The 2021 Grand Prix assignments have been announced. It is indeed the time for a global celebration! In total, 38 men, 44 ladies, 25 pairs and 34 ice dance teams representing 21 ISU Members have been invited. The maximum number of entries for each event is 12 in singles, eight in pairs and 10 in ice dance.
The rosters look a little different this year; due to the limited number of competitions that took place in 2020, the spots have been assigned on the results from the previous three seasons, rather than just that of 2020. Some of the skaters on the roster this season may not have have been eligible to secure an assignment in an otherwise ′regular′ season, but all will welcome the opportunity to compete with the best in the world and gain experience.
New faces will grace the six stages this season with juniors from the 2019-2020 campaign making the leap into seniors this year, including reigning World junior champion Kamila Valieva, Daria Usacheva and Daniil Samsonov.
Vanessa James and Eric Radford will make their debut as a team at Skate Canada International with Internationaux de France as their second assignment.
Yuzuru Hanyu will return to where it all began 11 years ago — NHK Trophy and Rostelecom Cup. These were the first two senior Grand Prix assignments he contested in his debut season on the senior circuit in 2010. Michal Březina will close out his 11-year senior Grand Prix career at the same two competitions he contested in the 2011-2012 season — Skate America, which he won, and Rostelecom Cup.
Russia has 17 ladies spots in this season’s Series, and will field three in each of five competitions and two at NHK Trophy. Rostelecom Cup has been moved from its usual base in Moscow to the 2014 Olympic venue in Sochi.
On Aug. 16, the ISU advised that Cup of China has been cancelled due to limited international/domestic flights and the current restrictions in place with respect to COVID-19. The ISU subsequently awarded the event to the Federazione Italiana Sport de Ghiaccio. The third stage of the Grand Prix Series will now take place at the Palavela in Torino on the same dates that were originally set for Cup of China. The Chinese team is currently based in Milan where skaters are preparing for their respective Grand Prix events.
| DATE | EVENT | LOCATION |
|
Oct. 22 – 24 Oct. 29 – 31 Nov. 5 – 7 Nov. 12 – 14 Nov. 19 – 21 Nov. 26 – 28 POSTPONED |
Grand Prix Final (junior/senior) |
Las Vegas Vancouver Torino Tokyo Grenoble Sochi Osaka |
STANDINGS AFTER SIX EVENTS: Women / Men / Pairs / Ice Dance
ENTRIES AS AT NOVEMBER 23
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