Loena Hendrickx (BEL) competes at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France. © ISU
Reigning World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL) and two-time ISU European bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) headline the third ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event Grand Prix de France this week in Angers (FRA).
Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (ITA) compete at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France. © ISU
Overview of the competitors
Women’s Category:
Reigning World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL) headlines the Women’s field in Angers and hopes to become the first Belgian Skater to win an ISU Grand Prix event.
Loena Hendrickx (BEL) competes at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France. © ISU
Competition should come from 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalist Haein Lee (KOR), 2022 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist Yelim Kim (KOR) and 2021 NHK Trophy silver medalist Mana Kawabe (JPN).
Haein Lee (KOR) competes at the 2022 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Skate America in Norwood, Massachusetts, USA. © ISU
Other competitors include Olga Mikutina (AUT), Rino Matsuike (JPN) and Audrey Shin (USA). Mae Berenice Meite (FRA) returns to the ISU Grand Prix after missing the past season due to injury.
Mae Berenice Meite (FRA) performs at the 2019 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating NHK Trophy in Sapporo, Japan.© ISU
Men’s Category:
The Men’s event looks open with 2022 ISU Four Continents silver medalist Kazuki Tomono (JPN), Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA), Sota Yamamoto (JPN) and Sihyeong Lee (KOR) leading the pack.
Kazuki Tomono (JPN) competes at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France.© ISU
Wesley Chiu (CAN), Lukas Britschgi (SUI) and Ivan Shmuratko (UKR) are hoping to get as close to the podium as possible.
Wesley Chiu (CAN) competes at the 2022 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. © ISU
Pairs Category:
In the Pairs event, 2022 Skate America silver medalists Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN) are top favorites heading into the third ISU Grand Prix event and hope to qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino (December 8-11, 2022).
The challenge should come from reigning ISU World Junior Champions Karina Safina/Luka Berulava (GEO), 2022 Finlandia Trophy Champions Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel (GER) and 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Challenge Champions Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini (ITA).
Karina Safina and Luka Berulava (GEO) compete in the 2022 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. © ISU
Ice Dance Category:
Two-time ISU European bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) lead the Ice Dance field and aim for the top of the podium. 2022 Finlandia Trophy Champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Soerensen (CAN) want to challenge the Italians.
Juulia Turkkila/Matthias Versluis (FIN), 2020 ISU World Junior silver medalists Maria Kazakova/Georgy Reviya (GEO), Loicia Demougeot/Theo Le Mercier (FRA) and Katarina Wolfkostin/Jeffrey Chen (USA) are also competing for a medal.
A total of 58 Skaters/Couples representing 15 ISU members have been entered for this event.
Schedule of the event
The schedule is as follows:
Friday, November 4: Women’s Short Program, Rhythm Dance, Men’s & Pairs Short Program
Saturday, November 5: Women’s Free Skating, Free Dance, Men’s & Pairs Free Skating
Sunday, November 6: Exhibition Gala
The Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA) November 4-6 is the third of six events in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.
More than 150 Skaters/Couples representing 29 ISU Members have been invited to the series. The maximum number of entries for each event is 12 Ladies, 12 Men, 8 Pairs and 10 Ice Dance couples.
The General Announcement of the 2022/23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series is available here. The individual announcements are published under the respective events. Full entry lists and further information are available on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series page.
Selection Criteria
In order for a Skater/Couple to be eligible to compete at an ISU Grand Prix event, a minimum total score must have been achieved in the 2021/22 or current 2022/23 season in an ISU event (Grand Prix, Junior Grand Prix, Championships) or a Challenger Series event. Exceptions apply to host country Skaters, previously ranked Skaters or split ranked Couples who return with new partners. The minimum total score is 3/5 of highest score per discipline at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2022 and are as follows: Women: 141.65, Men: 187.49, Pairs: 132.65, Ice Dance: 137.89.
Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).
Grand Prix Standings
Men Women Ice Dance Pair Skating
Where to Watch
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events will be live streamed on the official ISU YouTube Channel in most countries. Find out where to watch the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating competitions.
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ISU Grand Prix Schedule
The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events are available below:
21 - 23 Oct, 2022 Skate America, Norwood (USA)
28 – 30 Oct, 2022 Skate Canada International, Mississauga (CAN)
04 - 06 Nov, 2022 Grand Prix de France, Angers (FRA)
11 - 13 Nov, 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy, Sheffield (GBR)
18 - 20 Nov, 2022 NHK Trophy, Sapporo (JPN)
25 - 27 Nov, 2022 Grand Prix Espoo, Espoo (FIN)
08 - 11 Dec, 2022 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Torino (ITA)
About ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series started in 1995 (previously known a s the ISU Champions Series) and consists of six invitational international senior events and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The top six of the past World Championships are seeded. Competitors collect points in their Grand Prix events towards the qualification for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Only the top six Skaters / Couples in each discipline can qualify for the Final.