Four season ago, Wenjing Sui/Cong Han took silver at the 2018 Olympics and vowed to return to win gold at home in Beijing. That season has arrived, and Sui/Han return to Skate Canada for the first time since 2014 to continue their quest for the Olympic title. There are some interesting storylines outside of Sui/Han, in particular, another head-to-head between Canada’s top pair and Canada’s new pair. But it’s looking like five teams will be in fairly close contention for the other medals.
2021 Skate Canada International predictions
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GOLD Wenjing Sui/Cong Han CHN - Their first Grand Prix event happened 11 years ago, and as much as they are veterans of the sport, they still have such a freshness about them and their skating every year. This season, they started earlier than they have in any season in recent memory, thanks in part to a lack of some nagging injury that has been bothering them almost every season.
SILVER Daria Pavliuchenko/Denis Khodykin RUS - In what seemed like a linear route to Worlds last season after finishing third at Russian Nationals, Pavliuchenko/Khodykin eventually missed out because, at the Russian Cup Final a couple months later, they lost to Mishina/Galliamov, who ended up as the surprise World champs. In a lot of ways, they enter this season seeming like the underdogs to the three Russian pairs who made it to Worlds. And it will be important for them to have a strong competition here to reestablish themselves.
BRONZE Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy LeDuc USA - Coming in on the heels of a very good event at Finlandia Trophy, where they finished third with a strong free skate, Cain-Gribble/LeDuc are looking to capitalize on another top-ten finish at Worlds last season and make case for themselves for the Olympic team. Their hurdle has traditionally been the side-by-sides, even though they are both strong singles skaters. A good short program will be key.
4. Vanessa James/Eric Radford CAN - The surprise of the off-season was the announcement of James/Radford as a new pair for Canada - both of them had retired with their former partners, and seemed to have been enjoying other ventures. But they are back, and together, to push for another Olympic berth. Their debut events have been solid, though they have made errors in both their side-by-sides and their throws.
5. Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro CAN - After an eighth-place finish behind James/Radford at Finlandia, Moore-Towers/Marinaro were looking to regroup and try to get more comfortable with their new programs. In some ways, there is even a bit more pressure on them, as they are trying to even the score against James/Radford after Finlandia. If they are clean, they definitely have medal potential, but we will see how much they have been able to shore up their elements in the past three weeks.
6. Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nolan Seegert GER - After missing Worlds last season due to Hase’s injury, they are back this season to fight for the one German pair spot in Beijing. They won Nebelhorn Trophy and finished seventh at Finlandia, and they’ve got the quality to challenge for a top five position if they can skate clean.
7. Lori-Ann Matte/Thierry Ferland CAN - The former Canadian junior champions make their senior Grand Prix debut at home. They finished seventh at Autumn Classic earlier this season.
8. Zoe Jones/Christopher Boyadji GBR - Still going strong despite lack of funding, Jones/Boyadji continue to skate and compete for the love of it. They are back on the Grand Prix for only the third time in their partnership, and you better believe they will savor every bit of it. They started their season with at 15th-place finish at Nebelhorn Trophy.