ISU GP Final - Beijing, CHN - 7-10 Dec. 2023

[Elizabeth]

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[Elizabeth]

The final event of Day 2 (Friday), the (Sr.) Rhythm Dance, started at 8 a.m. ET and I was back up to watch it live

The results

The ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

Top 3



Press conference photo

The other 2 CDN teams

ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

Overview of the third and final day of competition which began at midnight Friday night Eastern Time

[Elizabeth]

The first of event of Day 3 - the Jr. Free Dance

Results:

Overall results:

Press conference photo


The ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

The 2nd event of Day 3 was the Jr Pairs Free Skate

FS results

Overall results

Three CDN teams competed and will bring home two medals
Moving up from 4th to 3rd

Moving down from 3rd to 4th

Remaining in 2nd place

Press conference

The winners are doing both Jr and Sr competitions this season - they plan to be at Europeans and both the Sr and Jr World Championships.

The ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

The third event of Day 3 - the Jr Men Free Skate

FS Results

Overall results

Press conference

The ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

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After this event the remaining Jr medals were awarded - Men, Dance and Pairs. [Jr Women received theirs on Day 2]

Jr Men medalists

Jr Dance medalists

Jr. Pairs medalits

The CDN flags were flying

[Elizabeth]

The "second half" of Day 3 opened with the (Sr) Free Dance.

Results:

Overall results:

Top 3

After a record-breaking 7 appearance at the GPF, Madison & Evan finally won the gold
2023
2022
2019
5th 2017
6th 2016
2015
2014

Press conference

Podium picture:

A close up of the "gifts" presented at the medal ceremonies


ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

The next event - the Women Free Skate

Results:

Overall results:

Top 3

Podium

ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

The final event of the competition - the Men Free Skate

Results:

Overall results:

Top 3

Podium

The score sheet for Ilia's free skate


Although he fell on the quad axel to open his freeskate, landing the quad loop made Ilia Malinin the only person to ever land all six quad jumps (4T, 4S, 4Lz, 4A & now 4Lo) in competition! [Not all in his free skate at GPF but ratified as happening in competition, beginning in 2020.]

More stats -

• Ilia Malinin wins the Grand Prix Final 24 years after his mother Tatiana Malinina won. That makes him the first child of a GPF winner to also win
• The 8-year gap between Shoma's first (in 2015) and latest ( in 2023) GPF medals is now the largest among all men's participants in the history of this competition, surpassing Yuzuru Hanyu (2012/2019), Daisuke Takahashi (2005/2012), and Nobunari Oda's (2006/2013 ) 7-year gaps.
  

Press conference photo

ISU review article: https://isu.org/figure-skating/news/new ... teParam=15

[Elizabeth]

Jackie Wong (RockerSkating) provided an overview of the medal results at this year's GPF:

Junior Grand Prix Final
Jr women
Jr pairs
Jr dance
Jr men


(Sr.) Grand Prix Final
Women
Pairs
Dance
Men

Canada had 8 teams competing over the two events and four of them are bringing home medals - two in each event

Here's the Skate Canada recap article after the final day of competition: https://skatecanada.ca/2023/12/triple-m ... rix-final/

Triple Medal Day for Canadian Skaters at ISU Grand Prix Final
December 9, 2023/by Skate Canada

Beijing, China (December 9, 2023) – Canadian figure skaters captured three medals on the final day of the 2023 ISU Grand Prix Final in Beijing, China on Saturday with Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier capturing bronze in senior ice dance, while Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov took silver, and Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher took bronze in the junior pair competition.

Gilles of Toronto, Ont., and Poirier of Unionville, Ont., the reigning Grand Prix Final champions, came into the competition as strong favourites after recording wins at Skate Canada International and the Cup of China but had to settle for bronze (213.58) after Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA skated flawlessly to win gold (221.61), and the Italian couple of Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri also stepped up their routine to capture silver (215.51).

“We’re very happy. We really lost ourselves in the program and over time this program is really starting to grow with us, and we’re learning how to push it out at certain points. It’s taken some time to really figure out where to go with it, and the more we perform it, the easier it’s gotten, and the easier it’s become to reflect our stories and everything we’re trying to emote on the ice,” said Gilles following the performance.

Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen of Montreal, Que., finished the day in fifth with a total score of 195.57, but gained a lot of experience for the rest of the season.

“Sometimes it’s just a little harder than others. I had a really hard time adjusting to the schedule here in China, I’ve slept pretty bad every night, so I think fatigue got to me a little bit,” said Soerensen. “We changed the program quite a bit since Finland, so we’re really happy with the direction it’s going. It’s moving in the right direction, and it’s a program we love so much. It’s the kind of story that we really enjoy telling on the ice.”

Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., who were competing in their first senior Grand Prix Final, finished sixth with a total score of 193.63.

Kemp and Elizarov of Winnipeg, Man., and Desrochers of Mississauga, Ont., and Thrasher of Amherstburg, Ont., both skated season’s best performances to secure their silver (168.83) and bronze (156.33) medals respectively in the junior pair competition. Martina Ariano Kent of Mount Royal, Que., and Charly Laliberté-Laurent of Boucherville, Que., finished the day in fourth (150.70).

The Georgian team of Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava continued their dominance from the short program to win gold with a total score of 202.11.

“I feel good about that program. It’s the first program we’ve ever done internationally with two throw triples, and it’s a really stressful competition, so we’re really happy that we managed to bring those out,” said Elizarov. “Every competition we’ve been getting season’s bests and that’s really what you want. It doesn’t really matter for placement as long as you’re improving yourselves.”

Desrochers and Thrasher, who have been skating together for less than a year, were delighted with their free skate performance that scored 101.42 to move them up from fourth position to take bronze.

“We’re really happy with that skate. Our goal, other than the points, was just to show everyone that we can do a good free program because in the past on the international stage, we haven’t shown people that, so that was another goal we’ve accomplished at this competition,” said Thrasher.

Next up for Canadian skaters is the 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships taking place in Calgary, Alta., from Jan 8-14, 2024.

[Elizabeth]

Grand Prix Final historical stats by discipline from Skating Scores via X (formerly Twitter) (Seniors only)








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And from Jackie Wong -

• GPF medal totals for skaters/teams over the years - Shoma has tied several others, including Yuzuru Hanyu & Virtue & Moir with 6 (so far)
  Shen/Zhao
  Slutskaya
  Savchenko/Szolkowy
  Plushenko
  Pang/Tong
  Davis/White
  Virtue/Moir
  Anissina/Peizerat
  Asada
  Hanyu
  Uno
• Some crazy stats!
  Paul Poirier: 13 years - longest gap btwn first & most recent GPF medal (2010 bronze w Crone, 2023 bronze w Gilles)
  Deanna Stellato-Dudek: 24 years - longest gap btwn first JGPF medal & most recent GPF medal (1999 singles gold, 2023 pairs bronze with Deschamps)

[Elizabeth]

The Exhibition Gala took place live @ 1:30 a.m. Eastern Time but is available on the ISU YouTube channel for watching later


The program



All the medalists from the Jr and Sr events in a group photo after the Gala


And the "jump" shots

[Elizabeth]

A familiar face & voice was behind the microphone doing all the English announcing throughout the GPF - PJ Kwong with a farewell wave selfie at the end of the Gala

[Elizabeth]

And as the international competition season comes to an end with the GPF, here's the CDN team at the banquet.



For them, the next stop is Canadians Jan. 8-14, 2024.