Skate America 2024 PREVIEW

As the 2024 Grand Prix of Figure Skating begins, we take a look ahead at the Skate America event, give our hopes and predictions, and share our excitement to see the event in person.

 

The 2024-2025 Figure Skating Grand Prix is finally upon us as Skate America kicks it off in Allen, Texas! While we’ve already seen quite a lot of the new programs from competitors in early season competition, this is where things start to get serious.

Women’s Competition

The biggest podium free-for-all could be in the women’s event — as it is hard to pick a clear favorite here! Based on long-term performance, reigning World silver medalist, Isabeau Levito from the USA, would be the obvious pick. However, while we love Isabeau, she’s been beaten twice this season already by fellow American, Elyce Lin-Gracey — whose 213.33 at Nebelhorn Trophy stands as one of the top international scores so far this season for the women’s discipline. Add in the continued return of Bradie Tennell, and there’s a lot of ways this could go.

Beyond the US competitors, there’s a trio of strong Japanese women — Rinka Wantanabe, Wakaba Higuchi, and Yuna Aoki — who could all be in the mix for spots on the podium. All of these competitors have the ability to medal, but also keep a close eye on one of last season’s standouts, Nina Pinzarrone of Belgium, who could be the spoiler and take the whole thing.

Pairs Competition

This discipline looks to be a four-way race. First, the 2023 World Champions, Riku Miura & Ryuchi Kihara from Japan, who have all of the ability, emotionality, and experience to win this. However, injuries plagued them last season and, in their first outing this season, Ryuchi appeared to be hurt again. Fingers crossed he’s at 100%!

Next, there’s the season opener for Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava — who looked outrageously strong throughout their junior season last year and in several of their senior competitions as well. However, we have not yet seen them this season and, at both Europeans and Worlds, they faltered just a bit. That said, this team is absolutely capable of winning here and just might.

The other two teams we expect to vie for the podium are Hungary’s Maria Pavlova & Alexei Sviatchenko and Ellie Kam & Danny O’Shea of the US. Both of these teams have had strong moments in the early season and have the experience to make the most of these Grand Prix spots for a medal.

Men’s Competition

Welcome to Ilia Malinin’s party! At his first competition of the season in Italy, Ilia premiered his two new programs for the season that both look to fit him like a glove and beat extremely strong competition fairly easily. While there are great skaters here, such as Japan’s Kao Miura, that are moving towards the top of the men’s field, it will take several poor performances from Ilia for him to lose.

That said, this will still be a very exciting competition! Miura looked messy in his early season performances, but when he’s on he’s incredible and is definitely a podium threat. Deniss Vasiljevs of Latvia and Nika Egadze from Georgia have both looked stronger than last year of late, and could take a medal.

Also, there’s no way to count out (or count on) France’s Kevin Aymoz. He’s a brilliant wild card who could stun, as he did at last year’s Skate America to take silver, or he could fall apart. We’re hoping for the former and that he brings all of his incredible quality to the ice and the audience to their feet.

Ice Dance Competition

As they do most years, reigning World Champions Madison Chock & Evan Bates will debut both of their new programs at Skate America to an eager crowd. We don’t have a clue… a whisper even… of what they have planned. However, we expect they will look gorgeous and be incredibly tough to beat.

Also in this great lineup will be Great Britain’s Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson. While their free dance to Beyonce may not have hit for us, we love this team and are looking forward to them evolving both of their programs. Unless things go wildly awry, expect them to be on the podium.

The other team we expect to be on the podium is Canada’s Marie-Jade Lauriault & Romain Le Gac, who never fail to be inventive and exciting. Other teams could upset, but regardless it’s going to be a very fun one to watch!

Chapters

0:00 — Intro
3:00 — Men’s Competition
8:14 — Pairs Competition
13:35 — Women’s Competition
21:29 — Ice Dance Competition
29:05 — Predictions
32:58 — Wrap-Up

 

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