The 2007 ISU World Figure Skating Championships will open in Tokyo, Japan, on March 20. 194 skaters/couples from 46 ISU members have been entered for the Championships. Following a decision of the 51st Ordinary Congress of the ISU in June 2006, no Qualifying Rounds will be skated. All skaters/couples will compete in the Short Program, and the top 24 will proceed to the Free Skating.

Overview over the top contenders
Reigning World silver medallist Brian Joubert of France won the Grand Prix Final in December and his second European title in Warsaw in January and now is aiming at the World title that has him eluded so far. Joubert comes with a seasonal best of 237.83 points to Japan. The 21-year-old Frenchman suffered a foot injury after Europeans but feels ready to go for the gold. But competition promises to be tough. Two-time and reigning World Champion Stéphane Lambiel of Switzerland decided to sit out Europeans but is coming back for Worlds to defend his title. He has a seasonal best of 210.70 from Skate Canada, the only international event he entered this season so far. Team Japan will challenge with Daisuke Takahashi and Nobunari Oda, who finished second and third at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final and first and second at the Winter Universiade. Takahashi has the highest score achieved so far this season at 247.93 points from NHK Trophy, while Oda’s best score of 244.56 is the second highest this season. Evan Lysacek (USA) comes fresh from winning the ISU Four Continents Championships in February, where he also achieved a new seasonal best of 226.27 points. 2006 Olympic bronze medallist Jeffrey Buttle (CAN) didn’t compete in the Grand Prix series due to a back injury but claimed the silver medal at the Four Continents Championships (seasonal best: 223.96).
Other contenders to watch are European silver medallist Tomas Verner (CZE/seasonal best: 212.69), France’s Alban Preaubert (seasonal best 212.67), European bronze medallist Kevin van der Perren (seasonal best: 204.85), Johnny Weir (USA/seasonal best 198.70), China’s Chengjiang Li (seasonal best 191.32).

The Ladies competition will be very intense. Mao Asada (JPN) comes to her first World Championships with the highest seasonal best this season at 199.52 points. Yu-Na Kim of Korea won the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final ahead of Asada and heads to her rival’s home country with a seasonal best of 184.54 points. Miki Ando (JPN) got a seasonal best of 192.59 points. Reigning World Champion Kimmie Meissner (USA) has won the ISU Four Continents Championships last month (seasonal best 177.78 points). Europe is counting on European Champion Carolina Kostner (ITA/seasonal best 174.79) and ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalist Sarah Meier of Switzerland (seasonal best 171.28).
Other challengers are: Four Continents bronze medallist Joannie Rochette (CAN/173.86), Four Continents silver medallist Emily Hughes (USA/166.60), Alissa Czisny (USA/163.69), Finland’s Susanna Pöykiö (161.58) and Yukari Nakano (JPN/160.93).

In the Pairs, defending World Champions Qing Pang/Jian Tong of China will face stiff competition from their teammates Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao, who beat them at the ISU Four Continents Championships last month, and the new European Champions Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER). Shen/Zhao achieved their seasonal best of 203.19 points at the Grand Prix Final while Savchenko/Szolkowy scored their seasonal best of 199.39 at the European Championships in January. Pang/Tong earned their seasonal best of 185.33 at the Four Continents Championships. Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang (CHN) skated to their seasonal best of 190.97 at Skate Canada earlier this season. Reigning World bronze medallists Maria Petrova/Alexei Tikhonov (RUS) enter these World Championships with a seasonal best of 179.61 points.
Also hoping for a finish on or near the podium are: Rena Inoue/John Baldwin (USA/seasonal best 175.48), Dorota Siudek/Mariusz Siudek (POL/170.91), Yuko Kawaguchi/Alexander Smirnov (RUS/168.50), Valerie Marcoux/Craig Buntin (CAN/166.19) and Jessica Dubé/Bryce Davison (CAN).

The Ice Dancing competition promises to be a very interesting event with many couples challenging for a medal. Reigning World Champions Albena Denkova/Maxim Staviski (BUL) come with the highest seasonal best (201.58 points from Skate America) to Japan, but they finished only third at the European Championships. They were beaten by Isabelle Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder (FRA/seasonal best 199.47 achieved in Warsaw) and Russia’s Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin (seasonal best 199.16 also from the European Championships). The North American couples don’t plan on leaving everything to the Europeans. Reigning World silver medallists and newly crowned Four Continents Champions Marie-France Dubreuil/Patrice Lauzon (CAN) earned a seasonal best of 198.59 so far, while the 2006 Olympic silver medallists Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto (USA) got 196.98.
Other contenders for a strong finish at Worlds are Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN/seasonal best 184.89), Melissa Gregory/Denis Petukhov (USA/180.98), Jana Khokholova/Sergei Novitski (RUS/180.57), Meryl Davis/Charlie White (USA/179.69) and Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali (ITA/176.62).

Please note that for the seasonal best total scores only ISU Championships and the ISU Grand Prix competitions have been taken into consideration, not other international competitions or National Championships.

Prize money and World Standings Bonus
The ISU awards a global prize money of US$ 710,000 at the World Figure Skating Championships to skaters/couples placed 1st to 12th. The prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples as follows:

Men and Ladies                                                                   Pairs and Dance (per couple)
1st place US$ 45,000                                                         1st place US$ 67,500
2nd place US$ 27,000                                                       2nd place US$ 40,500
3rd place US$ 18,000                                                        3rd place US$ 27,000       
4th place US$ 13,000                                                         4th place US$ 19,500
5th place US$ 10,000                                                         5th place US$ 15,000
6th place US$ 7,000                                                           6th place US$ 10,500
7th place US$ 6,000                                                           7th place US$ 9,000
8th place US$ 5,000                                                           8th place US$ 7,500
9th place US$ 3,500                                                           9th place US$ 5,250
10th place US$ 3,000                                                         10th place US$ 4,500
11th place US$ 2,500                                                         11th place US$ 3,750
12th place US$ 2,000                                                         12th place US$ 3,000

By competing in the ISU European Figure Skating Championships the athletes earn points towards the World Standings as well. The three skaters/couples per discipline having earned most World Standing points during the 2006/2007 season will be awarded with the World Standings Bonus. The following amounts will be awarded to the concerned skaters/couples:

Ladies & Men                                                                       Pairs & Dance (per couple)
1st: US$ 45,000                                                                   1st: US$ 67,500
2nd: US$ 27,000                                                                 2nd: US$ 40,500
3rd: US$ 18,000                                                                  3rd: US$ 27,000

So far, Brian Joubert is leading the 2006/2007 Standings for the Men with 2040 points ahead of his teammate Alban Preaubert (1690) and European silver medallist Tomas Verner (1680). However, Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi (1300) and Nobunari Oda (1200) have still a good shot at the bonus. They haven't yet competed in an ISU Championship this season. Only the best result in one ISU Championship counts towards the ISU World Standings. Joubert got 840 points for his European title, but if wins in Tokyo the 1200 points for this result would count instead. The new World Champion will receive 1200 points, the silver medallist gets 1150 points and the bronze medallist 1100 points for the ISU World Standings.
In the Ladies, Sarah Meier (SUI) tops the ranking with 1905 points, followed by Kimmie Meissner (USA/1565) and newly crowned World Junior Champion Caroline Zhang (USA), who will not compete in Tokyo. By finishing in the top three at Worlds, a number of skaters still have the chance to qualify for the bonus: Yu-Na Kim (KOR/1200 points), Mao Asada (JPN/1150) and Miki Ando (JPN/1000). They all haven’t yet competed in an ISU Championship this season.
Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao (CHN) have accumulated 2190 points this season while Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER) are currently in second place with 1990 points ahead of Rena Inoue/John Baldwin (USA/1820). Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang (CHN) have picked up 1250 points so far and are the only top couple who didn’t yet compete in an ISU Championship.
The top ranked ice dancing team are Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin of Russia, who collected 2055 points this season so far. Marie-France Dubreuil/Patrice Lauzon (CAN/1990) are currently standing in second place ahead of Albena Denkova/Maxim Staviski (BUL/1970). Isabelle Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder (FRA/1865) are ranked fourth.

The schedule of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2007 is as follows:
Tuesday, March 20: Compulsory Dance, Pairs Short Program
Wednesday, March 21: Men Short Program, Pairs Free Skating
Thursday, March 22: Original Dance, Men Free Skating
Friday, March 23: Ladies Short Program, Free Dance
Saturday, March 24: Ladies Free Skating
Sunday, March 25: Exhibition Gala

For more information, full Entries/Results and www.worlds2007.jp.