Ice dance is usually not the place where you think the unpredictable happens. But it’s been exactly where it’s happened this season, with all three of the reigning World medalists making a big mistake in one of their Grand Prix events and completely upending what most thought the standings would be. Are we going back to normal this week at the Grand Prix Final, or are we in for more gasping?
Grand Prix Final predictions
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GOLD Madison Chock/Evan Bates USA - The two-time World champions are back to defend their Grand Prix Final title, and they are back with some of the best material they’ve had in this Olympic quad. They shook off that fluke error at Skate America and grabbed the highest score of the season so far at NHK Trophy. A win here would set them up well for a run at a three-peat come March at home in Boston.
SILVER Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier CAN - A shocking error halfway through their free dance at Finlandia Trophy dropped them behind Fear/Gibson there, but like Chock/Bates, they are looking to shake that mistake off and look ahead to this showdown. They won here two years ago and are likely the ones who have the most realistic look at gold outside of Chock/Bates.
BRONZE Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri ITA - After a huge mistake in the free dance at Grand Prix de France left them with their lowest free dance score since 2018, Guignard/Fabbri got it back together to win at Cup of China and get into the Final for the fourth time. Content-wise, they trail the other two top teams this season, and that can very well be the difference here. If they aren’t careful, they could be staring down another upset by either Lajoie/Lagha or Fear/Gibson.
4. Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha CAN - Their rise over the past couple of seasons has been very apparent. 14th at Worlds in 2021, then 11th in 2022, and then fifth earlier this year right behind Fear/Gibson. It very much feels like they are a fast-moving train ready to announce themselves ahead of the Olympic season. We’ve seen this story before—perhaps most notably, it was the season before Vancouver 2010 where both Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir and Meryl Davis/Charlie White made their big moves, eventually to the top two steps of the podium. Lajoie/Lagha look like they are on that same trajectory, and could very well leave with the surprise podium finish this week.
5. Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson GBR - The ONLY undefeated team this entire season, Fear/Gibson come into the Final having beaten Chock/Bates and Gilles/Poirier. What’s interesting, though, is that their win at Finlandia Trophy was the lowest score they had earned this season even with a relatively clean skate. We will see if that is an anomaly or if that signals a potential shift with Lajoie/Lagha’s ascent this season.
6. Evgeniia Lopareva/Geoffrey Brissaud FRA - It’s a breakout season for the French champions, and they continue to differentiate themselves from the rest of the teams through their music and choreography selections. They will make their Grand Prix Final debut, fittingly at home, after taking the surprise win at Grand Prix de France.