2019 ISU Grand Prix Final Preview & Predictions

Who will win the next round of Hanyu vs. Chen?  What would surprise us LESS than a Ladies sweep of Russian teenagers?  Can anyone challenge Papadakis/Cizeron in ice dance? WILL anyone challenge Sui/Han in pairs?

In other words, it’s time for the ISU Grand Prix Final of 2019! Below are my predictions for the way each group of 6 will shake out by the end of the weekend in Turin, Italy:

MEN

Gold: Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)

Silver: Nathan Chen (USA)

Bronze: Alexander Samarin (RUS)

4^th: Dmitri Aliev (RUS)

5^th- Kevin Aymoz (FRA)

6^th- Boyang Jin (CHN)

I could never tire of either Hanyu OR Chen’s skating, but I’m going with Hanyu here because I’m not sure Chen can beat him at this peak time in both the skating and collegiate worlds.

LADIES

Gold: Alena Kostornaia (RUS)

Silver: Alexandra Trusova (RUS)

Bronze: Anna Shcherbakova (RUS)

4^th- Alina Zagitova (RUS)

5^th- Rika Kihira (JPN)

6^th- Bradie Tennell (USA)

Perhaps this will be the event where components get scored a bit more accordingly? Let’s hope so, as the PCS gap between Kosto and Sasha should at least be large enough for Shcherbet to jump through :)  Consider this, as it has been in previous years, a dress rehearsal for Russian Nationals, happening about 3 weeks from now.

PAIRS

Gold: Sui/Han (CHN)

Silver: Boikova/Kozlovskii (RUS)

Bronze: Peng/Jin (CHN)

4^th- Mishina/Galliamov (RUS)

5^th- Moore-Towers/Marinaro (CAN)

6^th- Pavliuchenko/Khodykin (RUS)

I’ll be honest and tell you that, at this point in the season, I do not know my Mish/Gall from my Pav/Kho and am seriously considering a sequel to my post about differentiating between the top Russian teen ladies…

DANCE

Gold: Papadakis/Cizeron (FRA)

Silver: Sinitsina/Katsalapov (RUS)

Bronze: Stepanova/Bukin (RUS)

4^th- Hubbell/Donohue (USA)

5^th- Chock/Bates (USA)

6^th- Gilles/Poirier (CAN)

This is how I predict it will go; if my less-than-qualified eyes were in charge of placement and all skated without egregious mistakes… I’d probably move Step/Buk to 2^nd… give bronze to Chock/Bates… and bring G/P up to 4^th.