2025 Nepela Memorial: General Info and Pregame Chat

[Ivana]

Link to ticket sales: https://predpredaj.zoznam.sk/sk/listky/33nd-nepela-memorial-2025-09-26/

Same price as last year. Friday program starts at 11:00 and Saturday at 9:00 according to info there.

 

[saine]

Stream information - https://ice-stars.tv/nepela-memorial

They're having an early bird special until September 22 at 13.99 euros, after it'll be 15.99 euros. I'm buying, Sara-Maude possible 3A attempt sold me.

 

[Cabguy]

Oh wow what a dance lineup

That Dance Lineup is insane ! I can't wait !

 

[Ivana]

Lajoie/Lagha seem to be out, they are not listed on Skata Canada international assignments page.

 

[saine]

Lajoie/Lagha seem to be out, they are not listed on Skata Canada international assignments page.

They weren't listed when they updated it this week with the entries, so they weren't removed. They were never added. I'm waiting to see if it was a mistake or withdrawal since there's a few mistakes on there (Callahan/Furman still aren't listed for JGP Bangkok, Laurin/Ethier still listed for Kinoshita Group Cup.)

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

Entry list update:
Women:
- Meri Marinac CRO is out
- Katinka Anna Zsembery HUN is out
- Ema Doboszova SVK is out (I expected that, I think she injured her foot recently...)
Ice Dance:
- Lajoie/Lagha CAN are out

 

[4everchan]

Ice Dance:
- Lajoie/Lagha CAN are out

seems like recurring pattern for LaLa

they get started very late these last couple seasons. Hope they are fine.

 

[Ivana]

seems like recurring pattern for LaLa

they get started very late these last couple seasons. Hope they are fine.

They have only Georgia left, if they want to have a challenger before GP season.

Somehow I'm not surprised by the WD confirmation, the last time they have been in Bratislava their result was certainly not what they expected and the field in ice dance looks pretty dense this year so if they don't feel ready this may be the best decision for them. It's sad for us fans though, as I was looking forward to see them, but hopefully I will get my chance to cheer them on at the Worlds.

Entry list update:
Women:
- Meri Marinac CRO is out
- Katinka Anna Zsembery HUN is out
- Ema Doboszova SVK is out (I expected that, I think she injured her foot recently...)
Ice Dance:
- Lajoie/Lagha CAN are out

Ema has been injured since before the test skates in early August and there is no indication that she is back on ice yet. Unfortunate for her as Nepela/Olympic test event is one of the qualifying competitions for Europeans spot.

 

[SnowWhite]

They have only Georgia left, if they want to have a challenger before GP season.

Somehow I'm not surprised by the WD confirmation, the last time they have been in Bratislava their result was certainly not what they expected and the field in ice dance looks pretty dense this year so if they don't feel ready this may be the best decision for them. It's sad for us fans though, as I was looking forward to see them, but hopefully I will get my chance to cheer them on at the Worlds.

Ema has been injured since before the test skates in early August and there is no indication that she is back on ice yet. Unfortunate for her as Nepela/Olympic test event is one of the qualifying competitions for Europeans spot.

I think I saw they were planning to do Budapest Trophy in October. It's not a Challenger, but would still be an option.

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

Gina Zehnder and Beda Leon Sieber SUI have to withdraw. Gina needs a small surgery on her foot.

 

[labgoat]

Ava-Marie Ziegler is back. I wasn't sure if that was going to happen...

For those of you making predictions this was Ava-Marie's most recent event...

Ava Ziegler

SC of New York

2025 Middle Atlantics

9/5/2025

57.97

92.80

150.77

S

The link is so you can verify the results and see the protocols for your predictions.

 

[viennaskater]

I'm going to Bratislava and EUR 10 for two days with a lot of top skaters - what a bargain!

 

[ramurphy2005]

Per US assignments page, Camden Pulkinen has withdrawn.

 

[saine]

Per US assignments page, Camden Pulkinen has withdrawn.

He posted that he's dealing with an injury that has a long recovery time and decided that it was not the best decision to compete:

 

[Ivana]

The colored time schedule is finally available in Sportity app. As there is one less group for ice dance due to the 2 WD's the start has been moved from 11:00am to 11:45am on Friday and from 9:00 am to 10:00 am (or even sometime after 10:00 I can't recall the exact time now) on Saturday. Competition is scheduled to end at 9:35pm each day, the order of competition is women, ice dance, men.

There was also a cute video message from Smart/Dieck posted on the fed social media yesterday, confirming their first competition of the season will be here.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

The colored time schedule is finally available in Sportity app. As there is one less group for ice dance due to the 2 WD's the start has been moved from 11:00am to 11:45am on Friday and from 9:00 am to 10:00 am (or even sometime after 10:00 I can't recall the exact time now) on Saturday. Competition is scheduled to end at 9:35pm each day, the order of competition is women, ice dance, men.

There was also a cute video message from Smart/Dieck posted on the fed social media yesterday, confirming their first competition of the season will be here.

One of the withdrawals is the Swiss team (Zehnder/Sieber), they posted on IG that Gina has to undergo foot surgery and won't be able to skate for a few weeks

 

[Ivana]

I addition to Lajoie/Lagha and Zehnder/Sieber who have been known, also Tali/Lafornara (ITA) have WD, IIRC it's their second WD in a row after Lombardia.

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

I addition to Lajoie/Lagha and Zehnder/Sieber who have been known, also Tali/Lafornara (ITA) have WD, IIRC it's their second WD in a row after Lombardia.

I wonder what's up with T/L

 

[elektra blue]

I wonder what's up with T/L

it smells like an injury

 

[FlossieH]

it smells like an injury

I have been thinking the same.