The 2009 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships will open in Vancouver, Canada, on February 4. The Four Continents Championships come to Vancouver for the first time. Canada has hosted ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships before in 1999 in Halifax and in 2004 in Hamilton. The ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships have been established in 1999 and since then have been growing year by year.

108 skaters from 16 ISU members have been entered for the Championships. No Qualifying Rounds will be skated.

Overview over the top contenders

The Ladies event will be very competitive with reigning World and Grand Prix Champion Mao Asada (JPN) headlining a strong field. Asada is also the defending Four Continents Champion and travels with a seasons best of 191.13 points to Canada. World bronze medallist Yu-Na Kim (KOR), who lost narrowly to Asada at the Grand Prix Final, will compete in the Four Continents Championships for the first time in her career. The 18-year-old has a seasons best of 193.54 points from Skate America earlier this season. Joannie Rochette (CAN) is looking to continue a successful season on her home turf. The reigning Four Continents silver medallist earned a seasons best of 188.89 points at Skate Canada and was ranked fourth in the Grand Prix Final. Fumie Suguri (JPN) is a three-time Four Continents Champion and recently finished second to Asada at the Japanese Championships (seasons best 163.86 points). Newly crowned U.S. Champion Alissa Czisny is heading with a seasons best of 157.92 points to Vancouver. Other contenders include World Junior Champion Rachael Flatt (USA/seasons best 166.06 points), NHK Trophy silver medallist Akiko Suzuki (JPN/167.64) and 2008 World junior silver medallist Caroline Zhang (USA/156.54).

After winning the Grand Prix Final where he posted a new personal best of 237.72 points, and taking his first title at the U.S. Championships, Jeremy Abbott is one of  the top contenders in Vancouver. The challenge should come from Canadian Champion Patrick Chan, who so far picked up the highest seasons best among the Men with 238.09 points at Trophee Bompard and from 2006 Four Continents Champion Nobunari Oda (JPN), who recently claimed the National title (seasons best 236.18 points). SBS ISU Grand Prix Final silver medallist Takahiko Kozuka (JPN) also enters the mix (seasons best 230.78 points). Two-time Four Continents Champion Evan Lysacek (USA) is back and ready to fight for his spot on the podium (seasons best 223.21 points). Others to watch include U.S. silver medallist Brandon Mroz (USA/seasons best 192.23 points), Denis Ten (KAZ/188.07), Vaughn Chipeur (CAN/187.50), Jeremy Ten (CAN/175.12) and Jialiang Wu (CHN/177.75).

SBS ISU Grand Prix Final Champions Qing Pang/Jian Tong (CHN) lead the pairs. The three-time and reigning Four Continents Champions are coming with a seasons best of 191.49 points to Canada. Looking to challenge the defending champions are Grand Prix Final silver medallists Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang (CHN/seasons best 188.22 points) and 2008 World bronze medallists Jessica Dubé/Bryce Davison (CAN/176.54). Also aiming for a podium finish are 2006 Four Continents Champions Rena Inoue/John Baldwin (USA/161.49), Meagan Duhamel/Craig Buntin (CAN/166.63) and 2007 World Junior Champions Keauna McLaughlin/Rockne Brubaker (USA/172.69). World Junior bronze medallists Huibo Dong/Yiming Wu (CHN/140.58) and U.S. silver medallists Caydee Denney/Jeremy Barrett will compete at Four Continents for the first time.

Reigning Four Continents Champions Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN) will debute their programs in international competition this season in Vancouver after missing the Grand Prix series due to Virtue recovering from injury. The World silver medallists will face their training partners Meryl Davis/Charlie White (USA) for the first time in competition this year. The Americans seem ready for the challenge. They just won their first National title and earned the bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final in December and got a seasons best of 178.89 points. 2008 World Junior Champions Emily Samuelson/Evan Bates (USA) debute at the ISU Championships senior level and scored a seasons best of 175.66 points at Skate America. Defending Four Continents bronze medallists Kimberly Navarro/Brent Bommentre (USA/seasons best 157.54) would also like to add another medal to their collection. World Junior silver medallists Vanessa Crone/ Paul Poirier (CAN) are hoping to continue their successful debut on the senior scene (seasons best 171.49 points). Other teams include Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN/seasons best 157.20 points), Cathy Reed/Chris Reed (JPN/135.83) and Xiaoyang Yu/Chen Wang (CHN/139.66).

Please note that for the seasonal best total scores only the ISU Grand Prix competitions (senior and junior) 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$ 250,000 at the Four Continents Championships to skaters/couples placed 1^st to 12^th. The prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples as follows:

Men and Ladies                                                                       Pairs and Dance (per couple)

1^st place US$ 15,000                                                               1^st place US$ 22,500
2^nd place US$ 9,000                                                                 2^nd place US$ 13,500
3^rd place US$ 6,000                                                                 3^rd place US$ 9,000 
4^th place US$ 4,500                                                                 4^th place US$ 6,750
5^th place US$ 3,250                                                                 5^th place US$ 5,000
6^th place US$ 2,500                                                                 6^th place US$ 3,750
7^th place US$ 2,250                                                                 7^th place US$ 3,500
8^th place US$ 2,000                                                                 8^th place US$ 3,000
9^th place US$ 1,750                                                                 9^th place US$ 2,500
10^th place US$ 1,500                                                               10^th place US$ 2,250
11^th place US$ 1,250                                                               11^th place US$ 1,750
12^th place US$ 1,000                                                               12^th place US$ 1,500

By competing in the ISU Four Continents 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 2008/2009 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)

1^st: US$ 45,000                                                                        1^st: US$ 67,500
2^nd: US$ 27,000                                                                       2^nd: US$ 40,500
3^rd: US$ 18,000                                                                       3^rd: US$ 27,000

The schedule of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2009 is as follows:

Wednesday, February 4: Compulsory Dance, Pairs and Ladies Short Program

Thursday, February 5: Original Dance, Men Short Program, Pairs Free Skating

Friday, February 6: Ladies Free Skating, Free Dance

Saturday, February 7: Men Free Skating

Sunday, February 8: Exhibition Gala

For more information, full entry lists and results please see: www.isu.org and http://www.fourcontinents2009.com/

For further information please contact:

ISU Media Coordinator  
Devra Pitt-Getaz 
+41 21 6126666  
email: pitt@isu.ch                                                                      

4 Continents Figure Skating Championships
Barb McDonald, Press Chief
+1 613 747 1007 ext. 2517
e-mail: bmacdonald@skatecanada.ca