ISU Announces competitors for 2012/13 Grand Prix of Figure Skating

ISU 20logo 20colThe International Skating Union has announced the initial competitors lists for the six events of the 2012-13 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.   For ice dance, 45 of the 48 slots were assigned, leaving one host pick at Skate America, Cup of China and Trophee Eric Bompard left to be determined.  Twenty-nine teams representing 12 countries are represented in the inital assignments.  As usual, competitors collect points in their Grand Prix events towards the qualification for the Grand Prix Final.

Grand Prix Selection Criteria (from the ISU press release):  The skaters are seeded and invited to the Grand Prix of Figure Skating based on the results of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2012. Skaters/couples who have placed 1 to 6 in each of the four categories are considered to be seeded and are assigned to two events. Skaters/couples who have placed 7-12 at the ISU World Championships 2012 are selected for two ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events, and skaters with a high seasons best score as well as those placed in the top of the World Standings can also be invited. Medalists from the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships and the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final are guaranteed one spot. In order for a skater/couple to be eligible to compete at a Grand Prix event, a minimum score must have been achieved. The minimum score for the 2012/13 season is 3/5 of the highest score per discipline at the 2012 World Figure Skating Championships, which is 113.43 points for Ladies; 159.66 points for Men; 120.90 points for Pairs and 109.59 for Ice Dance.

Grand Prix assignments as of May 21, 2012:

Skate America:  Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN), Nelli Zhiganshina &  Alexander Gazsi (GER), Lorenza Alessandrini & Simone Vaturi (ITA), Isabella Tobias & Deividas Stagniunas (LTU), Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (RUS), Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA), and Lynn Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt.  One host pick remains.

Skate Canada:  Julia Zlobina & Alexei Sitnikov (AZE), Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (CAN), Kharis Ralph & Asher Hill (CAN), Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN), Pernelle Carron & Lloyd Jones (FRA), Anna Cappelini & Luca Lanotte (ITA), Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (RUS), and Madison Hubbell & Zach Donohue.

Cup of China:  Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN), Xintong Huang & Xun Zheng (CHN), Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (FRA), Charlene Guignard & Marco Fabbri (ITA), Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (RUS), Victoria Sinitsina & Ruslan Zhiganshin (RUS), and Madison Chock & Evan Bates.  One host pick remains.

Rostelecom Cup:  Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN), Nelli Zhiganshina &  Alexander Gazsi (GER), Penny Coomes & Nick Buckland (GBR), Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov (RUS), Ksenia Monko & Kirill Khaliavin (RUS), Victoria Sinitsina & Ruslan Zhiganshin (RUS), Alexandra Nazarova & Maxim Nikitin (UKR), and Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani (USA).

Trophee Eric Bompard:  Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (CAN), Pernelle Carron & Lloyd Jones (FRA), Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (FRA), Anna Cappelini & Luca Lanotte (ITA), Ekaterina Pushkash &  Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS), Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (RUS), and Madison Hubbell & Zach Donohue.  One host pick remains.

NHK Trophy:  Nicole Orford & Thomas Williams (CAN), Xintong Huang & Xun Zheng (CHN), Xiaoyang Yu & Chen Wang (CHN), Penny Coomes & Nick Buckland (GBR), Cathy Reed & Chris Reed (JPN), Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov (RUS), Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA), and Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani (USA).

For more information, visit the ISU website.