With multiple withdrawals in the dance event at 2021 Rostelecom Cup, we are down to just eight teams competing this week, but it doesn’t make it any less exciting. As with all the other events, there are Final spots on the line, and as with all the other events, there are teams here who are looking at this event as testing grounds for their bid for an Olympic spot.
2021 Rostelecom Cup predictions
Official hashtags: #RostelecomCup2021 #GPFigure
GOLD Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov RUS - The World champions have continued to make a case for being one of the favorites for Beijing gold, and though it won’t be until two weeks from now when they face off against Papadakis/Cizeron that they will really get an understanding of where everyone stands, strong performances this week at home will be important for them to go into the Final with that extra skip in their step.
SILVER Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri ITA - It’s been a fine season so far for Guignard/Fabbri, who have won two events so far and took silver at Skate Canada - and they have broken 200 points at all three of those events, which gives them some cred as they likely qualify. for the Grand Prix Final after this week. They are trying to break into that top group of dance teams this season.
BRONZE Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Sorensen CAN - The last time they were at this event, they were still competing for Denmark, and times have changed since then. They are skating at Rostelecom this week looking for another medal - and their fourth consecutive Grand Prix medal - after a bronze at Skate America, and two silvers on the Challenger Series.
4. Sara Hurtado/Kirill Khaliavin ESP - Fourth at NHK Trophy two weeks ago, Hurtado/Khaliavin want this to be a statement from them going into Spanish Nationals next month. Their performances at NHK were a bit off-kilter and they can certainly improve from that.
5. Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker USA - Many have been wondering about the condition of Hawayek/Baker, who have been sidelined all season so far because Hawayek has been recovering from a concussion earlier in the summer. And after they withdrew from NHK two weeks ago, you wondered if they would even be ready for Rostelecom. This will be their season debut, and they will definitely be looking to prove that they are still in the mix.
6. Anastasia Skoptcova/Kirill Aleshin RUS - It’s taken a few seasons for the 2018 Junior World champs to make a mark on the senior circuit, as is often the case in ice dance, where it takes a few years to translate junior success into senior success. They won gold at Denis Ten Memorial and have the chance to beat some more seasoned teams here in Sochi.
7. Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva/Egor Bazin RUS - Fifth at the Russian Championships last season, they come into their first career Grand Prix event having won gold at Volvo Open and bronze at Denis Ten Memorial earlier this season.
8. Allison Reed/Saulius Ambrulevicius LTU - They were eighth last week in France and look to improve on their results there. Their career high GP finish was fifth two years ago at Rostelecom Cup.