Grand Prix Final 2023 – Top figure skaters go head-to-head in Beijing: Preview, how to watch
Sakamoto Kaori and Adam Siao Him Fa look to complete respective Grand Prix season sweeps after going double gold this Series. See who else is in action at figure skating’s most elite event.
Figure Skating
After a roller-coaster first half of the season, figure skating arrives at its most elite event: The Grand Prix Final.
The top six skaters and teams from each of the sport’s four disciplines are set to descend on the National Indoor Stadium this weekend (7-10 December), the same venue used for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Reigning Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world champion Sakamoto Kaori looks for a clean sweep of her three Grand Prix appearances this year, having not lost at an international event since she faltered to fifth place at the Final a year ago.
Adam Siao Him Fa of France is the only other singles skater to win both of his Grand Prix events this year, the 22-year-old capturing gold at both Grand Prix de France and Cup of China in back-to-back weeks while becoming just the sixth man to break the 300-point barrier when he won in Angers (306.78).
It’s a loaded men’s field in Beijing, with Olympic medallists Uno Shoma and Kagiyama Yuma of Japan joining Siao Him Fa, as well as American Ilia Malinin, Japan’s Miura Kao and another Frenchman, Kevin Aymoz, rounding out the select six.
Sakamoto will see challenges from fellow winners this season in Loena Hendrickx of Belgium, USA’s Isabeau Levito and Yoshida Hana of Japan. Another Japanese skater, Sumiyoshi Rion, and Belgium’s Nina Pinzarrone are also set to compete.
In pairs, Canada’s Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps are favoured, while reigning world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates lead the field in ice dance.
See a preview of the action below, as well as a full schedule for the competition (including the junior event) – and find out how to tune in.
Sakamoto leads women; men's field crowded
The singles disciplines saw nine different winners this Grand Prix (out of 12 golds on offer), with surprise NHK Trophy champion Ava Ziegler failing to qualify for the Final having only received one event assignment for the Series.
Sakamoto is the clear favourite in the women’s event, her 226.13 at Skate Canada five points clear of Hendrickx’s 221.28 at Skate America the week prior. Kaori also brings her consistency and experience into the Final a year after she appeared to run out of mental gas in the free skate in Turin as Hendrickx still looks to be searching for said week in, week out high-level skating.
The men’s event appears to be quite evenly matched, with Kagiyama returning to some of his best form following a season felled by injury last year. It’s still the big-jumping Malinin who has the highest score of the season (310.47 at Skate America), but each of Kagiyama, Siao Him Fa and Uno have shown the ability to bring such a level.
Uno was marked for four q’s (quarter of a rotation under) on his quadruple jumps at NHK Trophy, where he was second to the 20-year-old Kagiyama. Those quad landings are something he’ll look to improve on at Beijing.
Can Stellato-Dudek win GPF gold at 40?
Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps look to fill the void left by reigning world champions (and 2022 GPF winners) Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi of Japan, who have missed most of the first half of the season as Kihara nurses a back injury. Their 214.64 at Skate Canada is 10 points north of Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany, who also swept both their Grand Prix stops.
World bronze medallists Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy as well as Canadians Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud are teams to keep an eye on, too.
Chock/Bates will have plenty of competition in dance, with fellow veterans Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada and Italy’s Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri in the running, as well as Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain, who just stunned for the NHK Trophy title.
Grand Prix Final 2023: Schedule
All times listed are local Beijing (CST) time (GMT +8).
Thursday, 7 December
- 15:45 Junior men’s short program
- 16:50 Junior women’s short program
- 17:55 Senior pairs short program
- 19:07 Senior men’s short program
- 20:15 Junior pairs short program
Friday, 8 December
- 15:30 Junior ice dance rhythm dance
- 16:45 Senior pairs free skate
- 18:05 Junior women’s free skate
- 19:55 Senior women’s short program
- 21:00 Senior ice dance rhythm dance
Saturday, 9 December
- 13:00 Junior ice dance free dance
- 14:20 Junior pairs free skate
- 15:45 Junior men’s free skate
- 17:50 Senior ice dance free dance
- 19:10 Senior women’s free skate
- 20:27 Senior men’s free skate
Sunday, 10 December
- 14:30 Exhibition gala
Grand Prix Final 2023: How to watch
American fans can find the Grand Prix Final on NBC and its digital platform, Peacock.
The ISU provides a "where to watch" page for international fans, some of who will be able to watch via the ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-blocking may apply.