NHK Trophy: A numbers game ahead of Grand Prix Final
The NHK Trophy is a numbers game.
Simply put, the outcome of this event, the final of six in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, is as much about who the final qualifiers for the Grand Prix Final will be as the way in which they accomplish that task.
Three men will vie for the top spot in Japan. They all finished with a silver medal in their first Grand Prix outing, giving them a head start on earning a berth in the final. For Yuzuru Hanyu, Boyang Jin and Maxim Kovtun, finishing in first, second or third would be enough to qualify for the final.
In my mind, taking the gold in style is also what's at stake. The top total score in the Grand Prix series is 271.43, held by reigning world champion Javier Fernandez. He's followed closely by Patrick Chan with 271.14. Surpassing those scores could generate the kind of confidence a skater like Hanyu needs to take to the Grand Prix Final and any other crown beyond.
Reigning world champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada are in a league of their own compared to the rest of the pairs field in Japan. Does this mean that they should let their guard down and phone it in? Absolutely not. First off, Americans Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim, and the French team of Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, have silver Grand Prix medals and would like nothing better than to unseat the world champions on their way to the Grand Prix Final.
No time to relax
Meagan and Eric have posted the highest total score during the Grand Prix with 216.16. As it is only .16 ahead of Russians Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov, I suggest that they focus their attention on improving their own score as a way of heading into the final as the team to beat.
The ice dance event, meanwhile, will be a battle of the Americans. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue won the Trophée Eric Bompard two weeks ago, but that was based on the short dance results only. As a result, I have a question mark beside their names.
Meanwhile, just when I thought that Maia and Alex Shibutani had reached the top of their potential, they proved how much they had improved when they took the silver at Skate Canada. Their enhanced strength and style have made me a believer.
Interestingly, Canadian champions Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje hold the top two total scores for the Grand Prix: 173.79 and 173.58. Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates' best score in the Grand Prix is 173.22, while 2014 world champions, Italy's Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte, have re-entered the world ranks with a bang at 173.30. These are the scores that the top skaters in the NHK field will want to aim for if they want to be taken seriously as contenders at the final.
Japanese women have been a dominating force in figure skating for quite some time. At her best, or even at her worst, Mao Asada is one of a kind. After a year away from skating, she's off to a sluggish start to ISU competition this season. Her score of 197.48 was enough to win her gold at this year's Cup of China, but it's much lower than the 216.69 she scored while winning the 2014 world title.
Although I think she will take the NHK title in front of a hometown crowd, her current score is more than 14 points behind Elena Radionova's high of 211.32.
Pj's Podium Picks
Men: Yuzuru Hanyu, JPN
Ladies: Mao Asada, JPN
Pairs: Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, CAN
Dance: Maia and Alex Shibutani, USA
NHK Trophy on CBC
Saturday (All times ET and streamed on CBCSports.ca)
- Pairs free program, 12:05 a.m.
- Men's free program, 2:25 a.m.
- Ladies free program, 5:15 a.m.
- Ice dance free program, 9;45 p.m.
