ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: NHK Trophy
Preview
The 2007/2008 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating continues
this week with the NHK Trophy in Sendai, Japan from November
29 to December 2. The NHK Trophy is the sixth and last event
in the series. The skaters compete for a global prize money
of US $ 180, 000 per individual event of the ISU Grand Prix
of Figure Skating and receive points according to their placements.
The top six skaters/couples then qualify for the ISU Grand
Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino, Italy (December 13-16).
Skaters are vying for the last open spots for the Final at
NHK Trophy.
In the Ice Dancing event, three couples are aiming for the
top spot on the podium and competition promises be tough.
European Champions Isabelle Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder (FRA)
won their home event Trophée Bompard with a total score
of 194.14 points. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN) took the gold
at Skate Canada three weeks ago with a new personal best total
score of 197.07 points. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski (RUS)
claimed the silver in Pairs, but beat Delobel/Schoenfelder
in the Free Dance and achieved a new personal best total score
of 191.01 points). Other competitors include Kristin Fraser/Igor
Lukanin (AZE), Sinead Kerr/John Kerr (GBR), Kimberly Navarro/Brent
Bommentre (USA) and Cathy Reed/Chris Reed (JPN).
World silver medalist Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) headlines the
Men’s field. He got confidence from his win at Skate
America with a score of 228.97 points, but will be challenged
by European silver medalist Tomas Verner (CZE), who wants
to redeem himself after finishing 6th at the Trophée
Bompard. Andrei Griazev (RUS), who just took the bronze medal
at the Cup of Russia with 206.13 points, is aiming for the
podium again and hopes to qualify for the Final. Stephen Carriere
(USA) and Sergei Davydov (BLR) both finished fourth in their
first Grand Prix events Skate America and Cup of China and
still have a chance to make the Final. Others to watch are
Shawn Sawyer (CAN), Chengjiang Li (CHN), Jeremy Abbott (USA)
and Sergei Dobrin (RUS), who competes in his first and only
Grand Prix event this season.
In the Pairs event, European Champions Aliona Savchenko/Robin
Szolkowy (GER) and Skate America Champions Jessica Dube/Bryce
Davison (CAN) are already qualified for the Final and compete
in their additional Grand Prix event. Fighting for a ticket
to Turin are World Junior Champions Keauna McLaughlin/Rockne
Brubaker (USA), who took the silver in China with 154.66 points,
Anabelle Langlois/Cody Hay (CAN/4th at Skate Canada with 156.67
points) and Tatiana Volosozhar/Stanislav Morozov (UKR/5th
at Trophée Bompard at 152.59 points). The field is
completed by Jiaqi Li/Jiankun Xu (CHN) and Dominika Piatkowska/Dmitri
Khromin (POL).
World Champion Miki Ando (JPN) leads the Ladies in Japan
and wants to secure her spot in the Final after finishing
second at Skate America with 161.89 points. Competition should
come from European Champion Carolina Kostner (ITA), who was
third at the Cup of China (143.86 points) and is also fighting
for a trip to Torino to compete in the Final in her home country.
European silver medalist Sarah Meier (SUI) wants to improve
from her fourth-place finish in France (147.15 points). Also
competing are Lesley Hawker (CAN), Yan Liu (CHN), Laura Lepistö
(FIN), Elene Gedevanishvili (GEO), Mai Asada (JPN), Nana Takeda
(JPN), Chae-Hwa Kim (KOR) and Alissa Czisny (USA).
The schedule of the NHK Trophy is as follows:
Thursday, November 29: Compulsory Dance, Pairs Short Program
Friday, November 30: Original Dance, Ladies Short Program,
Pairs Free Skating
Saturday, December 1: Men Short Program, Free Dance, Ladies
Free Skating
Sunday, December 2: Men Free Skating, Exhibition Gala
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