ISU Grand Prix Final 2024: Top Figure Staking Athletes To Watch Out For

The ISU Grand Prix Final 2024 is round the corner.  The top six figure skaters or teams in each of the four events will compete to become the Grand Prix Final champion. Additionally, the top six juniors in each category will compete in the Junior Grand Prix Final. 

The events of the ISU Grand Prix Final will take place at Patinoire Polesud in Grenoble, France from 5–8 December for the event.

ISU Grand Prix Final 2024: Top Skaters To Watch Out For

The top participants in the seniors are Ilia Malinin, Sakamoto Kaori, and Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson.

Unfortunately, Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps have withdrawn due to an illness for Deschamps.

USA’s Malinin and Japanese skater Sakamoto won their corresponding Grand Prix Final events last year in Beijing and return as favourites this year. Fear and Gibson are looking to become the first British skaters to win a Grand Prix Final medal since the competition’s inception in 1995.

Among the favourites to win the titles are defending Final champions Malinin and Sakamoto.  Kagiyama Yuma and Amber Glenn, who each also recorded two Grand Prix wins this year are the other top contenders. .

In the men’s and ice dance category, Grenoble home favourite Kévin Aymoz will display his staking skills and French dance duo Evgenia Lopareva/Geoffrey Brissaud will also be featuring. 

However, another Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa,has  pulled out due to injury and has been replaced in the final by Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov.

In the women’s category, Amber Glenn is the only non-Japanese woman in the field. Sakamoto headlines a strong lineup of Japanese skaters. 

Kagiyama and Sato Shun in the men’s event as well as pairs stars Miura Riku/Kihara Ryuichi competing in Grenoble.

Miura Riku/Kihara Ryuich, who suffered a surprise defeat on home ice at the NHK Trophy, are the top pair at the Final without the Canadian reigning world champs Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps. 

Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nikita Volodin, who have the highest score so far of this season, are among the top favourites.

In ice dance, Britain’s Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson headline the field with world champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates, silver medallists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier, and bronze medallists Charlène Guignard/Marco Fabbri to serve as challangers. 

In the Junior Grand Prix Dinal, defending champions Nakata Rio and Shimada Mao return again for Japan in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. USA’s Jacob Sanchez, who won two Junior Grands Prix this year,is the top-ranked man.

Also Read: 2024 ISU Grand Prix Final of Figure Skating: A Look At The Qualified Skaters

ISU Grand Prix Final2024: Schedule

All times local Central European Time / CET (UTC +1 hours) 

Thursday, 5 December

• 16:30–17:20 Junior Pairs short program
• 17:40–18:23 Junior Women’s short program
• 18:45–19:35 Junior Ice dance rhythm dance
• 19:55–20:46 Senior Pairs short program
• 21:05–21:49 Senior Women’s short program

Friday, 6 December

• 16:15–16:58 Junior Men’s short program
• 17:20–18:09 Junior Women’s free skating
• 18:30–19:21 Senior Ice dance rhythm dance
• 19:45–20:45 Senior Pairs free skating
• 21:05–21:49 Senior Men’s short program

Saturday, 7 December

• 13:30–14:23 Senior Women’s free skating
• 14:45–15:34 Junior Men’s free skating
• 15:55–16:50 Junior Ice dance free dance
• 18:20–19:16 Junior Pairs free skating
• 19:40–20:39 Senior Ice dance free dance
• 21:00–21:53 Senior Men’s free skating

Sunday, 8 December

• 14:00–16:00 Exhibition gala