World Champions to highlight ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events 2022/23
Top Figure Skaters of the world including reigning World Champions Shoma Uno (JPN), Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) as well as Olympic, World and European medalists are getting ready to compete in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2022/23 in the post-Olympic season when accomplished Skaters meet the up and coming next generation.
Overview of the events
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series consists of six events: Skate America in Norwood (USA) October 21-23, Skate Canada International in Mississauga (CAN) October 28-30, Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA) November 4-6, the MK John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield (GBR) November 11-13, NHK Trophy in Sapporo (JPN) November 18-20, and the Grand Prix Espoo (FIN) November 25-27. The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final will take place in Torino (ITA) December 8-11. A particularity of this year’s Series is that Great Britain will host an ISU Grand Prix event for the first time.
The ISU Grand Prix starts traditionally with Skate America, which will highlight World Champions Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) as well as 2022 Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama (JPN), 2022 ISU Four Continents Champion Junhwan Cha (KOR), 2022 ISU World Junior Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) and 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalist Haein Lee (KOR). Three-time World medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) and 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalists Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) will face off in the Ice Dance event. 2022 ISU World Junior Champion Isabeau Levito (USA) will debut at the ISU senior-level Grand Prix.
Skate Canada International in Mississauga is headlined by reigning World Champion Shoma Uno (JPN), two- time World medalist Boyang Jin (CHN), two-time Four Continents Champion Rika Kihira (JPN), 2018 World silver medalist Wakaba Higuchi (JPN), 2020 Four Continents silver medalist Young You (KOR) and 2017 World bronze medalist Gabrielle Daleman (CAN).The Pairs are led by 2022 World silver medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN), 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalists Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe (USA) and 2022 ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Evelyn Walsh/Trennt Michaud (CAN). The top contenders in the Ice Dance competition are 2021 World bronze medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) and 2022 ISU Four Continents Champions Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (USA).
The third event, the Grand Prix de France in Angers, features Yuma Kagiyama (JPN), ISU Grand Prix Finalist Kevin Aymoz (FRA), 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalist Kazuki Tomono (JPN), 2022 World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL), Haein Lee (KOR), 2022 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist Yelim Kim (KOR) as well as two-time ISU Four Continents medalists Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN). 2022 ISU World Junior Champions Karina Safina/Luka Berulava (GEO) will be competing in the Pairs, while 2022 European bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) are performing in the Ice Dance event.
The first ISU Grand Prix to be held in Great Britain welcomes Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA), 2022 ISU European silver medalist Daniel Grassl (ITA), 2022 ISU European bronze medalist Deniss Vasiljevs (LAT), 2022 ISU Four Continents Champion Mai Mihara (JPN) and Young You (KOR). Top contenders in the Ice Dance competition include Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) and Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR)