Figure skatingThe Grand Prix season begins

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First comes Everett, then Ottawa for the Homesense Skate Canada International, then Beijing, Paris, Moscow and Tokyo. What stays the same year to year is the format. What changes are the competitors.

Changing of the guard

This season’s biggest stories will be the unofficial countdown for the Olympics and the changing of the guard in men. With the retirement of 2008 world champion Jeffrey Buttle of Canada and 2005 and 2006 world champion Stephane Lambiel from Switzerland, this series of events is more important than ever to determine dominance in the competitors.

In the men's field, we are going to see world medallists and teammates Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek vying for the gold at Skate America. First-time senior GP competitors, Canadians Ian Martinez and Kevin Reynolds, have the technical ability to compete, but will need to see how their “component” marks stack up. World junior champions Adam Rippon of the U.S. (2008) and Takahiko Kozuka of Japan (2006) are also so strong that making the leap from the junior ranks to senior is no longer the big deal it might have been coming into their first senior GP event.

For my money, don’t take your eyes off the ladies. In this very complex mix, we have two former world champions, Japan's Miki Ando (2007), American Kimmie Meissner (2006) as well as two-time world bronze medallist, Korean Yu-Na Kim. Kim is the undisputed “thoroughbred” in this bunch with exquisite lines and a lyrical style that is hard to match. The wild cards in this event will be Americans Rachael Flatt, the 2008 junior world champion, and national champion Mirai Nagasu, both of whom were too young to compete at last season’s world championships.

Ice dance is going to be a two-way race between the 2008 world champions from France, Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder, and 2006 Olympic silver medallists Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the U.S.

Canadian influence

In a bid to stay ahead of competitors, Delobel and Schoenfelder have been looking to innovative Canadians Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon for help in their choreography. Belbin and Agosto made a coaching change after the worlds to Natalia Linichuk, who they hope will give them the boost they need after a disastrous season where they were held off the world podium for the first time since 2005.

Unless something entirely unforeseen happens in the pairs competition, the 2008 world champions, Germans Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, will take the gold at Skate America. What is going to make this event interesting is the rest of the field.

Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin will use this is a stepping stone in helping Buntin regain full strength from his shoulder injuries. The 2007 world junior champions and defending U.S. champions, Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker are very impressive in their speed and could easily overtake the rest to take the silver. They, like so many other top skaters, are among this crop of juniors who are ready to step into senior shoes.

Pj’s picks:

Pairs: Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy (GER)
Men: Johnny Weir (USA)
Dance: Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto (USA)
Ladies: Yu-Na Kim (KOR)

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