When World champions Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara withdrew from this week’s 2023 Skate America, the dynamics of the field completely changed. One of the remaining seven pairs will get a chance to win their first Grand Prix title, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. It’s also a chance for two of these pairs—both top ten at Worlds last season—to start this Grand Prix with a statement.
Skate America predictions
Official hashtags: #SkateAmerica #GPFigure
GOLD Lia Pereira/Trennt Michaud CAN - Sixth at Worlds in their debut season, Pereira/Michaud have a lot of greatness to build on, and they come in with a great look at the title. They met Hocke/Kunkel exactly one month ago at Nebelhorn Trophy and finished one spot below them by 0.07. You know this will be a close race, and the side-by-sides will tell the tale. Theirs are stronger, but Hocke/Kunkel have the edge on throws.
SILVER Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel GER - It’s already been a very busy season for the German champs, with two bronze medal finishes on the Challenger circuit. Their reps this season could be the key to them getting that first Grand Prix title. It will be important for them to hit a clean short so that they don’t go into the free skate having to dig out of a deficit.
BRONZE Chelsea Liu/Balazs Nagy USA - The new pair has had a fast start, and their pairing looks strong and promising. This will be their second event together after a solid fourth place at Autumn Classic to start their partnership. Both of them have had a series of partnerships over the past few years, and this one might just be the one that sticks.
4. Valentina Plazas/Maximiliano Fernandez USA - Seventh at Nebelhorn Trophy in a very competitive field, Plazas/Fernandez also have a good look at the podium. They impress with their lifts, and they will have to get their side-by-sides in the right spot to put themselves on the Grand Prix podium for the first time.
5. Anastasia Vaipan-Law/Luke Digby GBR - With a top-ten finish at Europeans last year, the two-time British champions have been steadily improving over the past couple of seasons. They haveput down some strong skates already this season, most recently with silver at Tayside Trophy just last week.
6. Isabelle Martins/Ryan Bedard USA - In their first senior season, Martins/Bedard took sixth behind Vaipan-Law/Digby at Autumn Classic earlier in the season.
7. Irma Caldara/Riccardo Maglio ITA - Italian pairs have really made a name in their depth, and Caldara/Maglio were fourth at Italian Nationals last year. Their season so far has been subpar compared to what they showed last year, most recently with an eighth-place finish at Finlandia.