Helsinki gets fifth GP next year

[gsk8]

The ISU Council allots the fifth ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event to Helsinki (FIN) which will take place on November 15-17, 2024.

The International Skating Union (ISU) announces Helsinki, Finland as the host city for the fifth ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event of the 2024/25 season, scheduled to take place from November 15 to 17, 2024. This marks a significant moment as Helsinki welcomes back the world's top Figure Skating athletes and enthusiasts.

Building on its rich tradition of hosting top-tier skating events, Helsinki emerges once again as a beacon of excellence for the global Figure Skating community. Following the success of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events in Espoo these last two years and the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships held in Helsinki in 2019, the Finnish Figure Skating Association’s (Suomen Taitoluisteluliitto) commitment to fostering the spirit of Figure Skating remains unwavering.

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series stands as a pinnacle of achievement in the sport, showcasing the finest talents from around the world as they compete for glory. With Finland’s Figure Skating legacy and its world-class facilities, the 2024 Grand Prix promises to captivate audiences with unforgettable moments on the ice.

The 2024/25 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series and Final are thus planned according to the following schedule with the pending cities to be announced later in the year:

1. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate America: October 18-20, 2024 – TBA (USA)

2. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate Canada International: October 25-27, 2024 – TBA (CAN)

3. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Grand Prix de France: Novembre 1-3, 2024 – TBA (FRA)

4. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – NHK Trophy: November 8-10, 2024 – TBA (JPN)

5. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Grand Prix Helsinki: November 15-17, 2024 – Helsinki (FIN)

6. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Cup of China: November 22-24, 2024 – TBA (CHN)

7. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final (Junior & Senior): December 5-8, 2024 – Orleans (FRA)

All locations and the entries will be published at a later date.

 

[TT_Fin]

Edit. Here is the decision of the federal board from the January meeting: The Finnish Figure Skating Federation will in the future organize a competition in the Challenger series or one Grand Prix series competition of figure skating. The Finlandia Trophy name will be kept in the name of the organized competition: Challenger Series Finlandia Trophy or ISU Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy.

This means no Finlandia Trophy this year. So somebody else gets that challenge competition. I understand the decision. The meaning is to get the arena full, as people sometimes choose only one, especially those, including me, who does not live near.

 

[surimi]

Edit. Here is the decision of the federal board from the January meeting: The Finnish Figure Skating Federation will in the future organize a competition in the Challenger series or one Grand Prix series competition of figure skating. The Finlandia Trophy name will be kept in the name of the organized competition: Challenger Series Finlandia Trophy or ISU Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy.

This means no Finlandia Trophy this year. So somebody else gets that challenge competition. I understand the decision. The meaning is to get the arena full, as people sometimes choose only one, especially those, including me, who does not live near.

This makes sense, but it still makes me sad. Finlandia is one of my favorite competitions to attend live, though I've only been there twice. It has enjoyable atmosphere, it's much more affordable than a GP (or the Challenger in Italy), and much more accessible than Oberstdorf. My own chances of seeing my favorite skaters live again have just dwindled another bit. I can only cling on to the hope that perhaps JSF will stop ignoring Nepela Memorial if Finlandia becomes unavailable.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

So somebody else gets that challenge competition.

I'm very interested in who will take the opportunity to get a Challenger - Maybe two North American Challengers for once? Or another one in Asia (Korea, Japan, China, ...)? Or maybe Lithuania, they did such a great job with Euros?

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

On the one hand, I'm glad we have not got a repeat of the situation we had a few years ago when the Challenger Event that is held in Graz, the Ice Challenge, inexplicably took on the "Cup Of Austria" name that has long been used for the Junior GP. And the result was that we had two events that season named the Cup Of Austria, one of them a Junior GP and the other a Challenger Event.

But, on the other hand, it is going to be mighty complicated with there being a Finlandia Trophy held every year, but it's status changing from one season to the next. Imagine the chaos it is going to cause on Wikipedia!

Whilst I prefer the Finnish GP having a proper name rather than "GP Espoo" or "GP Helsinki", it should have been given a distinct name.

"Skate Suomi", anybody?

CaroLiza_fan

 

[TT_Fin]

Name trophy already confuses local people. People who are not so familiar with competition series think it is a combined event with GP and Finlandia. Skate Suomi would be fun.

 

[Lyyli]

This makes sense, but it still makes me sad. Finlandia is one of my favorite competitions to attend live, though I've only been there twice. It has enjoyable atmosphere, it's much more affordable than a GP (or the Challenger in Italy), and much more accessible than Oberstdorf. My own chances of seeing my favorite skaters live again have just dwindled another bit. I can only cling on to the hope that perhaps JSF will stop ignoring Nepela Memorial if Finlandia becomes unavailable.

I hear you @surimi , GP is very different from Finlandia Trophy. I need to digest these news though I am grateful for the GP and have been aware that Finnish fed has had the goal of making FT a member of the GP series for long. Now it is coming true at least once. I think it is confusing that the future seems to be open. Because Finland is investing also on synchronized skating and nowadays annually hosts a Challenger Marie Lundmark Trophy, I understand the change but still... Fun fact, now FT is kind of returning to it´s roots because the venue will be the same where FT started in 1990`s.

Here are some very nice memories of FT https://www.skatingfinland.fi/tapahtumat/finlandia-trophy-jarjestetaan-jo-28nnen-kerran/

About the name, when Finland got the first GP in 2018, I seriously hoped that it would be called Skate Finland and still I think that it would be the coolest name. Skate Suomi accepted also.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Name trophy already confuses local people. People who are not so familiar with competition series think it is a combined event with GP and Finlandia.

It was inevitable that using the same name would cause confusion. If the Fed are going to have to constantly clarify the situation, they will get fed up with it and will probably reconsider the GP name.

Skate Suomi would be fun.

About the name, when Finland got the first GP in 2018, I seriously hoped that it would be called Skate Finland and still I think that it would be the coolest name. Skate Suomi accepted also.

"Skate Finland" was my first thought too. But, I liked the alliteration of "Skate Suomi". And it would be funny hearing what the British commentators come out with when attempting to pronounce it.

However, I just realised what the initials would be.

That said, the initials for Skate Finland have dubious connoctations too. (And I don't mean my long time favourite Formula 1 team, Scuderia Ferrari).

So, the Financial Times is probably the best option!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[SmileHappy34]

I am glad that Finland has another grand prix event.