Find out who's qualified for the 2022-23 Grand Prix Final

Quad Axel jumper Ilia Malinin and reigning world champions Sakamoto Kaori and Uno Shoma headline the event in Turin from 8-11 December.

6 minBy Rory Jiwani
GP Final THUMB

Who will come out on top at the 2022-23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Turin?

The fields were decided on Saturday (26 November) as the Grand Prix of Espoo drew to a close with Ilia Malinin taking the men's singles after Mihara Mai had won the women's.

Malinin, who landed his unique quad Axel for the third time in competition in Finland, and reigning world champion Uno Shoma were the only men to win two Grand Prix events this season.

Mihara stands alone as the only dual women's winner this season although her fellow Japanese, world champion Sakamoto Kaori, will be the favourite despite being beaten by Kim Yelim at the NHK Trophy.

World silver medallist Loena Hendrickx was second to Mihara in Finland after suffering from illness, and the Belgian will certainly be among the title contenders in northern Italy from 8-11 December.

Men's singles qualifiers for Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final

Uno Shoma (JPN)

The reigning world champion and two-time Olympic singles medallist claimed victory at Skate Canada, before coming from behind at the NHK Trophy for his eight career Grand Prix triumph.

Ilia Malinin (USA)

Malinin, who turns 18 days before the Grand Prix Final, has now landed three quad Axels in competition. HIs second helped him land the Skate America title before he clinched the Grand Prix of Espoo.

His winning score of 280.37 at Skate America is the best this season, just ahead of Uno's 279.76 at the NHk Trophy.

Miura Kao (JPN)

The 17-year-old impressed in the opening two competitions of the Grand Prix season, taking second place on consecutive weekends at Skate America and Skate Canada.

Yamamoto Sota (JPN)

The 22-year-old backed up his second place at the Grand Prix de France with another second at the NHK Trophy two weeks later having led with the season's best short program mark.

Yamamoto won gold at the Youth Olympic Games Lillehammer 2016.

Daniel Grassl (ITA)

After finishing fourth at Skate America, the 20-year-old claimed his first Grand Prix victory at the MK John Wilson Trophy.

Sato Shun (JPN)

The reigning Junior Grand Prix Final champion - he was victorious when it was last held in 2019-20 - took second in the Grand Prix of Espoo to take the last finalspot ahead of Grand Prix de France winner Adam Siao Him Fa.

READ: Ilia Malinin exclusive: On the quad Axel, how he's inspired by Hanyu - and being raised by Olympians

Women's singles qualifiers for Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final

Mihara Mai (JPN)

The only dual winner this season, Mihara posted a big personal best of 217.43 to take the MK John Wilson Trophy before edging out Loena Hendrickx in the Grand Prix of Espoo.

Sakamoto Kaori (JPN)

The reigning world champion posted the best score of the season - 217.61 - to win Skate America, but was only second behind Kim Yelim at the NHK Trophy.

Kim Yelim (KOR)

The 19-year-old Korean was second at the Grand Prix de France before stunning Sakamoto to take the NHK Trophy in Sapporo.

Loena Hendrickx (BEL)

Belgium's world silver medallist produced the best short program score of the series at the Grand Prix of Espoo, but finished second behind Mihara.

Hendrickx's winning score at the Grand Prix de France of 216.34 is just over a point shy of Sakamoto's season high.

Isabeau Levito (USA)

Reigning junior world champion Levito has made a superb start in the senior ranks, taking second at Skate America.

The 15-year-old then set a new personal best of 215.74 to repeat that placing in the MK John Wilson Trophy.

Watanabe Rinka (JPN)

After her victory at Skate Canada, Watanabe scraped into the GP Final with a fifth place at the NHK Trophy. The 20-year-old from Tokyo will have to go close to her career best total of 213.14 - set at September's Challenger Series Lombardia Trophy - to challenge for a podium finish.

Ice Dance qualifiers for Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final

Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier completed their second victory of the season at the Grand Prix of Espoo in style, setting personal best scores across the board.

Their winning total of 219.49 was the best of the series as they backed up their win in Skate Canada.

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy also won two events this season, taking the Grand Prix de France and the MK John Wilson Trophy where they set a new career best total of 213.74.

Perennial contenders Madison Chock and Evan Bates took a home win at Skate America but were then beaten by training partners Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen at the NHK Trophy.

The Canadians have been the breakout story in ice dance this season, setting a big personal best in Sapporo to improve on their second place in the Grand Prix de France.

The other finalists are British Olympians Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, and Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker of the United States.

Pairs qualifiers for Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final

World champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier head the pairs field after victories at Skate America and the MK John Wilson Trophy.

But they face stiff opposition from Japan's world silver medallists Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi whose career-best 216.16 at the NHK Trophy was the highest total of the series.

Miura and Kihara had previously won Skate Canada.

Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps were second to Knierim/Frazier at Skate America before claiming their first Grand Prix win at the Grand Prix de France with Stellato-Dudek becoming the oldest Grand Prix winner at 39.

Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe of the United States are in their first Grand Prix Final after second places at Skate Canada and the NHK Trophy.

Italy's Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini won the last round, the Grand Prix of Espoo, to book their spot in the final after their fourth at the Grand Prix de France.

Their compatriots Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii complete the line-up.

Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final schedule (all times local CET):

Thursday 8 December (from 15:00)

Junior Men - short program
Junior Pairs - short program
Junior Women - short program
Opening Ceremony
Pairs - short program
Men - short program

Friday 9 December (from 15:00)

Junior Ice Dance - rhythm dance
Junior Women - free skating
Pairs - free skating
Victory Ceremony Sr. Pairs and Jr. Women
**Ice Dance - rhythm dance
Women - short program
**

Saturday 10 December (from 13:30)

**Men - free skating
**Junior Pairs - free skating
Junior Men - free skating
Victory Ceremony Jr. Men, Sr. Men and Jr. Pairs
Junior Ice Dance - free dance
**Ice Dance - free dance
Women - free skating
**Victory Ceremony Sr. Women, Jr. Ice Dance, Sr. Ice Dance

Sunday 11 December (from 14:00)

Exhibition Gala

More from