World Champions Shoma Uno (JPN), Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) as well as World and Olympic medalists will meet at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino (ITA) December 8 -11. The ISU Grand Prix Final is a much awaited highlight with the best six Skaters/Couples in each discipline of the Grand Prix events competing against each other for the first time this season and especially since the Final had to be cancelled in the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thirty-six Skaters/Couples representing seven countries will compete in the Final.
Overview of the competitors
Women: Close battle between top Skaters
Mai Mihara (JPN) competes during the MK John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield (GBR) @ISU
The battle for the podium will be fierce in the Women’s event as all qualifiers have similar seasons best scores. Two-time ISU Four Continents Champion Mai Mihara (JPN) came out very strong on the Grand Prix circuit, celebrating her first ISU Grand Prix victories in Great Britain and in Finland. The delicate Japanese Skater tops the standings as the only one with two gold medals and has a seasons best of 217.43 points. Mihara beat among others World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL), who will be looking for redemption in Torino. Hendrickx qualified with her win at the Grand Prix de France (a first for her and her country as well) and her second place from the Grand Prix in Espoo, where she had lost to Mihara (seasons best: 216.34).
Loena Hendrickx (BEL) competes during Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA) @ISU
Reigning ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) took gold at Skate America (seasons best: 217.61) but then was beaten by Yelim Kim (KOR) at the NHK Trophy. Kim collected the silver in France and is the first Korean female skater to qualify for the Final since Yuna Kim (seasons best: 213.97). Reigning World Junior Champion Isabeau Levito (USA) debuted successfully at the international senior level and qualified for the Final with two silver medals (seasons best: 215.74). Little known Rinka Watanabe was the surprise winner at Skate Canada and grabbed the last spot in the Final when she came fifth at NHK Trophy. She has landed the triple Axel in competition (seasons best: 213.12). All finalists are newcomers except for Sakamoto.
Men: ISU World Champion Uno vs ISU World Junior Champion Malinin
Ilia Malinin (USA) competes during Skate America in Norwood (USA) @ISU
Reigning ISU World Champion Shoma Uno (JPN) will face “quad God” and ISU World Junior Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) for the first time this season. Both Men won their events – Uno in Canada and Japan while Malinin topped the podium in the USA and Finland for the first time. Malinin is so far the first and only Skater in the World to have performed the quad Axel in competition and comes with a seasons best of 280.37 points to Torino. Uno’s seasons best is very close at 279.76 points.
Shoma Uno (JPN) competes during Skate Canada in Mississauga (CAN) @ISU
The battle for gold and silver seems to be between these two Men, but the race for bronze looks open. Kao Miura (JPN) collected two silver medals in the USA and Canada on his way to the Final (seasons best: 273.19) while Sota Yamamoto (JPN) qualified with two silver medals from the Grand Prix de France and NHK Trophy (seasons best: 257.90). Daniel Grassl (ITA) will count on the home advantage in Torino. He comes to the Final with a gold medal from John Wilson Trophy and a fourth place from Skate America (seasons best: 264.35). Shun Sato (JPN) earned the last available spot for the Final with a silver and a bronze medal. He won the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in Torino three years ago (seasons best: 262.21). Uno is the only man to have competed at the ISU Grand Prix Final before.
Pairs: World silver medalists Miura/Kihara to challenge World Champions Knierim/Frazier
Knierim/Frazier (USA) compete during Skate America in Norwood (USA) @ISU
The Pairs event will focus on the duel between the 2022 ISU World Champions Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) and 2022 ISU World silver medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN). Both teams won their two events: Knierim/Frazier stood on top of the podium at Skate America and John Wilson Trophy while Miura/Kihara struck gold at Skate Canada and NHK Trophy. The Japanese team as the highest seasons best with 216.16 points. Knierim/Frazier got 205.85 points.
Miura/Kihara (JPN) compete during NHK Trophy in Sapporo (JPN) @ISU
Deanna Stellato/Maxime Deschamps (CAN) qualified for the Final after taking gold in France and silver in the USA (seasons best: 197.89). Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe (USA) picked up two silver medals in Canada and in Japan to qualify for the Final (seasons best: 187.49). For the first time, two Italian Pairs teams will be in the Final: Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini earned their spot with a gold at the Grand Prix Espoo and a fourth place in France (seasons best: 189.74). Their teammates Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii qualified with a silver and a bronze medal to the Final (seasons best: 186.18). All Pairs are first time finalists, except for Alexa Knierim, who competed in the event with her previous partner Chris Knierim. Miura/Kihara were qualified for the Final a year ago, but it was cancelled.
Ice Dance: Anything can happen
Gilles/Poirier (CAN) competes during Skate Canada in Mississauga (CAN) @ISU
The Ice Dance competition will be an exciting event with six top teams where anything can happen. Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) and Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) lead the Grand Prix standings with two victories each. Gilles/Poirer were golden at Skate Canada and the Grand Prix Espoo (seasons best: 219.49) while Guignard/Fabbri won the Grand Prix de France and John Wilson Trophy, taking home their first ISU Grand Prix titles after competing on the circuit for ten years (seasons best: 213.74).
Guignard/Fabbri (ITA) competes during the Grand Prix of France in Angers (FRA) @ISU
Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Soerensen (CAN) celebrated a maiden victory at NHK Trophy and also took a silver at the Grand Prix de France to make their first Final (seasons best: 210.41). Reigning ISU World bronze medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) won Skate America, but had to settle for second place behind Fournier Beaudry/Soerensen in Japan (seasons best: 209.13). The last spots in the Final went to Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR) and Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA), who collected two silver medals in their events each (seasons best: 209.18 and 202.46). All teams except for Fournier Beaudry/Soerensen and Fear/Gibson have competed in the Final before.
Schedule of the event
The schedule is as follows:
Thursday, December 8: Junior Men, Junior Pairs, Junior Women’s Short Programs, Pairs & Men’s Short Programs
Friday, December 9: Junior Rhythm Dance, Junior Women’s & Pairs Free Skating, Rhythm Dance & Women’s Short Program
Saturday, December 10: Men’s, Junior Pairs & Junior Men’s Free Skating, Junior Free Dance, Free Dance, Women’s Free Skating
Sunday, December 11: Exhibition Gala
The ISU Grand Prix series started with Skate America in Norwood (USA) and continued with Skate Canada in Mississauga, followed by the Grand Prix de France in Angers and the John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield (GBR). The series then stopped at NHK Trophy in Sapporo (JPN) and Grand Prix Espoo (FIN). Great Britain hosted an ISU Grand Prix event for the first time. A total of 151 Skaters/Couples representing 29 ISU Members competed in the series: 44 Men, 45 Women, 26 Pairs and 36 Ice Dance couples.
The General Announcement of the 2022/23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series is available here. The individual announcements are published under the respective events. Full entry lists and further information are available on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series page.
Selection Criteria
In order for a Skater/Couple to be eligible to compete at an ISU Grand Prix event, a minimum total score must have been achieved in the 2021/22 or current 2022/23 season in an ISU event (Grand Prix, Junior Grand Prix, Championships) or a Challenger Series event. Exceptions apply to host country Skaters, previously ranked Skaters or split ranked Couples who return with new partners. The minimum total score is 3/5 of highest score per discipline at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2022 and are as follows: Women: 141.65, Men: 187.49, Pairs: 132.65, Ice Dance: 137.89.
Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).
Grand Prix Standings
Men Women Ice Dance Pair Skating
Where to Watch
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events will be live streamed on the official ISU YouTube Channel in most countries. Find out where to watch the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating competitions.
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ISU Grand Prix Schedule
The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events are available below:
21 - 23 Oct, 2022 Skate America, Norwood (USA)
28 – 30 Oct, 2022 Skate Canada International, Mississauga (CAN)
04 - 06 Nov, 2022 Grand Prix de France, Angers (FRA)
11 - 13 Nov, 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy, Sheffield (GBR)
18 - 20 Nov, 2022 NHK Trophy, Sapporo (JPN)
25 - 27 Nov, 2022 Grand Prix Espoo, Espoo (FIN)
08 - 11 Dec, 2022 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Torino (ITA)
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