2025 Grand Prix Assignments

[PRlady]

Before my plane takes off….

I thought Wuthering Heights was the best top team FD last year and Take Five this year. But they ALL need better material this year. There was nothing close to S/D Dune or T/V tango among the top four. And I remember Bek/Hern’s James Bond better than those of much higher-ranked teams.

It’s not all politics and material anyway. By most standards G/F are the best technical skaters of the bunch, and they have a wallop of a home field advantage. So we shall see.

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

GP Assignments Review from Tatjana Flade & Judith Dombrowski for Pirouette Magazin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG5mmKWUGt8

Tatjana noted that BecGuar didn't have a qualifying minimum score from last season (Shanghai Trophy doesn't count toward SB) and they didn't qualify as a Comeback team, but I'd have thought they would have qualified as a Return of a Ranked Team since they were 9th at 2024 Worlds. I don't get it. If the GP Host Commission is going to give Loena a pass for competing only at Shanghai Trophy last fall then shouldn't they have applied the same standard to BecGuar?

Does that mean BecGuar need to get a minimum score first to get onto the alternates list?

 

[Karen-W]

ANL asked and I'm going to do my best to handicap the Pairs field as currently assigned - with the caveat that the Pairs field is generally the most fluid in the 3-4 months between the initial assignments & the actual GP series - and with the second caveat that we haven't actually seen how SuiHan look yet.

GPdF - MiuKih & SDDes in some order;& 4th PavSvia & GoluGM - if GoluGM show up with an improved 3tw in the fall then I'd give them the edge for bronze; 5th ShiNagy
CoC -SuiHan,ConMac,MetBeru, 4th & 5th McBPark & GeyChig in some order
SCI -MiNiki & SDDes in some order;& 4th KamO & PerMich in some order; 5th & 6th GoluGM & VLDigs in some order
NHK -SuiHan,ConMac,EfiMit, 4th & 5th PavSvia & ChanHowe in some order
SkAm -MiuKih,MetBeru,4th & 5th PlaFern, GeyChig & HocKun in some order
Finlandia -MiNiki,EfiMit & KamO in some order, 4th & 5th PerMich & GhiAmbro in some order

GPF qualifiers -
30 pts - SuiHan
28 pts - MiuKih, SDDes & MiNiki
26 pts - ConMac
24 pts - one of EfiMit, KamO & MetBeru - probably MetBeru who will win the 2nd tiebreaker for total score

GPF -SuiHan,MiuKih,MiNiki, 4th SDDes, 5th ConMac, 6th MetBeru

Euros - ConMac,MiNiki,MetBeru, 4th PavSvia, 5th BecGuar, 6th VLDigs

4CCs - EfiMit;Zhang/Huang;one of the US teams that doesn't make it to Milano-Cortina

At the Olympics - ConMac & BecGuar may wind up thrilled with their TE; meanwhile, MiuKih will take home two- one in the TE and one in the pairs comp. Presuming SuiHan are at 80% of the level they were at in 2022, they will winagain. Sorry, the rest of the pairs field just doesn't measure up to them. Someone will get pairs - quite possibly SDDes as a consolation prize for no TE medal for Canada for the 2nd Olympics in a row.

Worlds - MiNiki will be the only team from the GPF or Olympic podiums to show up in Prague. ConMac EfiMit

 

[Karen-W]

Does that mean BecGuar need to get a minimum score first to get onto the alternates list?

I'm honestly not sure.

The way the GP General Announcement reads, utilizing the "Return Team" Clause only gets them in the selection pool for consideration and a total minimum score is not required. Their SB from 23-24 is used to rank them in relation to the rest of the teams within the selection pool. But they're not guaranteed an assignment on the initial list. Theoretically, they should remain on the Alternates List and they would be ranked the highest of the teams on the Alternates List using their 23-24 SB score, which would mean they get the first vacancy, and then if another spot opens up at a different GP, they'll get that one. Of course, they could also be displaced in that first position by any other teams on the Alternates List who put up a higher score than BecGuar have from 23-24.

We won't know for sure until either the ISU posts the Alternates List or a pairs vacancy opens up & we see who gets it.

 

[Hedwig]

I am glad Broussad is on the list!

 

[cholla]

Aymoz also doesn’t leave the continent.

Kevin left your continent for his almost 2 years ago. He went back to his home town, Grenoble, and to Françoise Bonnard full time. But he still works with Silvia Fontana and John Z via video and Silvia travels sometimes with Françoise. He also trains in Lausanne (Switzerland) on his own some days of the week as his significant other lives there.

Edit: oops I hadn't seen @tony's reply, sorry.

 

[cholla]

(...)
So perhaps the FFSG has agreed to stick to the law in exchange for a favor or two.

The only favor I can imagine FFSG asking is the fast tracking of Laurence's passport. Which isn't unlawful as there are always "exceptions" with everything French. If Fournier-B. and Cizeron hadn't had some kind of guarantee right from the start, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't even have teammed up

 

[angi]

It’s not all politics and material anyway. By most standards G/F are the best technical skaters of the bunch, and they have a wallop of a home field advantage. So we shall see.

I think that might have been true earlier this quad but not last season, their skating (especially his) looked so labored and sloppy this season that I'd argue they didn't even deserve their 4th place finish. I wouldn't be surprised if he's struggling with some undisclosed injury.

 

[angi]

LOL. You know, I'm not a dance fanatic, but I think that gives me an advantage over the crazed dance fanatics in correctly handicapping the fields. Sure, things can change from season to season, but might I remind you that I was the ONLY person beating the drum about both the French & Finnish teams Euros scores being abnormally high and that they would revert back to the median in Boston? Might I remind you that I've been on the SmaDie bandwagon since their first, rather inauspicious, season? Might I remind you that pretty much EVERYONE here trashed LajLag's programs this past season, especially their FD, so their result in Boston should not have been nearly the surprise it was to everyone? And might I remind you that consensus has been that the Taschlers actually WERE stagnating with less-than-stellar material from Zanni & Co?

I am not predicting, btw, that CarPon are going to beat LajLag handily, despite what you seem to be implying based upon my known uber-fandom of CarPon. I fully expect LajLag to beat CarPon at SCI, and then I expect the results to be reversed at SkAm. I make no prediction on an outcome of a third head-to-head match-up at the GPF, just that I believe they will both qualify for the GPF while FearGib and GuigFab are iced out of that competition.

USFS & SkCan are protecting the teams that have, at this point, established themselves, quite solidly, as their #2, with an eye toward the next Olympic cycle. Perhaps your own US ice dance uber matrix is kicking into gear because CarPon aren't your favored successors to ChoBat as the top US team post-Milano Cortina.

With respect to GuigFab... That's an awfully big ask you're making for them given the material they've had this entire Olympic cycle. At no point in the past three seasons could a reasonable argument be made that they had the best RD of the top 3 teams, and only in 2023 could an argument be made in favor of their FD as the best, but even that would have been debated mightily (and the judges didn't agree, even with a fall by ChoBat at Worlds). In fact, their material has been unimpressive enough that they've allowed FearGib to overtake them, which is not something any of us would have predicted 3 years ago when FearGib were very clearly behind the top 3.

Go back and rewatch even just the RDs from 2023. To me, it's clear why ChoBat and GilPoir have put some distance between themselves and GuigFab. There is a dynamic quality they both have that allows them to rise above some awful music/packaging choices. I mean... Really... ChoBat gave us David Bowie's "Let's Dance" with a Latin beat! And GilPoir gave us Piper in a purple sparkly tramp stamp dress with Paul in a black mesh/sheer with some stoning/crystals black, loose tank top for "Do What I Do." Yet, somehow, they have a raw charisma that shines through. GuigFab with their safe, traditional Latin program in bland black with a zebra print burnout patterning & gold stoning/crystals are just there. I can see why they scored higher than GilPoir in the RD in 2023 - GilPoir were rougher & not quite as developed, but the potential was there for GilPoir to continue improving & overtake GuigFab as they have since.

Like or dislike ChoBat's material each of the past 3 seasons, but you're going to have a tough time selling me on them not putting out the best RD in both 2023 & 2024, and the best FD of the top 4 in 2025. And, like or dislike GilPoir's material each of the past few seasons, but you're not going to convince me that they didn't have the best FD in 2024 and the best RD in 2025. You may be able to convince me that GuigFab had the best FD in 2023, but what have they done in the intervening two seasons? Nothing that was going to beat ChoBat or GilPoir in either segment. Their 2024 RD was awful and their 2024 FD was "Love Never Dies/Mephisto's Lullaby" where she had a sparkly skeleton spine on her back for her costume. And the less said about this past season's Robot FD and Condiment Kids Costumes RD, the better.

I'd say I am somewhat of a dance fanatic, and I still mostly agree with this pragmatic analysis.

G/F's material has never been stellar, and they miss a wow factor and charisma that other teams have. What worked for them was their technical abilities, but they struggled with this as well this season. We can hope this season has been the kick they needed, but reading some of the interviews they did this season and judging by their k&c reactions, they refused to listen to feedback even when the writing on the wall couldn't have been clearer (unlike C/B for example who heard the feedback and played with their FD in 2023 until it worked). If they get outside choreography, I'll be more optimistic, but if it will be Fusar-Poli again it will show they learned nothing. But even with great material, they won't touch C/B, and are unlikely to touch G/P. Depending how FB/C will look like, they might even be a real challenge for them, especially if FB/C win gold in France over them.

I do agree that material will be crucial next season, aside from C/B, who I think will be safe regardless, almost every other team must come out of the gate with strong material. I expect that L/L learned their lesson and will get IAM to invest in them, I also expect C/P to show up with good material, given IAMO seems to know exactly what to give them this quad. With G/P it's a bigger question mark since they showed up to 2022 Olympics with terrible material, let's hope they learned from that, and overall most of their material this quad ranged from OK to great.
The Shibutanis are an unknown I'd say, I will be surprised if they look any different than they did in 2018, I never felt they were very versatile. And of course FB/C, they will do whatever Cizeron can do, so another contemporary piece for sure, the question is will it be a well-choreographed piece (what they had for the show in Japan was mediocre at best).
I will also be interested to see what F/G will do, they were given the message that their style isn't really exciting anyone anymore, but I don't think they can do something different. So I guess we can expect either another pop diva FD or another camp one.

 

[litenkyckling]

Also a sad dance fanatic…

I’m both surprised and not surprised at the assignments. I predicted that F/G and G/F would be played against Shibs and FBC - it makes total sense to put the weaker of this quads worlds podium teams against 1.5 Olympic medalist comebacks. Material will of course be everything. I kind of think that F/G will have a very good but predictable RD and a weaker FD. G/F will do a trash RD but could have a lovely FD for their home Olympics and swan song season.

Weirdly, although on the face of it having C/P and L/L do 2 head to heads isn’t ideal, it protects both of them a bit in a season where comebacks make GPF qualifying much more complicated. It also sets them up as rivals next season - which I think has always been expected to happen since they were juniors - if a little later than expected. Surprised that S/D got China instead of C/P though.

I have more thoughts but yet to actually articulate them in my mind yet! But overall, makes for an unmissable GP season for dance and can’t wait to see the material at Challengers….

 

[Evgeniafan]

Kevin left your continent for his almost 2 years ago. He went back to his home town, Grenoble, and to Françoise Bonnard full time. But he still works with Silvia Fontana and John Z via video and Silvia travels sometimes with Françoise. He also trains in Lausanne (Switzerland) on his own some days of the week as his significant other lives there.

Edit: oops I hadn't seen @tony's reply, sorry.

Do you think he may stay in th US after SCI, to minimize traveling and stay in the same time zone as Florida?

 

[BittyBug]

Article 21-21 states
French nationality may be conferred by naturalisation on the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to any French-speaking foreigner who requests it and who contributes through their distinguished work to the influence of France and the prosperity of its international economic relations.

I'm having a tough time seeing how this could rationally apply to an ice dancer within one season of work. Let's say they exceed expectations and win both of their GPs, the GPF and any Senior B's they enter - it's still ice dance, an obscure sport with a limited global audience. So that's going to contribute to the influence of France and the prosperity of France's international economic relations?

 

[clairecloutier]

I assumed C/B's first GP would be either France or China. Doing NHK would have required them to compete both events back to back. Not easy to do, esp when travel to/from Asia is involved.

You're right, C/B needed to do either France or China because of the date change for SA. And doing France would involve an early-season face-off with Cizeron. So that's likely what led to CoC.

In general, I would be very interested to know some of the back story on what happened with SA this year, starting with choice of location, to change of date, to the American skater lineup.

 

[TwizzlerS]

I'm having a tough time seeing how this could rationally apply to an ice dancer within one season of work. Let's say they exceed expectations and win both of their GPs, the GPF and any Senior B's they enter - it's still ice dance, an obscure sport with a limited global audience. So that's going to contribute to the influence of France and the prosperity of France's international economic relations?

I was in Nice in the early 1990's and saw a billboard with a picture of the Duchesnays. While that was quite a while ago, it suggests that ice dance or at least Olympic medal contending ice dancers are popular in France.

 

[cholla]

Do you think he may stay in th US after SCI, to minimize traveling and stay in the same time zone as Florida?

I don't know but that would be a good choice.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

ANL asked and I'm going to do my best to handicap the Pairs field as currently assigned - with the caveat that the Pairs field is generally the most fluid in the 3-4 months between the initial assignments & the actual GP series - and with the second caveat that we haven't actually seen how SuiHan look yet.

GPdF - MiuKih & SDDes in some order;& 4th PavSvia & GoluGM - if GoluGM show up with an improved 3tw in the fall then I'd give them the edge for bronze; 5th ShiNagy
CoC -SuiHan,ConMac,MetBeru, 4th & 5th McBPark & GeyChig in some order
SCI -MiNiki & SDDes in some order;& 4th KamO & PerMich in some order; 5th & 6th GoluGM & VLDigs in some order
NHK -SuiHan,ConMac,EfiMit, 4th & 5th PavSvia & ChanHowe in some order
SkAm -MiuKih,MetBeru,4th & 5th PlaFern, GeyChig & HocKun in some order
Finlandia -MiNiki,EfiMit & KamO in some order, 4th & 5th PerMich & GhiAmbro in some order

GPF qualifiers -
30 pts - SuiHan
28 pts - MiuKih, SDDes & MiNiki
26 pts - ConMac
24 pts - one of EfiMit, KamO & MetBeru - probably MetBeru who will win the 2nd tiebreaker for total score

GPF -SuiHan,MiuKih,MiNiki, 4th SDDes, 5th ConMac, 6th MetBeru

Euros - ConMac,MiNiki,MetBeru, 4th PavSvia, 5th BecGuar, 6th VLDigs

4CCs - EfiMit;Zhang/Huang;one of the US teams that doesn't make it to Milano-Cortina

At the Olympics - ConMac & BecGuar may wind up thrilled with their TE; meanwhile, MiuKih will take home two- one in the TE and one in the pairs comp. Presuming SuiHan are at 80% of the level they were at in 2022, they will winagain. Sorry, the rest of the pairs field just doesn't measure up to them. Someone will get pairs - quite possibly SDDes as a consolation prize for no TE medal for Canada for the 2nd Olympics in a row.

Worlds - MiNiki will be the only team from the GPF or Olympic podiums to show up in Prague. ConMac EfiMit

I believe I asked you for the women, but let me go and get this bagel in the toaster oven and I will come back and indulge in all of these unnecessary indulgences. Does that make any sense at all?

 

[Karen-W]

I believe I asked you for the women, but let me go and get this bagel in the toaster oven and I will come back and indulge in all of these unnecessary indulgences. Does that make any sense at all?

You did, but I chose to do Pairs next because while the fields are the most fluid between now & the start of the GP series, it turns out, handicapping the entire field is rather simple. SuiHan win everything.

But if you're going to be impatient, I might make you wait a bit while I handicap the men first.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

ANL asked and I'm going to do my best to handicap the Pairs field as currently assigned - with the caveat that the Pairs field is generally the most fluid in the 3-4 months between the initial assignments & the actual GP series - and with the second caveat that we haven't actually seen how SuiHan look yet.

GPdF - MiuKih & SDDes in some order;& 4th PavSvia & GoluGM - if GoluGM show up with an improved 3tw in the fall then I'd give them the edge for bronze; 5th ShiNagy
CoC -SuiHan,ConMac,MetBeru, 4th & 5th McBPark & GeyChig in some order
SCI -MiNiki & SDDes in some order;& 4th KamO & PerMich in some order; 5th & 6th GoluGM & VLDigs in some order
NHK -SuiHan,ConMac,EfiMit, 4th & 5th PavSvia & ChanHowe in some order
SkAm -MiuKih,MetBeru,4th & 5th PlaFern, GeyChig & HocKun in some order
Finlandia -MiNiki,EfiMit & KamO in some order, 4th & 5th PerMich & GhiAmbro in some order

GPF qualifiers -
30 pts - SuiHan
28 pts - MiuKih, SDDes & MiNiki
26 pts - ConMac
24 pts - one of EfiMit, KamO & MetBeru - probably MetBeru who will win the 2nd tiebreaker for total score

GPF -SuiHan,MiuKih,MiNiki, 4th SDDes, 5th ConMac, 6th MetBeru

Euros - ConMac,MiNiki,MetBeru, 4th PavSvia, 5th BecGuar, 6th VLDigs

4CCs - EfiMit;Zhang/Huang;one of the US teams that doesn't make it to Milano-Cortina

At the Olympics - ConMac & BecGuar may wind up thrilled with their TE; meanwhile, MiuKih will take home two- one in the TE and one in the pairs comp. Presuming SuiHan are at 80% of the level they were at in 2022, they will winagain. Sorry, the rest of the pairs field just doesn't measure up to them. Someone will get pairs - quite possibly SDDes as a consolation prize for no TE medal for Canada for the 2nd Olympics in a row.

Worlds - MiNiki will be the only team from the GPF or Olympic podiums to show up in Prague. ConMac EfiMit

You have MiniKi defeating ConMac at the Grand Prix final, but not at Euros?

 

[Vagabond]

I'm having a tough time seeing how this could rationally apply to an ice dancer within one season of work. Let's say they exceed expectations and win both of their GPs, the GPF and any Senior B's they enter - it's still ice dance, an obscure sport with a limited global audience. So that's going to contribute to the influence of France and the prosperity of France's international economic relations?

What about all the ? Does that count?

 

[Karen-W]

Okay, then men... We'll see how set this field is. Last season, there were exactly two WDs from the initial GP assignments through the end of the GP Series. I doubt it will remain quite as static this season, but who knows? But, apart from Ilia & Shaidorov, I'm pretty sure these medal predictions are absolute trash & will be completely wrong, lol.

GPdF -Ilia;Adam;Miura; 4th Egadze; 5th Britscghi
CoC -Shaidorov;Cha;Sato; 4th Grassl; 5th Sanchez
SCI -Ilia;Miura;Aymoz; 4th Memola;5th Egadze
NHK -Yuma;Cha;Britschgi;4th Sato; 5th Rizzo
SkAm -Shaidorov;Aymoz;Brown; 4th Memola; 5th Grassl
Finlandia -Adam;Yuma;Brown; 4th Rizzo; 5th Broussard

GPF qualifiers -
30 points - Ilia & Shaidorov
28 points - Yuma & Adam
26 points - Cha
24 points - tie between Miura & Aymoz with Miura getting the spot based on the total score tiebreaker
GPF Alternates - Aymoz, Brown & Sato

GPF -Ilia;Shaidorov or AdamYuma - showing he's still vulnerable

Euros -Adam regains his title;Britschgi stays on the podium;Egadze finally gets a medal after far too many 4th place finishes & we all cry at how heartfelt his reaction to this long-sought medal is despite hating whatever crap programs Danny G gives him, & we learn that Eteri may have a heart after all, lol.

4CCs -Broussard or Sanchez - whichever of these two fails to make the Olympic team will head to 4CCs on a mission to set themselves up well for Worlds as they're certain to get the call up after Jason declines the Worlds assignment post-Milano Cortina;Tomono - consolation prize for not making the Japanese Olympic team;Jin because this is going to be a really depleted field & it's being held in Beijing, so this will be a nice cap to his long-lived career

Olympics - Ilia's gonna join Nathan in the ranks of double-gold TE & Men's champions & all the Fanyus will RAGE because they're sad & pathetic Millennials who have this bizarre parasocial relationship with Yuzu rather than normal lives & relationships. It may even provoke them into recognizing Dick Button as the true GOAT since he has two individual men's Oly golds, but doubtful.

Memola & Rizzo will make the Italian team & be thrilled with their TEwhile Grassl throws the temper tantrum to end all temper tantrums from the comfort of his own sofa in the privacy of his own home.

who the hell knows? On paper, Yuma would seem to be the strongest contender to repeat with another Oly silver, making him the first man to win 4 Olympic FS medals (2 in 2022, 2 in 2026). I expect he will probably get the job done enough in Milano-Cortina. The other medal - it's going to be a surprise - it won't be Shaidorov, Adam or Miura but one of the guys in the next tier - Aymoz, Brown, Cha or Britschgi. Men are gonna men.

Worlds - Ilia will go, but he'll be exhausted & may wind up withto Shaidorov coming in hot from the disappointment of not medaling in Milano-Cortina to win- this will set us up & fuel what will be a GREAT rivalry for the next Olympic cycle & I'm gonna be here for it.Again, who the hell knows? Maybe Cha or Miura, possibly Adam.

 

[Karen-W]

You have MiniKi defeating ConMac at the Grand Prix final, but not at Euros?

Yup. MiNiki are going to be focused on Milano-Cortina and take their eyes off the ball in Sheffield.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Memola & Frangi will make the Italian team

Fixed the error

 

[zebobes]

4CCs -Broussard or Sanchez - whichever of these two fails to make the Olympic team will head to 4CCs on a mission to set themselves up well for Worlds as they're certain to get the call up after Jason declines the Worlds assignment post-Milano Cortina;Tomono - consolation prize for not making the Japanese Olympic team;Jin because this is going to be a really depleted field & it's being held in Beijing, so this will be a nice cap to his long-lived career.

One thing to keep in mind is that a surprising number of Japanese and Korean skaters go to 4CC prior to the Olympics. I personally hope that Junhwan and Yuma don’t go… but I remember Shoma losing to Boyang back in 2018, and then Junhwan winning in 2022.

 

[On My Own]

I'm Cassandra hear me roar.

 

[hoptoad]

Euros -Adam regains his title;Britschgi stays on the podium;Egadze finally gets a medal after far too many 4th place finishes & we all cry at how heartfelt his reaction to this long-sought medal is despite hating whatever crap programs Danny G gives him, & we learn that Eteri may have a heart after all, lol.

I dunno, seems unlikely, lol.

 

[Karen-W]

One thing to keep in mind is that a surprising number of Japanese and Korean skaters go to 4CC prior to the Olympics. I personally hope that Junhwan and Yuma don’t go… but I remember Shoma losing to Boyang back in 2018, and then Junhwan winning in 2022.

I don't think that will happen this coming season. Yuma & Shun both skipped 4CCs this year, and I'm expecting their entire Olympic team to do the same again in 2026. There wasn't any time difference consideration in 2018 (Taipei & Pyeongchang) and in 2022 Junhwan didn't have to worry about being in Beijing a week after 4CCs to prepare for the TE SP, which will be a factor in 2026.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I dunno, seems unlikely, lol.

I know I see a Frangi, Selevko, Selevko type situation.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Is anyone in the mood for a poll, I’m in the mood. Lol should we start doing June editions of Grand Prix predictions lol.

 

[Karen-W]

I know I see a Frangi, Selevko, Selevko type situation.

The unlikelihood of my Euros podium prediction is us discovering Eteri may have a heart after all. The rest is totally plausible and quite likely.

 

[Karen-W]

Is anyone in the mood for a poll, I’m in the mood. Lol should we start doing June editions of Grand Prix predictions lol.

Go for it!