Grand Prix 2023-24 Season Potential Assignments

[Karen-W]

Okay... So, here are my Dance GP predictions - this is a pretty hard table to fill because pretty much every field is going to be deep and there are several teams that probably warrant 2 assignments, but there just aren't enough spots.

Skate America	Skate Canada	Grand Prix de France	Cup of China	Grand Prix Espoo	NHK Trophy
Lauriault/Le Gac	Gilles/Poirier	Bashynska/Beaumont	Harris/Chan	Lauriault/Le Gac	Fournier Beaudry/Soerensen
Wang/Liu	Lajoie/Lagha	Fournier Beaudry/Soerensen	Bashynska/Beaumont	Gilles/Poirier	Smart/Dieck
Taschlerova/Taschler	CAN TBD	Taschlerova/Taschler	Lajoie/Lagha	Mrazkova/Mrazek	Lopareva/Brissaud
Turkkila/Versluis	Mrazkova/Mrazek	Orihara/Pirinen	Wang/Liu	Orihara/Pirinen	Kazakova/Revia
Demougeot/Le Mercier	Dupayage/Nabais	Demougeot/Le Mercier	Chen/Xing	Turkkila/Versluis	Komatsubara/Koleto
Bekker/Hernandez	Fear/Gibson	Lopareva/Brissaud	Kazakova/Revia	Dupayage/Nabais	Lim/Quan
Lim/Quan	Komatsubara/Koleto	FRA TBD	Fear/Gibson	Janse van Rensburg/Steffan	Reed/Ambrulevicius
Chock/Bates	Reed/Ambrulevicius	Guignard/Fabbri	Guignard/Fabbri	Ignateva/Szemko	Carreira/Ponomarenko
Green/Parsons	Bratti/Somerville	Brown/Brown	Carreira/Ponomarenko	Green/Parsons	Chock/Bates
USA TBD	Hawayek/Baker	Pate/Bye	Zingas/Kolesnik	Hawayek/Baker	McNamara/Spiridonov

 

[Vagabond]

And y'all are killing me with these fake lineups. I keep checking this thread and thinking they are real. #longestoffseason

This thread is the birthplace of rotisserie figure skating.

 

[SidelineSkater]

Apparently Gracie's been in a boot most of the summer. So if she did have plans to continue, she will be way behind.

I'm pretty gutted for Starr. I wish there was a skating with the stars type of show she could do adagio pairs in and be in the public eye, as she's be great at that.

And y'all are killing me with these fake lineups. I keep checking this thread and thinking they are real. #longestoffseason

I'm pretty sure we'll have a new thread dedicated to the official assignments (usually Sylvia does a breakdown? maybe? Wishful thinking?)

I also think it seems painfully long this year, but @Karen-W confirmed it's usually late June/early July and yup, that's the way it's been lately.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm pretty sure we'll have a new thread dedicated to the official assignments (usually Sylvia does a breakdown? maybe? Wishful thinking?)

I also think it seems painfully long this year, but @Karen-W confirmed it's usually late June/early July and yup, that's the way it's been lately.

We do usually have a new thread once the assignments are announced. @Sylvia confirmed the GP Host Commission is meeting either this week or next week (or maybe this weekend?) in Lausanne. Best guess - we get GP assignments revealed either June 30th or July 3rd, depending on when exactly the commission has their meeting.

At this point, the only thing I think we're waiting on are some potential retirement announcements this week or next.

 

[Vagabond]

We are also anxiously waiting for peace.

 

[doritos]

My sources have confirmed the GP Host Commission will be meeting next Tuesday the 27th in Lausanne.

 

[Sylvia]

I'm pretty sure we'll have a new thread dedicated to the official assignments (usually Sylvia does a breakdown? maybe? Wishful thinking?)

I usually create a Grand Prix assignments thread after the initial selections are published on the ISU website and list all the skaters/teams by event - looking forward to doing it again sometime this coming week!

 

[Marta24]

Sooo, today is the day?

 

[Karen-W]

Sooo, today is the day?

Lol. That the host commission meets. We shouldn't expect assignments until the end of the week or next Monday, I think. It would be great if they came out sooner, but my impression is that the feds/skaters are informed at least a few days before anything is made public.

 

[Rukia]

Lol. That the host commission meets. We shouldn't expect assignments until the end of the week or next Monday, I think. It would be great if they came out sooner, but my impression is that the feds/skaters are informed at least a few days before anything is made public.

ok but they should consider how hilarious it would be if skaters found out from random fancams on twitter accounts

 

[Karen-W]

ok but they should consider how hilarious it would be if skaters found out from random fancams on twitter accounts

Ooooooo... see, now this is an idea that 100% needs to be incorporated into that GOISU project. Talk about something tailor-made for short TikTok/IG reels! Or, better yet, and IG or Twitter Live event where skaters around the world go live at the ISU's designated GP Assignments Reveal time.

 

[Coco]

Yes , so we can see their reaction

 

[tony]

ok but they should consider how hilarious it would be if skaters found out from random fancams on twitter accounts

Back in the early 2000s, I'm fairly certain the ISU just published the lists and made the Federations do the job of telling their athletes. There was no social media to get all the news, and people had to rely on places like FSU to get any kind of updates. I remember I congratulated one of the athletes on her first-ever assignment after the ISU made the lists live, and she had no clue that she was even assigned.

The top athletes all likely know where they are going because they get to pick, and I'm sure the big Federations try to consider certain factors when vying for assignments and working with other host countries for trade-offs, but the rest of the world has to still likely sit and wait until those documents are uploaded.

 

[Rukia]

Back in the early 2000s, I'm fairly certain the ISU just published the lists and made the Federations do the job of telling their athletes. There was no social media to get all the news, and people had to rely on places like FSU to get any kind of updates. I remember I congratulated one of the athletes on her first-ever assignment after the ISU made the lists live, and she had no clue that she was even assigned.

see this is the kind of vision the current isu admin is lacking add some sparkle filters to some photos and post that mess up on twitter

 

[Karen-W]

see this is the kind of vision the current isu admin is lacking add some sparkle filters to some photos and post that mess up on twitter

Not just the ISU, but all the member feds. They treat this as ho-hum, but the fact that someone, OVER A MONTH AGO, came out with fake GP assignments pages and tweeted them and people actually thought they could be legit, plus our own thread here with assignment predictions should tell them there is enough interest

 

[Coco]

The NFL makes a big production of their schedule release, just sayin'.

 

[PRlady]

I wonder if they even realize that some fans hedge attendance on who’s skating at an event!

 

[Karen-W]

The NFL makes a big production of their schedule release, just sayin'.

Right?! I was just thinking that the GP Host Commission meeting could be like the NFL and NBA Draft Days. Livestream this event! Have the Seeded skaters/teams announce their selected events. Have the #2-6 teams on a clock to select their assignments once the #1 seeds have started this off. Rotate through each discipline! Same with the 7-12 men's & women's skaters and the 7-10 pairs/dance teams! Make this EXCITING!!!

 

[Hedwig]

I wonder if they even realize that some fans hedge attendance on who’s skating at an event!

I always have the impression they are surprised if people are actually interested in skating so they shorten the competitions, get rid of compulsories ? and add shows in between events like fireworks and so on so people dont actually have to watch.

Remember how astonished they were that people were watching the jgp when they were finally able to!?

 

[aussieSKATES]

Back in the early 2000s, I'm fairly certain the ISU just published the lists and made the Federations do the job of telling their athletes. There was no social media to get all the news, and people had to rely on places like FSU to get any kind of updates. I remember I congratulated one of the athletes on her first-ever assignment after the ISU made the lists live, and she had no clue that she was even assigned.

The top athletes all likely know where they are going because they get to pick, and I'm sure the big Federations try to consider certain factors when vying for assignments and working with other host countries for trade-offs, but the rest of the world has to still likely sit and wait until those documents are uploaded.

Skating's version of Oscar nominations!

Here's hoping Harris & Chan earn spots for two events like they did last year. Now that Golubeva & Giotopoulos-Moore are officially senior, we are glad that they don't have to choose b/w competing on the junior and senior GP Series circuits like they did in 2022/23.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I can't imagine that they'd ever want to expose the Feds' selections. Too much politics, and unlike professional leagues, the strategy is usually more skill- or role-based than the reasons the Feds have (cost savings, trying to have a weak field, etc.) Or that they'd want the skaters to explain why they made their choices.

A more likely model would be the countdown, which would be to announce them first by seed rounds, and then remaining host picks. After that, they could do a random (not in alpha order by name) announcement of the rest of the skaters chosen, either by event, or in rounds. Or they could choose a skater from among those who have been chosen, and announce both spots, if they got two.

 

[Karen-W]

Skating's version of Oscar nominations!

Here's hoping Harris & Chan earn spots for two events like they did last year. Now that Golubeva & Giotopoulos-Moore are officially senior, we are glad that they don't have to choose b/w competing on the junior and senior GP Series circuits like they did in 2022/23.

I don't think Harris/Chan will get more than 1 on the initial list, but IIRC, that was the case last year and they managed to pick up a 2nd. It will be tougher this year, I think, to pick up a 2nd because they are the lowest on the SB (33) of the teams guaranteed one who are likely to only get 1 and some of the other teams vying for a 2nd will be 4-5 US teams, Janse van Rensburg/Steffan and Smart/Dieck.

GoluGM are set for 2 as an invited team by virtue of their 8th place finish at Worlds, and I expect they'll be in the medal hunt each time they compete.

 

[Karen-W]

I can't imagine that they'd ever want to expose the Feds' selections. Too much politics, and unlike professional leagues, the strategy is usually more skill- or role-based than the reasons the Feds have (cost savings, trying to have a weak field, etc.) Or that they'd want the skaters to explain why they made their choices.

A more likely model would be the countdown, which would be to announce them first by seed rounds, and then remaining host picks. After that, they could do a random (not in alpha order by name) announcement of the rest of the skaters chosen, either by event, or in rounds. Or they could choose a skater from among those who have been chosen, and announce both spots, if they got two.

No, they wouldn't want to expose the host feds like that, even though it would create some high drama and drum up interest during the slow part of the off-season. The thing is, they COULD do it in such a way that doesn't necessarily expose the host feds in that way or maybe forces them to strategize their selections differently. Right now, it's all a very congenial old boys/girls network type of selection process, and they don't want to invite anyone to their exclusive, little party, which is not the way you go about growing the fan base. And, to be perfectly honest, I think that aiming for a weaker field or budget concerns are valid reasons for feds to make whatever selections they want. It's not wrong to be fiscally responsible or to want to give your own skaters as much home field advantage as can exist in a sport like skating.

I have all kinds of ideas/thoughts on how to make this really interesting and intriguing... add an element of "white elephant gift party" to the selections - each host fed can take one skater/team in each discipline who has already been picked and put them in their event instead, so if they want to weaken their fields or reduce airfare/travel costs, that would be one way of doing it. First 6 rounds - seeded selections - skaters choose their events. Rounds 7-10/12 (and subsequent rounds - lottery draw to determine the order in which the host feds select) invited skaters are the only ones on the board but the host feds do the selecting. Following rounds - WS/SB Top 24 are the only ones on the board, again host feds get to select until each of those skaters/teams have 1 assignment each. After that, the remaining slots are filled in with each host fed selecting from the eligible teams in the SB Top 75 who have 1 or 0 assignments so far. Do this for each discipline and have everything on a timer like it happens on Draft Day. The host feds can strategize ahead of time the way pro teams have several options depending on who is still on the board when their selection turn comes up. Admit it, all of us would eat that sort of an event up and tune in for it!

 

[kwanfan1818]

I think that aiming for a weaker field or budget concerns are valid reasons for feds to make whatever selections they want. It's not wrong to be fiscally responsible or to want to give your own skaters as much home field advantage as can exist in a sport like skating.

I don't think that's what sports fans respect in general. We're not talking about tens of millions of difference for a contact that could make the rest of the team weak: we're talking a few thousand dollars of airfare, since the hotel and meal costs are the same. We're not talking salary caps and the strategies of spending that money.

GP selections are different than other drafts, because you're choosing your opponents, not your teams. Even host spots aren't necessarily chosen to get the best, even aside from seed distribution: they're often to give other athletes on their team a better chance of making the Grand Prix Final.

I would love to see the random draw for the order in which the Feds pick. I would love to see the Feds have to make their picks on the spot. I just don't see the Feds letting that happen, regardless of how much interest or even $$$ it would generate.

 

[Karen-W]

From the Canadian Summer Comps thread over in Kiss 'n Cry - looks like Panetta/Thrasher are no more - one less pairs team available for the Alternates list.

2023 Championnats québecois d'été entries as of June 27/23: https://patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Liste-participants-CQE2023-27062023.pdf
Interesting note, Kieran Thrasher is now competing with Jazmine Desrochers in junior pair.

 

[Dobre]

Harris & Chan are 17th on the WS list. Last year, all the dance teams in the top 24 World standings received two berths on the GP over teams below the top 24 on the SB list during the initial selection. (Before SB ranking becomes the priority via the replacement list). In addition, about 10 teams on the SB list that had not finished top 24 received a single invite. This year, there are far fewer top 24 teams sitting out compared to last season, and of course, H&C don't have host country assistance; but H&C have a decent shot at two. That said, I do think it's quite plausible some top 24 teams will only get one.

 

[Marta24]

https://twitter.com/paul_peret/status/1673963593480515586?t=WD6xiRr8uzYa1V1VfPyD5w&s=19

We will maybe getting the GP assignments today.

 

[litenkyckling]

I’ve just read the new strategy slides that the ISU put out after their June meeting and they do say they are working towards a new media approach. It looks like it includes doing away with opening ceremonies, officials introductions and more interviews and explanation of the results and rules. I think this would be great - I do think this sport misses the mark analyses wise - like football highlights with a panel discussion is helpful and in another confusing sport when it comes to rules sometimes - F1 - the post race analysis and interviews helps people make sense of what they’ve just watched and what that means for the season going forward. Having this element to figure skating would help grow the sport I think and you could definitely build a GP assignment announcement into that!

 

[Marta24]

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series started in 1995 and consists of six international senior invitational events and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The skaters are seeded and invited to the six Grand Prix of Figure Skating events based on the results of the previous ISU...

www.isu.org

GP Assignments are out!

 

[Debbie S]

A lot of people must be trying to get on, I can't get anything to load on my phone or desktop. Or my internet is shot.