ISU Grand Prix Assignments 2018/19 season

[Colonel Green]

Wakaba Higuchi WD from Rostelecom.
http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108921.htm

Having seen her at SCI in person, I think this is the right call.

Disappointing start to following up her World silver, undoubtedly.

It’s a testament to the strength of Japan’s ladies that even without her we may see three or more in the Final.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Galayavieva/Thauron are added to the French dance field as well.

They're listed as "new," but they appeared first on the 18 September grid. (They got the TBD.)

 

[Skate Talker]

The Grand Prix Final is these two's unluckiest event. They will have four World titles by the end of this season, and five European titles, but only one Grand Prix Final title.

Hmm - it was also Virtue & Moir's "unluckiest" event, winning only once, after their return to competition. I'd say that may mean it's actually a "lucky" pattern.

 

[Erin]

Hmm - it was also Virtue & Moir's "unluckiest" event, winning only once, after their return to competition. I'd say that may mean it's actually a "lucky" pattern.

I was going to comment something similar. Weaver & Poje actually have more GPF wins than Virtue & Moir. Think about that for a moment!

 

[Willin]

I think withdrawing from Rostelecom is the best choice for Higuchi. She's recovering from a very recent injury (is it even healed enough to skate?), so I don't think she should've tried to do SCI either.

I'm of the opinion that no skater should be allowed to skate or compete until being medically cleared by an independent doctor, but that isn't how it is. Skaters and Coaches need to be smart about injuries - and many aren't. Of all seasons to take a conservative approach to recovery, the one after the Olympics is a perfect time to do so.

 

[rosewood]

Japanese article about Wakaba's withdrawal from Rostelecom is published. The reason is mentioned that she's been injured in the instep of her right foot.
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20181108-00000013-sph-spo

Wish a quick and full recovery for her. It's a wise choice to WD from Rostelecom and (hopefully) prepare for Nationals.

 

[Rock2]

Ah. So we have the Wakaba story.

At SCI she just didn't look to be in shape or trained, not to mention happy. Took away from her totally fun SP that I want to see skated to its full potential at some point this season. It was mostly clean but her head didn't seem to be in it.

Get better!

 

[cgirl8]

Wakaba mentioned to Japanese reporters when she arrived in Canada for SCI that she was close to a stress fracture in in her foot so I'm glad she is taking the time to let it heal. Better to deal with the issue now before it gets worse and hopefully she will be back to full strength for nationals.

 

[Jeschke]

Chock/Bates are crossed out of Rostelecom
https://isu.org/docman-documents-li...s-2/17411-ice-dance-2018-19-all-6-events/file

 

[Jeschke]

So chances seem not that bad for one of the german teams to get added

 

[Dobre]

Dance List:
Evdokimova & Bazin-already at Rostelecom
Yanovkskaya & Lukacs-already at Rostelecom
Koch & Nuchtern
Shpilevaya & Smirnov-Russia is maxed out at Rostelecom
Sales & Wamsteeker
Urban & Steffan
Sosnitskaia & Golovishnokov-they've been MIA, and Russian is maxed out at Rostelecom
Tessari & Fioretti
Plutowska & Flemin
Calderone & Pappetti
-----------
Turkkila & Versluis (could be on the list as S&G don't seem to be competing).

Weeding through a lot of teams here. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[danafan]

Yuna Shiraiwa was added to Cup of Russia today.

https://isu.org/docman-documents-li...ries-2/17412-ladies-2018-19-all-6-events/file

 

[her grace]

Hope Russia replaces Chock/Bates. And way to go, Russian fed, Shpilevaya/Smirnov could have medaled in that field

 

[Jeschke]

Yuna Shiraiwa was added to Cup of Russia today.

https://isu.org/docman-documents-li...ries-2/17412-ladies-2018-19-all-6-events/file

Oh thats a pleasant surprise to throw a skater in who scored high already! Great for her!

 

[Jeschke]

Shpilevaya/Smirnov could have medaled in that field

It still needs to be proven, that Morozov/Bagin could not ?

 

[RoseRed]

Dance List:
Evdokimova & Bazin-already at Rostelecom
Yanovkskaya & Lukacs-already at Rostelecom
Koch & Nuchtern
Shpilevaya & Smirnov-Russia is maxed out at Rostelecom
Sales & Wamsteeker
Urban & Steffan
Sosnitskaia & Golovishnokov-they've been MIA, and Russian is maxed out at Rostelecom
Tessari & Fioretti
Plutowska & Flemin
Calderone & Pappetti
-----------
Turkkila & Versluis (could be on the list as S&G don't seem to be competing).

Weeding through a lot of teams here. Correct me if I'm wrong.

They've competed in Russia this season, they just haven't been sent out internationally. They've won two Russian Cup stages IIRC, and qualified for Nationals.

Regardless, they can't fill the spot since there are 3 Russian teams like you said.

 

[Dobre]

Hope Russia replaces Chock/Bates. And way to go, Russian fed, Shpilevaya/Smirnov could have medaled in that field

Shpilevaya & Smirnov could have made a run at it in any case. Their FD score at Finlandia is in the same basic zone as most of Carreira & Ponomarenko's have been. I don't think C&P have ever lost to Shpilevaya & Smirnov, but it would have been a head-to-head worth watching. S&S didn't get close to getting the pattern at Finlandia so the RD might have hung them up. But wouldn't it have been nice to find out? Both teams finished back to back at Junior Worlds in 2017.

 

[hanca]

Spilevaya/Smirnov will have to do all the available competitions to get the points and season best to get a GP next season. It is a pity that the federation did not do much to push them into the system, but they can push themselves in. If they manage to win a few smaller competitions, the federation will gladly stand behind them. Until then, they will have to fight hard for their place within the Russian ice dance. But it is doable. There have been several teams who were starting from zero in seniors and some of them made it. Popova/Mozgov is one of them, Davankova/Shibnev didn’t do badly in their first season either, even though they stopped after that season.

 

[Dobre]

Spilevaya/Smirnov will have to do all the available competitions to get the points and season best to get a GP next season.

They need the SB, I think. Their World Standing is 37th after missing most of last season, and without a GP, their WS point total will likely drop when 16-17 scores disappear. Of course, there are a lot of teams on the list that will drop because they've split, retired, or are taking the season off; but still the SB seems the more viable route at this point.

Shpilevaya & Smirnov can get the SB, though I don't envy their fans the hard wait while scores rocket through the post season. They are currently 18th, and there are still 4 high-level teams yet to debut this season. (Hawayek/Baker, Chock/Bates, Papadakis/Cizeron, Fournier-Beaudry/Sorenson).

This would have been the most logical season to give S&S a host-spot GP, IMO. Prior to Shevchenko & Eremenko and I think Khudaberdieva & Naryzhnyy moving up next season. And Ushakova & Nekrasov eventually, though I'm thinking probably not this year even if they win Junior Worlds?

Rostelecom for S&S this year would have made more sense, IMO. They aren't starting from scratch. They are coming off an injury. And host-spots are a good mediator for that.

 

[Rock2]

I'm sure this has been discussed in 100 places but I don't follow dance so much, so I'm not up to date.
So, many apologies for being the 101st asking this:

What's wrong with Chock and Bates?

 

[Sylvia]

Madison Chock had surgery on her ankle after Milan Worlds. Here's her message on IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp8AEpdHVoK/

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Whoah.

With Rika Kihara's massive win at NHK, there is a chance that Medvedeva may not make the final.

Here are the skaters most likely competing for a spot in Vancouver:

Completed two events

Miyahara 28 points (1st Skate America / 2nd NHK Trophy)
Tuktamysheva 26 points (1st Skate Canada / 3rd NHK Trophy)
Sakamoto 24 points (2nd Skate America / 3rd Helsinki)

Completed one event

Kihara 15 points (1st NHK Trophy + France)
Zagitova 15 points (1st Helinki + Rostelecom)
Yamashita 13 points (2nd Skate Canada + Rostelecom)
Konstantinova 13 points (2nd Helsinki + France)
Samodurova 11 points (3rd Skate America + Rostelecom)
Medvedeva 11 points (3rd Skate Canada + France)

Assuming that Zagitova and Kihara both medal at their events, the fight for the final will come down to Sakamoto, Yamashita, Konstantinova, Samodurova, and Medvedeva. It's going to be close!

Skaters who could potential throw a spanner into the works and also medal are Mai Mihara (in France), Yuna Shiraiwa (at Rostelecom), and Elizabet Tursynbaeva (at Rostelecom)

 

[kwanfan1818]

Miyahara and Tuktamysheva are in: with two to go, only four women could push Tuktamysheva down on points (to 6th), and that's only if Samodourova and Zagitova go 1st and 3rd at RC, and Medvedeva and Kihara go 1st and 3rd at IdF, with all of them beating La Tuk's two-event total.

Medvedeva is really vulnerable here.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

^^^ Does anyone think Tennell cold play spoiler in France?

 

[peibeck]

^^^ Does anyone think Tennell cold play spoiler in France?

She would have to win in France over Kihara, Konstantinova and Medvedeva. So anything is possible, but I would not count on it.

 

[Colonel Green]

For the men:

1. Shoma Uno - 1st & 1st, already qualified.
2. Yuzuru Hanyu - 1st (probably 1st at second event, in any case just needs a fourth)
3. Nathan Chen - 1st (probably 1st at second event, in any case just needs a fourth)
4. Michal Brezina - 2nd & 2nd, already qualified.
5. Sergei Voronov - 3rd & 2nd, I'd say he's effectively in.

For the final spot, I'd say it's down to:

Rostelecom
Keegan Messing - 2nd at first event.
Mikhail Kolyada - 4th at first event.

France
Alexander Samarin - 4th at first event.

Keegan is obviously in the more enviable position; he just needs to be third to sew this up, and even if he placed fourth he could still get in on points, depending on how the scoring shakes down and how the other two do. Samarin getting silver in France feels like a big leap, too.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

^^^ Does anyone think Tennell cold play spoiler in France?

If Bradie skates a clean event with no under-rotations, she could squeak in for bronze. I'm thinking she'll probably finish 4th or 5th.

 

[haribobo]

kihira not kihara kihira not kihara kihira not kihara kihira not kihara kihira not kihara kihira not kihara

 

[tony]

Looking ahead for pairs, Russia is stacked with first-event medalists and France has J/C.

IN:
Zabiiako/Enbert - 30
Peng/Jin - 26

Rostelecom competitors:
Tarasova/Morozov - 15

Della Monica/Guarise - 13
Efimova/Korovin - 13
Pavliuchenko/Khodykin - 11
Cain/LeDuc- 11

T/M are the clear favorites and they will make the Final. Whichever team finishes second of the group of four will also make the Final. If either of DM/G (ITA) or E/K (RUS) finishes 3rd, they will make the Final. If either of P/K (RUS) or C/L (USA) finishes in 3rd place, that team will likely not qualify for the Final with two bronze medals.

France competitors:
James/Cipres - 15
Boikova/Kozlovskii - 9

B/K (RUS) finishing 2nd here puts them at 22 points and then into a potential tie-breaker with DM/G or E/K if one of those two finishes 4th in Russia. The only way they would be guaranteed a spot with silver is if P/K and C/L finish 3-4 in either order in Russia.

 

[Debbie S]

Karen Chen is out of CoR: https://www.instagram.com/p/BqA_omZHk9U/ (ETA: looks like Karen's post has been taken down)

I hope she heals well and quickly!

Since Gracie is still listed and hasn't made any announcement, I guess she will compete? Looking forward to seeing her back on comp ice and skating for herself.