As we head towards a new season, I take a look at each discipline's major players in the Grand Prix Series and who is in the running for the six coveted spots at the Grand Prix Final.
Ladies (See All Assignments here) The top two American ladies- Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold- have a great shot to make the Final again this year. Neither one have uncontested events by any means, but two medals and a GPF spot are well within their grasp. They face off against each other at Skate America (#drama), along with Mao Asada and a few who could play spoilers (Lipnitskaya, Sakhanovich). Gracie then competes at Trophee de France against Asada and reigning World champ Evgenia Medvedeva. Ashley’s second assignment is at Cup of China against Elena Radionova and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva. Similarly, Japan’s top two ladies should make it to the Final. Satoko Miyahara's first assignment is Skate Canada, against Medvedeva and Tuktamysheva, but at NHK Trophy she should be easily in her element against Anna Pogorilaya and a weaker field after that. Mao Asada will face Gold twice, Wagner, and Medvedeva, but if she can pull out that triple axel and a least one win, she’ll have enough points. Now for those last two spots, I have no doubt it will be Russian women, but which ones? I feel I have huge question marks for each one of them. Can Evgenia Medvedeva prove history wrong and continue her dominance? Can Elena Radionova bounce back from a tough year? Can Anna Pogorilaya capitalize on her surprise World bronze? Can Yulia Lipnitskaya continue her climb back to the top after a building block year last year? If I had to pick right now, I’d bank on the fight of Radionova and the technical firepower of Evgenia Medvedeva, but Russian women historically have struggled to stay on top season after season. (Lipnitskaya, Tuktamysheva, Radionova all followed fabulous seasons with inconsistent or disastrous ones). Who will be the new Russian darling this year? Every year, it seems there are favorites who underperform and a newbie who storms to the top. WHO WILL IT BE THIS YEAR?
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November 2017
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