2024-25 ISU Grand Prix Assignments & projected alternates

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

They could have had both at SA, like last year, but USFS probably wanted to spread them out to maximize their chances of making the GPF

They both actually have been skate America for the past two years, and they were both on the skate America party in two years ago

 

[her grace]

I really don’t like that ice dance line-up at SA. Guess I’ll save my money.

 

[Marta24]

Meh about Mrazkovi at SkAm again, but excited that they got France as their 2nd GP. Baby Germans are at Skate Canada, must be a mistake since they wanted to stay in Juniors.

 

[Colonel Green]

Baby Germans are at Skate Canada, must be a mistake since they wanted to stay in Juniors.

You don't get accidentally assigned to a Grand Prix.

 

[Marta24]

You don't get accidentally assigned to a Grand Prix.

Darya posted on X that she is also confused about the assignment. ISU sometimes messes things up, like the one time three Chinese pair teams skated at Junior Worlds, although they only had two spots.

x.com

x.com

 

[Vagabond]

Fournier Beaudry & Soerensen are on the list.

 

[PRlady]

Fournier Beaudry & Soerensen are on the list.

Go away and give one to Becker/Hernandez!

 

[Allskate]

Jason is back!

I was a little surprised because he seems quite busy and his approach the last couple of years has been to gear up for competition later in the season. But, I take this as a sign that he is going to try to go to the next Olympics and he wants to compete more leading up to it. I hope his body is up for it.

I can't remember the last time the United States had this many women getting two GP assignments. That's exciting. Even more exciting is the fact that I really like their skating!

 

[Sylvia]

Darya posted on X that she is also confused about the assignment.

Maybe the German federation submitted their names to see if they would get a GP? Before they decide whether or not they want to return to the JGP instead?

ETA - excerpted from the 2023/34 GP Announcement:
3. CONFIRMATION OF PARTICIPATION
3.1 Confirmation of Participation of Seeded Skaters/CouplesThe ISU Members must confirm the participation of the Seeded Skaters/Couples in the two events to the ISUSecretariat by August 15, 2023. If a Seeded Skater/Couple does not participate in the event(s) for which theyare designated, there will be no substitute event(s).
3.2 Confirmation of Participation of Invited Skaters/CouplesThe invitations for participation for Skaters/Couples, besides the seeded ones, will be forwarded to the ISUMembers concerned through the Organizing ISU Member of the respective ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skatingevent. The ISU Members of these Invited Skaters/Couples must confirm participation to the ISU Secretariat,and the Organizing ISU Member by August 15, 2023.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Mens - Jason getting back to fighting weight for another Oly run? Illya yes but rest of am men team a little stale. Hope Lucas gets some Bs and can get in the mix again. Bradie must have shown something very good for this result. Am ladies deepest ladies field? Surprised to see ca dance vets back. I thought Piper was fading. Half the pairs teams I never heard of.

 

[Sylvia]

What's up with this? Is his suspension over?

A suspension was never announced publicly for Grassl, AFAIK. Guess we'll see if his name stays on the list for Finlandia.

 

[Karen-W]

Wow! I wasn't expecting them today - thought it would be tomorrow at the earliest.

@Sylvia - Nagaoka/Moriguchi aren't debuting - they competed at NHK last season.

Gotta take some time to dissect these assignments.

Jason doesn't quite surprise me - he posted on his IG yesterday about being busy training. I've had the sense, all spring, that he might have changed his mind and decided to do the GP this coming season.

Bradie - I only had her down for 1 assignment so I'm guessing the USFS needed to give her a SkAm host spot in order to get her 2 assignments.

FBSoer - apparently, they really don't know how to read a room and just go away.

Also, no HawBak pretty much confirms what we have known for awhile.

Grassl is a puzzling selection for Finlandia - how was he even eligible for 1 assignment though? He wasn't on the SB list and he's dropped out of the Top 24 in the WS.

 

[Karen-W]

A suspension was never announced publicly for Grassl, AFAIK. Guess we'll see if his name stays on the list for Finlandia.

But he shouldn't have been eligible for selection at all. He isn't on the 2023-24 Season's Best list and he's well outside the World Standings Top 24.

 

[tony]

But he shouldn't have been eligible for selection at all. He isn't on the 2023-24 Season's Best list and he's well outside the World Standings Top 24.

I think the rule is that the returning skater can be at the host's discretion, as long as they were top 12 (?) in Worlds before missing a year. May be incorrect.

 

[Karen-W]

I think the rule is that the returning skater can be at the host's discretion, as long as they were top 12 (?) in Worlds before missing a year. May be incorrect.

Oh, you're right. He certainly qualifies as a Return Skater.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

I’m surprised not to see Amber Glenn at Skate America! I thought the US Champ was always offered SA.

I believe the American top finisher at worlds is always offered SA and that often happens to be the US Champ.

 

[Allskate]

A suspension was never announced publicly for Grassl, AFAIK.

It was announced that Italy's own anti-doping prosecutor was seeking a two-year suspension for Grassl missing three doping tests. I don't think there has been a follow-up announcement.

I think the rule is that the returning skater can be at the host's discretion, as long as they were top 12 (?) in Worlds before missing a year. May be incorrect.

Yeah, but boo to the Finnish for inviting him. They surely could have found someone to invite who hadn't been traveling to Russia to work with Eteri and hadn't missed three drug tests.

 

[On My Own]

It was announced that Italy's own anti-doping prosecutor was seeking a two-year suspension for Grassl missing three doping tests. I don't think there has been a follow-up announcement.

So either he withdraws, or it's a big question mark as to what happened.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I'm surprised about Grassl. I'm not surprised about FB/S.

I'm less surprised that Malinin chose Canada as his second, because host picks are higher priority than the preferences of the seeds, and with Cup of China at the end instead of NHK, and Kagiyama (2) and Siao Him Fa (3) assigned as expected to their host GPs, his real choices would have been Canada, Finland, or China. China's a really long trip, even if he went to Arutunian before leaving for China from LA. He may have wanted to get his GPs out of the way and to then focus on his training plan until GPF.

The Japanese Women ran the table for spots

 

[Dobre]

CarPom meet Green/Parsons in both their GPs?

Yeah, and both going up late. I'm thinking maybe they're needing more time.

 

[Jarrett]

I’m surprised not to see Amber Glenn at Skate America! I thought the US Champ was always offered SA.

Levito is a 1-3 seeded skater. She gets to pick her assignments so I’m not surprised she is there. I am not sure usfsa would have much of a choice if the other skaters in the top 3 picked the other events since they can’t go up against each other on the gp. As far as amber not getting selected I don’t think Bradie would have gotten a second initial assignment and usfsa gets to save an assignment for someone. Amber was always going to get two spots.

 

[Karen-W]

Levito is a 1-3 seeded skater. She gets to pick her assignments. I am not sure usfsa would have much of a choice if the other skaters in the top 3 picked the other events since they can’t go up against each other on the gp.

Well, Amber is an invited skater in the 7-12 grouping and it's irrelevant where the other skaters in the Top 3 (or 4-6 for that matter) wanted to go. The USFS could have easily selected her for SkAm. But sometimes it makes more sense to let the skater in that 7-12 group go wherever and use the host spots on other skaters who you want to give 2 spots to - in this scenario it seems pretty clear that the USFS prioritized getting Bradie two GPs over Amber getting SkAm again - and I'd argue that is the most sensible choice because it maximizes the number of women we have on the GP with 2 assignments.

 

[Jarrett]

Well, Amber is an invited skater in the 7-12 grouping and it's irrelevant where the other skaters in the Top 3 (or 4-6 for that matter) wanted to go. The USFS could have easily selected her for SkAm. But sometimes it makes more sense to let the skater in that 7-12 group go wherever and use the host spots on other skaters who you want to give 2 spots to - in this scenario it seems pretty clear that the USFS prioritized getting Bradie two GPs over Amber getting SkAm again - and I'd argue that is the most sensible choice because it maximizes the number of women we have on the GP with 2 assignments.

Well, Amber is an invited skater in the 7-12 grouping and it's irrelevant where the other skaters in the Top 3 (or 4-6 for that matter) wanted to go. The USFS could have easily selected her for SkAm. But sometimes it makes more sense to let the skater in that 7-12 group go wherever and use the host spots on other skaters who you want to give 2 spots to - in this scenario it seems pretty clear that the USFS prioritized getting Bradie two GPs over Amber getting SkAm again - and I'd argue that is the most sensible choice because it maximizes the number of women we have on the GP with 2 assignments.

Yes I clarified my post I think our thought process is in alignment.

 

[Allskate]

Well, Amber is an invited skater in the 7-12 grouping and it's irrelevant where the other skaters in the Top 3 (or 4-6 for that matter) wanted to go. The USFS could have easily selected her for SkAm. But sometimes it makes more sense to let the skater in that 7-12 group go wherever and use the host spots on other skaters who you want to give 2 spots to - in this scenario it seems pretty clear that the USFS prioritized getting Bradie two GPs over Amber getting SkAm again - and I'd argue that is the most sensible choice because it maximizes the number of women we have on the GP with 2 assignments.

Also, when in the process did USFS know that Alysa was going to get two non-U.S. assignments? I had been assuming that USFS might have had to at least plan for the possibility that their reserved spot was going to go to Alysa. If they wanted both Alysa and Bradie at Skate America in addition to Isabeau, to get the most spots for American women, Amber was going to go somewhere else.
I'm hoping that it will actually be beneficial for Amber to not skate at home. It might reduce the adrenaline rush she has during the first half of the program if she doesn't have family, friends, and the home crowd all cheering her on. Not saying it's a total solution to the problem, but it might help.

 

[Sylvia]

It was announced that Italy's own anti-doping prosecutor was seeking a two-year suspension for Grassl missing three doping tests. I don't think there has been a follow-up announcement.

Thanks - I found an Italian article dated Dec. 7, 2023, linked from Grassl's wiki, that said: "The request from the National Anti-Doping Prosecutor's Office to disqualify the Italian athlete for 2 years will now have to pass through the National Anti-Doping Tribunal which, at the end of the trial, will decide whether to confirm the sanction or possibly reduce it. At the moment there is still no official start date for the trial. Most likely it will go to 2024."

I think the rule is that the returning skater [Grassl, in this case] can be at the host's discretion, as long as they were top 12 (?) in Worlds before missing a year.

Yes, that matches what's in last season's GP Announcement.

 

[Jarrett]

Also, when in the process did USFS know that Alysa was going to get two non-U.S. assignments? I had been assuming that USFS might have had to at least plan for the possibility that their reserved spot was going to go to Alysa. If they wanted both Alysa and Bradie at Skate America in addition to Isabeau, to get the most spots for American women, Amber was going to go somewhere else.
I'm hoping that it will actually be beneficial for Amber to not skate at home. It might reduce the adrenaline rush she has during the first half of the program if she doesn't have family, friends, and the home crowd all cheering her on. Not saying it's a total solution to the problem, but it might help.

I honestly don’t hold out much hope that ambers location is going to affect much of anything. I’m just hoping for a Mirai type performance from her where she finally hits when it counts and nabs some sort personal victory and that is good enough for her. Maybe that is in Boston. Maybe it is 4CC, who knows. I have no faith anymore after nationals and worlds but I would be very happy for her if she held it together once.

 

[Karen-W]

Also, when in the process did USFS know that Alysa was going to get two non-U.S. assignments? I had been assuming that USFS might have had to at least plan for the possibility that their reserved spot was going to go to Alysa. If they wanted both Alysa and Bradie at Skate America in addition to Isabeau, to get the most spots for American women, Amber was going to go somewhere else.

I'm sure they had plenty of contingencies but I'd guess they expected Alysa to get two non-US assignments. Or they had an internal pecking order of who they wanted to make sure got 2 assignments before they worried about the rest - Bradie was 30 on the SB list and the next highest woman is Elyce Lin-Gracey sitting at 44.

I'm hoping that it will actually be beneficial for Amber to not skate at home. It might reduce the adrenaline rush she has during the first half of the program if she doesn't have family, friends, and the home crowd all cheering her on. Not saying it's a total solution to the problem, but it might help.

All I gotta say to this is see GP Espoo 2023.

 

[PRlady]

Flores/Desyatov for Skate America TBD! The way they skated their FD and the audience reaction at Nats is worth something.

 

[Allskate]

I honestly don’t hold out much hope that ambers location is going to affect much of anything.

As I said, I don't think it's going to completely solve the problem. But, I'm holding out a little hope - even if it's in vain - that not competing at home will help. There hopefully will be fewer distractions in Canada and a little less adrenaline. And even if that helps her have just a small amount of more stamina and focus at the end of the program, that will be a good thing.

All I gotta say to this is see GP Espoo 2023.

The short program or the long program? It's sooo frustrating. She must be incredibly frustrated herself.

 

[shan]

Flores/Desyatov for Skate America TBD! The way they skated their FD and the audience reaction at Nats is worth something.

Yes!! I agree!