Planet Figure Skating - Event Previews & Recaps

[yuzuangel]

Figure Skating Event Previews & Recaps

 

In this thread I will write event previews and recaps for major & interesting figure skating competitions! I will only write about singles because my knowledge in the other disciplines isn't as strong. If you would like to write recaps and previews with me, especially on other competitions or disciplines, let me know! 

 

The recaps were previously posted in this blog I made: http://planetfigureskating.blogspot.com

 

I'll try to start off being really objective and just stating facts, but if there are any mistakes, please let me know!

[yuzuangel]

2018 Internationaux de France Ladies Preview

Evgenia Medvedeva, Bradie Tennell, Rika Kihira, Mai Mihara, and Stanislava Konstantinova vie for the last spots at the Grand Prix Final

 

The last stop on the Grand Prix series is always one of the most anticipated. No matter who's participating, it determines the remaining Grand Prix Final entries, and in Grenoble this weekend there is an especially nail-biting lineup.

 

Two-time World champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist, Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia, will be looking forward to shrug off the bronze medal she earned at Skate Canada earlier this season. While a good result for almost anyone else in the world, Medvedeva must have felt disappointed with the third-place finish given that she's previously never placed lower than second in her entire senior career.

 

Bradie Tennell, the US National champion and the only American lady at this event, is also looking to grab a medal in France after finishing a disappointing fourth at Skate America. Tennell made an uncharacteristic mistake in her short program when she failed to complete a triple Lutz-triple loop combination and only performed a single loop instead.

 

If Tennell does not make the podium in France this weekend, it will be the first time an American lady does not earn a Grand Prix medal. In order to qualify for the Grand Prix Final, Tennell must win.

 

Rika Kihira of Japan is coming off of a momentous win at the NHK Trophy earlier this year. She earned the second-highest free skate score of the season with two clean triple Axels. Kihira again has the highest base value of this event and, if she wins here, will be the only other woman to win both of her events other than Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova.

 

Stanislava Konstatinova of Russia won a surprise silver medal at the Grand Prix Helsinki earlier this season. If she places at least second here in France, she will also qualify for the Grand Prix Final.

 

Mai Mihara of Japan is also coming off of a strong showing at the NHK Trophy where she finished fourth with a score over 200 points. With a win here, she will be able to qualify for the Grand Prix Final for the first time.

 

Also in contention for the podium are Laurine Lecavelier of France, Maé-Bérénice Méité of France, Lea Serna of France, Marin Honda of Japan, Maria Sotskova of Russia, Matilda Algotsson of Sweden and Alexia Paganini of Switzerland.

[yuzuangel]

2018 Internationaux de France Men's Preview

Nathan Chen, Boyang Jin, Jason Brown, and Dmitri Aliev face off in last Grand Prix

 

The Internationaux de France will be this season's last Grand Prix event, and it will determine the top six skaters to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in Vancouver this year.

Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and Shoma Uno of Japan have won both of their events and qualified for the Final. Michal Březina of the Czech Republic has also qualified with two silver medals, and Sergei Voronov of Russia will mostly likely be in with one silver and one bronze. Cha Junhwan of South Korea is waiting in the wings with two bronze medals, the only other skater this season with two Grand Prix medals.

The men's event in Grenoble this weekend will likely be a face-off between Nathan Chen of the United States, the reigning World champion, and Boyang Jin of China, the two-time World bronze medalist. Chen decided to simplify the number of quads in his programs from a total of eight (two in the short program and six in the free skate) at his peak to only five for this event.

Jason Brown of the United States is coming off a less-than-stellar showing at his events earlier this season following a big coaching change this summer. He left his long-time coach of 18 years, Kori Ade, to join the Toronto Cricket Club and train under Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson. The change was made after Brown finished off the podium at last year's Nationals and missed out on a spot for the US Olympic team. Brown, the 2015 US National champion, is hoping to improve upon a sixth place finish at Skate Canada earlier this season.

Dmitri Aliev of Russia is similarly hoping to improve upon his fifth place finish at the NHK Trophy earlier this year. The 2018 European silver medalist finished seventh at both the Olympics and Worlds last season.

Also in the mix are Nicolas Nadeau of Canada, Kevin Aymoz of France, Romain Ponsart of France, Daniel Samohin of Israel, Keiji Tanaka of Japan, Deniss Vasiljevs of Latvia, and Alexander Samarin of Russia.