Grand-prix Final 2015 preview

I just can’t wait for the Grand-prix Final! So many great skaters will skate in Barcelona really soon. I hope we can expect an exciting fight for medals in every discipline.

The men’s event in Barcelona promises to be legen…wait for it …dary just legendary! Such great and so talented skaters got into the Final! And I wish them all skate to their full potential because I egotistically want to see this marvelous performance! But I understand that probably it won’t happened. It’s just another level of nerves, responsibility and the price of mistake is very high, so, it can affect the quality of performances. When such amazing skaters skates just one after another it’s not only the competition of abilities and skills it’s also the competition of nerves.

After a world records at NHK Trophy 2015, Yuzuru Hanyu is an absolute favorite to win the Grand-prix final. The question is whether he can be close to that performances. Honestly, I’m not quite sure about that. But seems like competition with Boyang Jin gives Yururu some good sporting anger)

It’s will be very hard for Patrick Chan to win here but it won’t be a tragedy at all. Actually, I don’t expect him to win the Grand-prix Final after the year break, it’s more important for him to get shape and be well prepared for the Worlds. The most important thing is stop flunk the short program! But he must be on podium in Barcelona!

I’m trying to be objective but we all people and have some likings and feelings. So, this time I wish a little bit more luck to Javier Fernandez. Last year he had a chance to win at home but he didn’t use it. This year destiny gives him a second chance (what is a rare chance for him, not lots of events are held in Spain) but this time it will be way harder…

I think judges won’t let Boyang Jin to be on podium (if Hanyu, Chan and Fernandez skate more or less clean) but….he may just not ask them. His technical score is terrific and it’s difficult for others to counter something

For both Shoma Uno and Daisuke Murakami it’s a very important competition. Yes, it’s probably not about medals exactly here but Japanese Nationals is soon and Japan has only two spots for the Worlds. With so many good skaters who totally deserve to skate at World Championship and one spot 200% been already reserved by Hanyu….Japanese Nationals will be heartbreaking. So, it will be important how they show themselves in Grand-prix Final.

With ladies everything is as always way more unpredictable)

I think Evgenia Medvedeva has one of the best chances to win the Grand-prix Final. Yes, it seems she can add the triple toe loop to any other jump in her program, she also can try to scare her rivals with 3-3-3 combinations at trainings but she’s not unbeatable. Past events showed that she can fall too.

Her teammate Elena Radionova showed that she can and will fight for her every jump but I have some doubts about her. She’s growing and dealing with puberty and you never know how it will go on.

I really hope that Mao Asada will be in a good shape and skate both her programs clean. She seemed tired at NHK or maybe it was health issues and I hope she is ok now. She’s the most experienced among other girl, she has beautiful programs so, I don’t see why she can’t win this event.

Satoko Miyahara won the NHK Trophy but I don’t think she will place high at the Grand-prix Final (especially if Mao skates clean) But I expect two solid performances from her.

It’ll be interesting how US ladies will deal with each other) Their rivalry can be really bright! Gracie Gold have everything to be on the podium and even win the event. But I worry that she will skate last at the short and it can affect her mentally.

Ashley Wagner wasn’t impressive at her last GP event but it’s Ashley, she feels more comfortable when she’s not a leader and has less expectations on her shoulders. So, I think we can expect good performances from her in Barcelona. And I really like her program)

In pairs I’m waiting for the battle Meagan Duhamel – Eric Radford vs Ksenia Stolbova – Fedor Klimov. I’m really curious whether Stolbova and Klimov will get the same marks as they got at Rostelecom (if they skate clean of course) and whether Meagan and Eric will go for two quads in the free program.

Alexa Scimeca – Chris Knierim have good chances to win bronze. I’m not forgetting about Kavaguti – Smirnov and two Chinese pairs but they’re not so consistent (while Chinese pairs are still experimenting with a quad throw and the Russian with two) and the Americans can deal with them with a solid skate.

I have no expectation for Julianne Seguin – Charlie Bilodeau for this event. They just need to show what they are capable of and get the experience of such competition.

Ice dance starts to be my favorite discipline) No nerves) I just prepare the popcorn and wait for all this drama.

Kaitlyn Weaver – Andrew Poje again are favorite to win the Grand-Prix Final and I’m pretty sure they will. It’s more interesting how the other duos will place:

• Whether Maia and Alex Shibutani can beat Madison Chock and Evan Bates and set themselves as leaders of US ice dance?
• Can Anna Cappellini – Luca Lanotte beat them both?

As for two others duos, it’s almost for sure than Ekaterina Bobrova – Dmitri Soloviev will be 5th and Madison Hubbell – Zachary Donohue – 6th. But who knows, never forget that the ice is slippy.

You can also read my preview for the Junior Grand-prix Final here.

Related topics: Alexa Scimeca Chris Knierim, Anna Cappellini Luca Lanotte, Ashley Wagner, Daisuke Murakami, Elena Radionova, Evgenia Medvedeva, Gracie Gold, grand prix, grand prix final, ice dance, Javier Fernandez, Kaitlyn Weaver Andrew Poje, Ksenia Stolbova Fedor Klimov, ladies, Madison Chock Evan Bates, Maia Shibutani Alex Shibutani, Mao Asada, Meagan Duhamel Eric Radford, men, pairs, Patrick Chan, Satoko Miyahara, Shoma Uno, Yuzuru Hanyu