Cup of China 2024: Adam Siao Him Fa among top challengers as last Grand Prix Final spots decided - Preview, schedule, how to watch
The last ISU Grand Prix finalists will be decided based on the results of the Cup of China where a number of figure skaters, including France's Adam Siao Him Fa, USA's Amber Glenn, and Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, will try to double up on their earlier victories in the series.
Figure Skating
The last 10 spots at the figure skating Grand Prix Final in Grenoble, France, will be decided during the 2024 Cup of China with France's Adam Siao Him Fa and USA's Amber Glenn among the earlier winners hoping to double up and claim their tickets.
The sixth stop on the ISU series takes place in Chongqing, People's Republic of China, from 22 to 24 November.
A fierce competition between Japanese skaters is expected in the women's singles event as Watanabe Rinka, Chiba Mone, and Sumiyoshi Rion try to join three teammates who have already qualified for December's Final. Their male counterpart Sato Shun will endeavour to do the same in his discipline and represent Japan in Grenoble, together with NHK Trophy and Finlandia Trophy winner Kagiyama Yuma.
The pairs line-up in Chongqing offers a glimpse of what's to come in December with the winners of last year's Grand Prix Final Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany set to battle their closest rivals, 2023 runners-up Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii. The German duo bumped the Italians into second position at the Grand Prix de France earlier in November and the Cup of China could deliver another close competition between them.
Three-time Olympians Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri headline the ice dance field at the Cup of China with Canada's Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha and USA's Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko also in contention to win spots in the Final.
Find out the stars to watch and full competition schedule in our preview, below.
Stars to watch at 2024 Cup of China
With 15 points earned from his victory at the Grand Prix de France, Adam Siao Him Fa is in a strong position to make the Final on home ice in Grenoble.
It was far from an easy win in Angers, however, where the two-time European champion unravelled in his short program to finish eighth on the first day. While the following day saw him rise to first – a jump on a scale never before seen at a Grand Prix – the French athlete is determined to deliver two clean skates in China.
In a step from convention, Siao Him Fa is competing two short programs this season and it remains to be seen if he will opt for the dynamic "Gangsta's Paradise" as in Angers or the melancholic "S.O.S. d'un terrien en detresse" performed by the late Gregory Lemarchal.
Sato Shun, who finished second at Skate Canada, could also collect enough points to advance to the Final if he gets a high placing in China.
With the Final out of his reach, Jin Boyang has a different goal at the home competition as he tries to get on a Grand Prix podium for the first time in four years. The Chinese skater, who has struggled to return to form in recent seasons, broke through with a winning short program at the Grand Prix de France, but could not carry the momentum into his free skate, finishing eighth overall. The Cup of China will be an opportunity to bounce back from that result.
Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov returns to the rink where he won his only Grand Prix medal thus far, a bronze at the 2023 Cup of China. Fans will be watching to see if he can repeat that result and if he attempts the triple Axel-quad toe combination in the free skate as he did in the Grand Prix de France, making history as the first skater to land it in competition.
In the women's singles event, expect stellar performances from Japan's Watanabe Rinka, Chiba Mone and Sumiyoshi Rion as the trio could potentially secure an all-Japanese line-up at the Grand Prix Final. Of the three, only Sumiyoshi was at the Final last season. She finished third at the Grand Prix de France and trails two points behind her teammates who placed second at earlier Grand Prix events, Watanabe at Skate America and Chiba at the NHK Trophy.
Mixing into the all-Japanese tussle is USA national champion Amber Glenn. The skater enjoyed a strong start to the season, winning the Grand Prix de France and the ISU Challenger Series Lombardia Trophy, and is on track to qualify for her career's first Grand Prix Final.
Teen star Kim Chaeyeon of the Republic of Korea is another strong podium contender at the Cup of China. The 2024 world bronze medallist was second after the short skate at the Grand Prix de France, but mistakes in the free cost her a podium finish. She will try to improve on that in Chongqing.
German pair Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin remain undefeated on the Grand Prix stage in their second season of skating together. But as at the 2023 Final, their main rivals Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii will be on hand in Chongqing to try and end that winning streak.
The Italians came short of that goal at the Grand Prix de France in November as they trailed 8.3 points to Hase and Volodin but have another opportunity to do so in China.
Fifth at the Grand Prix de France, Canada's Lia Pereira and Trentt Michaud are also likely contenders to reach the podium.
In ice dance, the eyes of many will be on Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri as the Italian duo try to bounce back from their free skate in France, which Fabbri called "the worst performance in our 15-year career". The three-time Olympians still finished second and are in contention for a spot in the Final, but their disappointment in Angers could prove a heavy mental burden to carry.
Like Guignard and Fabbri, Canada's Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha and USA's Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko have 13 points from their second-place finishes earlier in the season, at Skate Canada and the NHK Trophy, respectively. Expect a tough battle between the three pairs as they try to clinch tickets to Grenoble.
2023 Grand Prix Final winners Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin are aiming to secure their spot at the 2024 edition via the Cup of China.
2024 Cup of China: Competition dates and schedule
The 2024 edition of the ISU Grand Prix series event takes place in Chongqing, People's Republic of China, from 22 to 24 November.
Here is the full schedule of the competition events. All times listed are local (China Standard Time, GMT +8).
Friday, 22 November
- Ice dance rhythm: 14:45-16:03
- Women’s short: 16:25-17:54
- Opening Ceremony: 18:15
- Men's short: 19:00-20:29
- Pairs short: 20:50-21:55
Saturday, 23 November
- Ice dance free: 14:30-16:02
- Women’s free: 16:30-18:17
- Men’s free: 18:40-20:27
- Pairs free: 20:50-22:07
Sunday, 24 November
- Exhibition gala: 14:30-17:00
2024 Cup of China: How to watch
Chinese fans will be able to watch the action from the home Grand Prix on CCTV. Here is a list of broadcasters in other key territories:
- Australia - SBS
- Brazil - ESPN
- Canada - CBC
- People’s Republic of China - CCTV
- Finland - YLE
- France - France TV
- Germany - ARD; ZDF
- Great Britain - Eurosport
- Italy - Rai
- Japan - Fuji
- Mexico - Sky Mexico
- USA - NBC's streaming service Peacock
For full tune-in information, see the ISU’s “Where to Watch” page.
ISU also provides live streaming on its YouTube account, although many territories are geo-blocked.