Opportunity awaits at Grand Prix de France 2022 where Hendrickx, Aymoz are set to feature: Preview and how to watch live
All four disciplines are wide open in the third Grand Prix stop of the post-Olympic season, set to feature in Angers, France, for a first time.
Figure Skating
Which skaters can claim their first-ever Grand Prix medals in week three of the post-Olympic season?
Figure skating heads across the Atlantic Ocean from Skate Canada to Grand Prix de France 2022, held in the western French city of Angers on Friday and Saturday (4 & 5 November).
Twelve skaters or teams have notched a career-first Grand Prix medal so far this 2022/23 season in what was expected to be a year of unexpected results. It has been exactly that so far – and said theme is likely to continue in Angers, where the fields in all four disciplines appear to be open.
Wide open.
Here, a preview of the action to come, the stars to watch and a full schedule – with TV tune-in times.
Aymoz, Hendrickx lead established stars in France
While the skating world is in flux post-Beijing 2022, reigning world silver medallist Loena Hendrickx kicks off her Grand Prix campaign among the favourites in the women’s field.
It was a year ago at the Italian Grand Prix that Hendrickx became the first woman to win a Grand Prix medal for Belgium.
Kevin Aymoz will be the home favourite (along with Adam Siao Him Fa) on the weekend, Aymoz having gone through a myriad of challenges [see video above] during his Olympic season on the way to the Games, including several injuries.
Aymoz, 25, is the 2019 Grand Prix Final bronze medallist, and finished in 12th and 11th at last year’s Olympics and World Championships, respectively.
Japan’s Tomono Kazuki, 24, is back for a seventh senior season on the international stage, having shone bursts of greatness in the past, including a sixth-place finish at Worlds this last year. Tomono has won three Grand Prix medals previously.
Veteran Mae Berenice-Miete of France, a two-time Olympian in 2014 and 2018, is set to skate. Last year she made the difficult decision to take herself out of contention for Beijing having suffered an ankle injury at Worlds in 2021.
Yamamoto, Kawabe aim for more Japanese success
After strong showings from Sakamoto Kaori, Watanabe Rinka, Miura Kao, and Uno Shoma to start the year in singles, Japan wants to keep its momentum going – including the aforementioned Tomono.
Yamamoto Sota is now 22 and a former Junior World bronze medalist (in 2015), but continues to be one to watch, while teenagers Kawabe Mana and Matsuike Rino would like to emulate Watanabe’s breakout performance from Skate Canada.
Kawabe, armed with a triple Axel, was second at NHK Trophy last year before winning bronze at the Japanese Championships, earning her way to her first Olympic Games. She finished 23rd.
Fifteen-year-old Sumiyoshi Rion is making her senior Grand Prix debut.
South Korea’s Kim Yelim (9th in Beijing) and Lee Haein (7th at Worlds) will be ones to watch in the women’s singles field, as well.
Guignard/Fabbri look to level up
And what about in pairs and ice dance? The pairs field appears to be very open, with Skate America medallists Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps eyeing a spot at the Grand Prix Final should they come away with a top-two finish.
Italy’s Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini finished 14th at the Olympics last year and won the U.S. International Classic Challenger Series event last month.
Also to keep an eye on: Lombardia Trophy champs Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel; Karina Safina and Luka Berulava, who were fourth at Worlds in 2022; and the French team of Camille and Pavel Kovalev, the husband-wife duo who were eighth at Worlds.
In ice dance, all eyes will be on Italy’s Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, the Italian duo who have a long lens fixed on their home Games for Milano Cortina 2026. The veterans are three-time Olympians and were fifth in Beijing before moving up to fourth in Montpellier last season.
While they have seven Grand Prix medals to their names, they’ve yet to win a gold. Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen of Canada could stand in their way, but the Italians are certainly favoured in this one.
Schedule of timings for Grand Prix de France 2022
Grand Prix de France is set to be held in Angers following a five-year stint in Grenoble. The competition will take place on Friday and Saturday, with the afternoon session running right into the evening.
All times are Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT/UTC.
Friday, 4 November
13:00 to 14:31 - Women’s short program
15:00 to 16:18 - Ice dance rhythm dance
16:45 to 18:16 - Men’s short program
18:45 to 19:50 - Pairs short program
Saturday, 5 November
13:00 to 14:49 - Women’s free skate
15:10 to 16:41 - Ice dance free dance
17:00 to 18:49 - Men’s free skate
19:10 to 20:27 - Pairs free skate
Sunday, 6 November
14:30 to 17:00 - Exhibition gala
How to watch ISU Grand Prix de France 2022 live
The ISU streams the Grand Prix on its YouTube channel – though many territories are geoblocked from watching.
American fans can watch on Peacock, the full list of ISU broadcast partners showing the action on their TV and streaming services for the Grand Prix events is here.