Ice dance the year after the Olympics is always an interesting calculus. Even though the fields don’t necessarily change that much, there tends to be a good bit of movement, especially for the teams who were deemed more up-and-coming over the past quadrennial. And that’s what we are seeing this season. So far in the Grand Prix, there seems to have been a general shift in the power wielded by different teams, and it’s led to a set of results coming in that we may not have expected this time ten months ago. The results of this first meeting of the top six will certainly be eye-opening for the remainder of the season.
2022 Grand Prix Final predictions
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GOLD Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier CAN - Of all the teams here, Gilles/Poirier are the ones who have had the biggest return from disappointment from the Olympic season. They had Olympic and World podium on their minds, but finished seventh and fifth in those two events. But their scores this season have been the biggest of any of the teams here, and it has extended beyond Skate Canada, where they have traditionally done and scored well. This is their third GPF, and it is certainly looking like they will get on the podium for the first time.
SILVER Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri ITA - It’s their second Grand Prix Final appearance, and four years ago, they took bronze in the post-Olympic-season Final. They are back this year as the European team to beat, with three titles under their belt. To stay undefeated, though, they will need to be at their very best.
BRONZE Madison Chock/Evan Bates USA - They are no strangers to this event, having been in five previous Finals and taking silver at three of them. This season has been a challenge for them so far, having completely revamped their free dance between Skate America and NHK Trophy. Coming into this season as the highest ranked team from last season still skating this season, they have not found the same kind of standing so far. Of all of the teams, their relative standing this week will say a lot about where they are in the minds of the judges.
4. Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Sorensen CAN - The Canadian silver medalists grabbed a big upset a few weeks back when they beat Chock/Bates to win NHK Trophy, and they have the chance to do that again and finish on the podium in their first Grand Prix Final appearance.
5. Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson GBR - It’s already been a very busy seasons for Fear/Gibson—six competitions down, four titles, and two silvers on the Grand Prix. They have established their own brand of skating that has been crowd-pleasing and, so far this season, judge-pleasing. A podium finish is also within reach.
6. Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker USA - Perhaps the biggest off-season improvements of any of the top teams go to Hawayek/Baker, who knew that they needed to put up something special this season to continue their rise internationally. They have been in that 8-9-10 in the world range for the past five years, and this return to the Final is truly a step up for them in their career.