After missing the Grand Prix last season, Wenjing Sui/Cong Han are back and qualified to the Final in style - it’s a competition they have never won. They have looked incredibly strong this season so far, but the big question is whether they are going to run away with this season. A surprising challenger has emerged - and it’s not a pair you would’ve expected the plausible challenge to have come from at the beginning of the season. Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitrii Kozlovskii have looked brilliant so far this season, bringing a new energy to the pairs field.
Grand Prix Final predictions
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GOLD Wenjing Sui/Cong Han CHN - The World champs love to impress. And they’ve absolutely been impressive this season. The thing that stands between them and a runaway victory is their side-by-side jumps. It’s been a theme for them over the past few seasons, and it’s the side-by-side sals in the free skate that would give them the most trouble. Programs-wise, they are experimenting with their modern edgy style in the short program, and they’ve brought back their ethereal free skate from last season. They are two of the strongest programs of their career, and the potential for some blockbuster scores is very high.
SILVER Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitrii Kozlovskii RUS - After a dazzling sixth in their Worlds debut last season, Boikova/Kozlovskii have returned for their sophomore season with upgraded technical content and consistency. They lead the young Russian contingent here at GPF, without the veterans Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov, who have had struggles this season so far. Of all the teams here, they are the ones who have the clearest shot at challenging Sui/Han for gold. Components-wise, they won’t be able to match Sui/Han yet, so they will have to rely on their consistency and execution - and likely a mistake or two from Sui/Han - to get there.
BRONZE Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro CAN - There’s a potential for this event to be a springboard for Moore-Towers/Marinaro. The Canadian champs have been trying to figure out how to break into that very top section of pairs, and what they don’t have in a huge triple twist, they have in crisp execution of all their other elements. Their presence and skills as a pair have seen visible improvements over the past couple of seasons, and that has been reflected well in their component marks. A podium finish here will mark a huge step forward, especially as they are looking at the potential for a medal at Worlds.
4. Cheng Peng/Yang Jin CHN - Peng/Jin won their very first Grand Prix earlier this season at Skate America. But their season hasn’t been spectacular so far. They will need to clean up some of those mistakes they had earlier in the year, especially with a lower technical base value than all of the other pairs. When they are on with their elements and connected to their music, they can be brilliant.
5. Anastasia Mishina/Alexander Galliamov RUS - Having qualified for the Grand Prix Final in their very first senior season is quite a feat, and they did it on the heels of winning a Grand Prix event. They are still less polished than the other veteran teams here, but watch out for them, they bring some great skating to the table.
6. Daria Pavliuchenko/Denis Khodykin RUS - Of the six pairs here, Pavliuchenko/Khodyin are the ones with the most work to do to get up there. They are a very solid pair, but without as strong of the quality of the others. They will need to find another level in their skating this week in order to get themselves any shot at the top four.