the same group so they can't meat each other, but it's possible to give them 4 GP spots outside SA. It would be an opportunity for Lindsay and Josephine to get host spots and show what they can do. Lindsay had a bad season this year, but I am not counting her out, she has great potential imo and hopefully her growing pains are over next season?

However, all that said, I'm pretty sure US fed will make sure that Ilia and Alysa will be skating at SA, the fed will go for the star value, and miss the chance to be smart for once.
 
Liu or Choke/Bates probably too. I think American federation will not put all there 3 champions on the same GP, but I thing at least 2 of them
 
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