22 Oct 2015 – Milwaukee, United States
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2015/2016 kicks off Friday with Progressive Skate America, the first of six events in Milwaukee, WI (USA), October 23 to 25. Skaters compete for points to qualify for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final and a prize money of US $ 180,000 per individual event of the Grand Prix.
Overview over the top contenders
Olympic and World bronze medalist Denis Ten (KAZ) will face up and coming World Junior Champion Shoma Uno (JPN), 2014 Four Continents Champion Takahito Mura (JPN) and U.S. Champion Jason Brown. Han Yan (CHN), Max Aaron (USA) and Konstantin Menshov (RUS) are also hoping for a podium finish.
World silver medalist Satoko Miyahara (JPN) headlines the Ladies field. The challenge should come from Gracie Gold (USA), 2014 European Champion Julia Lipnitskaia (RUS) and World Junior Champion Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS). Other contenders include Alaine Chartrand (CAN), So Youn Park (KOR) and Elizabet Tursynbaeva (KAZ).
Olympic silver medalists Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov (RUS) and 2015 World silver medalists Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) lead the Pairs. They are joined by U.S. Champions Alexa Scimeca/Chris Knierim (USA), World Junior silver medalists Julianne Seguin/Charlie Bilodeau (CAN) and 2014 Four Continents silver medalists Tara Kayne/Daniel O’Shea (USA).
World silver medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) are the top favorites in the Ice Dance event, but competition for the other podium spots should be tough with Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN), 2015 World Junior Champions Anna Yanovskaya/Sergey Mozgov (RUS) and 2014 World Junior Champions Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA).
A total of 56 skaters/couples from 12 ISU members compete at Progressive Skate America. For full entry lists of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2014/15 please refer to www.isu.org under Single& Pair Skating/Ice Dance then select Grand Prix.
The schedule of Progressive Skate America is as follows:
Friday, October 23: Pairs, Ladies, Men’s Short Program, Short Dance
Saturday, October 24: Pairs, Ladies, Men’s Free Skating, Free Dance
Sunday, October 25: Exhibition Gala
