Figure skatingAnticipation abound for Oda's return at NHK Trophy

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You’re not going to want to miss the NHK Trophy event this weekend from Tokyo. It is the sixth and final Grand Prix event in the series and the last chance for skaters to earn points towards qualifying for the ISU Grand Prix Final in Korea next month.

The most eagerly anticipated event has to be the men with the return of Japan’s Nobunari Oda, who is making his international Grand Prix debut.

Oda was off last season and therefore unable to accumulate any world standings points to put him on the selection list for this year’s Grand Prix series. The host federation for a Grand Prix event does have the discretion to name any skater as part of their team, regardless of world standing, which is what has happened here with Oda. My best guess is that he is going to win this event based on his unbelievable jumping ability, his knack for interpreting music and the purity of his skating style.

Although a solitary win here will not give Oda enough points to qualify for the Grand Prix Final, it will give us an idea of his potential this season in competition. Americans Johnny Weir and Stephen Carriere will be his toughest competition in Tokyo. They each have silver medals from their Grand Prix events and need to finish no lower than second in order to secure a ticket for Korea.

In the ladies competition, defending world champion Mao Asada of Japan needs to finish in the top two to qualify for the Final after only collecting silver at her first Grand Prix event and will have to. Teammate Yukari Nakano is in the same boat. The fourth-place finisher at the 2008 worlds will be a real threat to Asada here.

If there was going to be a dark horse it would be Finland’s Laura Lepisto, who can only qualify with any assurance for the Final with a win here. Lepisto can be brilliant but is also plagued with inconsistent performances making her a shaky candidate at best.

Neither Canadians Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison nor Qing Pang and Jian Tong from China were at their strongest in their first Grand Prix outings and definitely have something to prove at this event.

The Canadians were the 2008 world bronze medallists while Pang and Tong were world champions in 2006 meaning that both teams are strong, of a superior quality and eager to stay in the mix for pairs on the world stage. For the Chinese, the only way to confidently secure their spot for Korea is by winning the title in Japan. Dube and Davison can take home either gold or silver and be assured of their place at the Final.

The Italian ice dance team of Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali are well on their way to being real contenders in the world of ice dance this year. Faiella and Scali finished second to world champions Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France at Trophee Eric Bompard though the Italians did beat them in the original dance.

Faiella and Scali’s real competition in Tokyo, theoretically, would be from the talented team of Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat from France. Although they only trailed the Italians by a couple of placings in the world standings, their original dance and free dance are so forgettable this year, that sadly they are not much of a threat.

All of the free programs will be live streamed on CBCSports.ca starting at 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28th. Please check the website for the complete schedule.

Pj’s Picks:

Men: Nobunari Oda (JPN)
Pairs: Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison (CAN)
Dance: Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali (ITA)
Ladies: Mao Asada (JPN)

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