Chances for another seven quotas: what are the layouts for the Russian skaters in the selection for the Grand Prix finals before the final stage

Men

After five stages, Nathan Chen and Alexander Samarin were selected to the Grand Prix finals. The American figure skater submitted to competitions in the USA and France - thus continued his winning streak, lasting from the 2018 World Cup. The Russian athlete was second after Chen in Grenoble and, thanks to success at the home stage in Moscow, also qualified. For Samarin, this will be the first participation in the Grand Prix finals. Earlier in 2016, he competed in a junior tournament and took second place after Dmitry Aliyev.

Two Russian athletes may well be selected together this time. Aliyev won silver in Moscow after bronze in the USA, and usually these medals are enough to automatically reach the final. But still, he will have to wait for the final results of the Japanese stage, where four other applicants for the four remaining tickets will speak.

The fact is that Makar Ignatov joined the qualifying race after the Rostelecom Cup. Initially, he was not supposed to perform in the Grand Prix series at all. The organizers of the Moscow stage included him in the composition of the participants according to their own quota, and he will go to Sapporo instead of the ill Mikhail Kolyada. Ignatov managed to become a bronze medalist, having overtaken Shoma Uno, and now has a theoretical chance to break into the finals.

Together with the Russian, Yuzuru Hanyu (stage gold in Canada), Jason Brown (silver in the USA) and Kevin Aymoz (bronze in France) will perform at the last stage. Ignatov will need to beat one of them and win a medal in order to get to the finals himself, although there may be exceptions for which even this will not be enough. Aliyev, on the other hand, can hardly worry - so that he would be left without a trip to Turin, Chania should take fourth place, and the rest of the three candidates should play medals and score as many points as possible for his skating.

Women

Two victories at two stages provided trips to the finals to two newcomers to the Grand Prix series - Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova. Following them, two more students of Eteri Tutberidze, Alena Kostornaya and Alina Zagitova, who have the gold and silver of the competitions in Grenoble, can repeat this path.

Before the stage in Moscow, the situation with women's selection was rather confusing, but in the end it was resolved in the best way for Russian girls. The failure of Satoko Miyahara and third place Mariah Bell made it so that Kostornoy and Zagitova would be enough to win any medal in Sapporo.

And this is a very mild condition, taking into account the fact that Rick Kihira, who will be a very dangerous rival for both Russians, will come out on her own ice. It is enough for her to take any place on the podium to get a chance to defend the title of winner of the Grand Prix finals.

If all three girls play medals, which is the most plausible option, then the American Brady Tennell will pull the sixth ticket. Among those who scored 22 points in the previous stages, she goes ahead by additional criteria. Then the turn is occupied by Miyahara, Bell and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - if someone from the favorites of the Japanese stage fails or withdraws due to injuries, then trips will gradually pass into the hands of this trinity.

Couples

In pair skating, three participants have already passed the selection. These are Alexander Boykov and Dmitry Kozlovsky, winners of two stages, winners and silver medalists Peng Cheng and Jin Yang from China, as well as another Russian duet Daria Pavlyuchenko - Denis Khodykin. At least one more couple from Russia will join them, or, in certain cases, even two.

In Japan, three participants will argue for tickets to Turin. The winners of the previous stages — young Russians Anastasia Mishin and Alexander Galliamov, as well as world champions from China Sui Wenqing and Han Kun will have the highest chances of success. Any medal, even a bronze one, will allow you to take part in the final. There will be a big sensation if one of them does not fulfill such a simple criterion.

Also, the Canadian couple Kirsten Moore Towers and Michael Marinaro will try to defend their right to the finals. For guaranteed selection, they need to again take second place, as was already the case in Canada. If they are third, then they will be compared in the ranking with Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov. Two pairs will then judge the total grades in two stages. For the scales to swing towards the Moor Towers and Marinaro, they need to score 210.58 points, which Canadians are quite capable of. But if they become bronze medalists with a lower rating, then the bronze medalists of last year's tournament will fall into the final.

Dancing on Ice

In ice dancing with qualification, three duets did not have problems. Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov, who won two stages in one week, and two North American couples - Piper Gilles - Paul Poirier from Canada and Madison Hubbell - Zachary Donohue from the USA, managed the selection.

Perhaps it is in this discipline that the most fierce struggle for the remaining three quotas will unfold at the stage in Sapporo. It becomes even sharper for the simple reason that Gabriela Papadakis and Guillaume Sizeron will come to Japan for their next victory. In no case will they miss their ticket.

The remaining two places will be fought by Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin from Russia, Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri from Italy, as well as Laila Fire and Lewis Gibson from the UK. All of them need only silver for success, since there will be little bronze to overtake yet another American duo Madison Chock - Evan Bates, who has twice taken second places during this season.

There is an option in which Stepanova and Bukin have enough bronze, but then their main competitors in the dispute over the finals should simply be left without medals. However, such a scenario can still not be considered. It is the Russians who will be the favorites in the dispute for second place after Papadakis and Sizeron. They have both the best personal record and higher ratings this season. Only a very gross mistake will deprive Stepanova and Bukin of a trip to Turin.