ISU Grand Prix FINAL 2018/19 (Senior & Junior) - Vancouver, BC - Dec. 6-9, 2018

[Elizabeth]

Now that the qualifying is all done, a new thread just for the GPF since we are less than a week away. Here is the time and practice schedule: http://www.isuresults.com/schedules/gpf ... hedule.pdf

The official ISU page for the event which will have lots of informative links as we get closer, especially under the "media" heading: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/figu ... teParam=11

The latest entries for the seniors [as of 26 Nov. 2018]:
Men - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... es_Men.htm [updated 29 Nov.]
Ladies - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... Ladies.htm
Pairs - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... _Pairs.htm
Ice Dance - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... eDance.htm

The latest entries for the juniors [as of 12 Nov. 2018]:
Men - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... iorMen.htm
Ladies - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... Ladies.htm
Pairs - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... rPairs.htm
Ice Dance - http://www.isuresults.com/events/gpjgpf ... eDance.htm

This is the "place holder" for the Entries/Start Orders/Results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gpf1819/

For those who will be watching from home, three members of this board will be seated in Section 103:

[Elizabeth]

CBC live stream and TV information available here: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wint ... roadcast

Live stream - Times in EST:

Thu Dec 6
5:05 PM Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Ice Dance Rhythm Dance
6:20 PM Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Men's Short Program
7:25 PM Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Pairs Short Program
8:40 PM Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Ladies Short Program
10:45 PM Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Men's Short Program

Fri Dec 7
12:00 AM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Ladies Short Program
6:45 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Ice Dance Free Dance
8:05 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Men's Free Program
10:00 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Ice Dance Rhythm Dance
11:20 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Pairs Short Program

Sat Dec 8
12:30 AM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Men's Free Program
4:00 PM - Road to the Olympic Games: Championship Figure Skating - Grand Prix Final - Men's & Women's Free Programs [also on TV]
6:15 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Ladies Free Program [also on TV]
7:30 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Pairs Free Program [also on TV]
10:00 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Ice Dance Free Dance
11:20 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Pairs Free Program

Sun Dec 9
11:30 AM - Road to the Olympic Games: Championship Figure Skating - Grand Prix Final - Ice Dance Free Dance & Pairs Free Programs [also on TV]
5:00 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Gala

Sat Dec 22
3:00 PM - Road to the Olympic Games: Championship Figure Skating - Grand Prix Final - Gala [Repeat] [also on TV]

==================

CBC TV - Times in EST [except as noted]

Sat Dec 8
4:00 PM - Road to the Olympic Games: Championship Figure Skating - Grand Prix Final - Men's & Women's Free Programs
6:15 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Ladies Free Program
7:30 PM - Championship Figure Skating: Grand Prix Final - Junior Pairs Free Program

Sun Dec 9
11:30 AM - Road to the Olympic Games: Championship Figure Skating - Grand Prix Final - Ice Dance Free Dance & Pairs Free Programs [12:30 p.m. local time zone on CBC Television.]

Sat Dec 22
3:00 PM - Road to the Olympic Games: Championship Figure Skating - Grand Prix Final - Gala [Repeat]

[Elizabeth]

Apparently the Junior GPF events will also be streamed on the ISU Junior GP YouTube channel with Ted Barton. He just announced that Meagan Duhamel will be joining him on Thursday.

[Elizabeth]

And guess who I just spoke to as he was leaving the official hotel in sunny Vancouver.....

...none other than Ted Barton

[Elizabeth]

Athlete Ambassador named:

https://skatecanada.ca/2018/12/patrick- ... l-2018-19/

[Elizabeth]

Tomorrow & Friday's short program start orders are now available at the link I provided above: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gpf1819/

ISU story on Meagan Duhamel (& Eric Radford) - she is their special guest/reporter for the Junior Grand Prix coverage on the JGP YouTube channel: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/figu ... teParam=15

She's coming directly from New York where she and Eric performed at the Bryant Park Christmas tree lighting.

[Elizabeth]

On the CBC live stream of the senior short programs there will be commentary with PJ Kwong & Elizabeth Manley, according to Liz's posts on Twitter/Instagram:

So incredibly excited to be working with CBC for the Live Stream and Facebook Live for the GrandPrix Final tomorrow. Listen to the amazing @skatingpj and myself at 10:45pm for the Men’s Short and 12 a.m. (midnight) for the Ladies Short Program. Hope you will catch us on air.

[Elizabeth]

Danielle Earl's time conversion from Vancouver to Toronto - especially useful if you're watching a live stream...

[The men's FS should be A.M. not P.M. as it's after midnight ]

[Elizabeth]

Tony Wheeler & PJ Kwong do a preview of the senior GPF: https://youtu.be/3gl2fA2IOQQ

PJ's preview for CBC Sports: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/figu ... -1.4932239

Apparently PJ will be joined on the seniors live streams by Asher Hill (dance) & Dylan Moscovitch (pairs) in addition to Liz Manley - she mentioned this in the preview with Tony Wheeler.

[Elizabeth]

There are previews of the junior competitors on the ISU JGP YouTube channel and there will be live streams of the junior events there: https://www.youtube.com/user/ISUJGP2011/featured

[Elizabeth]

Eric Radford, wearing his composer hat, tweeted this out:

Another debut of my music today! If you’re at the #gpf for the opening ceremonies you will get to hear my new piece. Would appreciate any reports on how it sounds in the big arena!

[fred]

The links in the second message, above, say the live coverage will be starting in ten hours. Thay might be around 7 o'clock Atlantic time, where it's 9:20 now; 8:2- Eastern Time... A half hour later in NFLD. I never know idthat's a half hour later than the EST or the AST.

[Elizabeth]

The links in the second message, above, say the live coverage will be starting in ten hours. Thay might be around 7 o'clock Atlantic time, where it's 9:20 now; 8:2- Eastern Time... A half hour later in NFLD. I never know idthat's a half hour later than the EST or the AST.

The CBC website adjusts to your timezone, I believe, Fred.

The competition is taking place in Vancouver - 4 hours behind AST; 3 hours behind EST.

Check the Entries/Start Order/ Results page which is in PST (Vancouver time) for today's events: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gpf1819/

[Elizabeth]

Skate Canada article about yesterday's events: https://skatecanada.ca/2018/12/thirteen ... rix-final/

ISU stories about day 1 are linked here: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/figu ... -news-blog

[Elizabeth]

Some articles from Bev Smith that might be of interest:

James & Cipres: https://bevsmithwrites.com/james-and-ci ... rons-tune/

Canada's junior men - Stephen Gogolev: https://bevsmithwrites.com/the-magic-of ... unior-men/

A previous article on Stephen: https://bevsmithwrites.com/run-boy-run/

[Elizabeth]

Three members of the board not only attended the GPF but were seated side-by-side in the arena - definitely a good event. I also got to meet two other board "lurkers" who approached me and kindly thanked me for all the information I post

[fred]

Oh, that's nice. I'm on a push to finish my book and don't have travel time or money, but I'm glad board members are getting together for events. Hi to all.

[Elizabeth]

Congratulations to Stephen Gogolev who went into the GPF as an alternate and won a gold medal!!




https://goldenskate.com/2018/12/jgpf-men-fs/

[Elizabeth]

Some ISU articles (including video links & press conference comments) that might be of interest - in the order in which the free skate/dance events took place:

• Junior Dance free - https://www.isu.org/news/126-junior-gra ... teParam=15
• Junior Men's free - https://www.isu.org/news/126-junior-gra ... teParam=15
• Men's free - https://www.isu.org/news/125-grand-prix ... teParam=15
• Ladies free - https://www.isu.org/news/125-grand-prix ... teParam=15
• Junior Ladies free - https://www.isu.org/news/126-junior-gra ... teParam=15
• Junior Pairs free - https://www.isu.org/news/126-junior-gra ... teParam=15
• Dance free - https://www.isu.org/news/125-grand-prix ... teParam=15
• Pairs free - https://www.isu.org/inside-single-pair- ... teParam=15

Video highlights of the full junior GPF: https://www.isu.org/news/126-junior-gra ... teParam=15

You will find links to more articles, e.g. after the short programs, here: https://www.isu.org/inside-single-pair- ... er/news-fs

[fred]

Well, young Gogolev seems to be doing alright. Now that's the way to annpounce your carreer! We'll look forward to watching you,... but no pressure!

[Elizabeth]

Ted Barton apparently reported that Alina Zagitova twisted her ankle before the FS and she confirms it in this interview:



Do you think that might have impacted the results of the ladies event?

[happyheini]

From what I remember (and that is still sketchy from all the excitement of being there live) her skate did not seem to be hampered by an injury. She is a spunky woman, but it is worrisome that the skaters try to skate at any price through injury which might come back to haunt them later on. See Yuzuri.
I am still so happy I attended this event and making new friends, including board members and "lurkers".Thank you All. Hope to attend more of those competitions in the future.

[Elizabeth]

I am still so happy I attended this event and making new friends, including board members and "lurkers". Thank you All. Hope to attend more of those competitions in the future.

It was great to spend time with you again, Heini, and I certainly hope we can do it again sometime

In other skating news following on from the GPF, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva is reported to have pneumonia and will be hospitalized for 2 weeks; missing the Russian Nationals!!

[Elizabeth]

Meagan Duhamel, in addition to providing commentary with Ted Barton, was busy being an ISU interviewer at the GPF:

• Michal Brezina (CZE) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3muUYs ... 03&index=8
• Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebUjXIp ... 03&index=9
• Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (USA) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-An2bX9 ... 3&index=10
• Cheng Peng and Yang Jin (CHN) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0M9zwl ... 3&index=11

[happyheini]

That is too bad for Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, especially missing their Nationals. It is such a competetive field. I read an intereview with Alina Z. where you could read between the lines how "friendly" or not these women are among themselves. Sorry, it was on my cell and I have no idea how to post it here.