events

Twenty U.S. Athletes to Compete at Two International Competitions this Week

icenetwork.com 2011 Cup of China event page
icenetwork.com 2011 Ice Challenge event page

Richard Dornbush photo by Paul Harvath

(11/1/11) - Twelve U.S. athletes will compete at 2011 Cup of China, the third event of the 2011 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, while eight athletes travel to Graz, Austria, for 2011 Ice Challenge.

At Cup of China, each of the four disciplines will take the ice Friday from the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai. Senior competition begins from Graz on Thursday with the short dance at the Liebenauer Eishalle.

For full coverage of both events, including news, photos and results, visit www.icenetwork.com. Live and on-demand video coverage of Cup of China will be available to icenetwork.com Season Pass subscribers.

Coverage of Cup of China will also be available to UniversalSports.com subscribers. Visit www.UniversalSports.com for more information.

Mirai Nagasu continues the season after making her Grand Prix debut last week at Skate Canada where she placed fifth. Nagasu started the season with a win at 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy earlier this fall. Christina Gao, who finished fourth at the 2011 World Junior Championships, makes her senior international debut in Shanghai. Gao owns five medals from two seasons competing on the Junior Grand Prix, including the 2009 JGP Final bronze medal.

Jeremy Abbott makes his season debut this week. The two-time U.S. champion finished the 2010-11 season with a bronze medal at the Four Continents championships after medaling in both of this Grand Prix events (silver at NHK Trophy and bronze at Rostelecom Cup) and finishing fourth at the 2011 U.S. Championships. Richard Dornbush made his Grand Prix Series career debut two weeks ago at 2011 Hilton HHonors Skate America where he placed fourth.

Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig, two-time reigning U.S. silver medalists and 2010 Olympians, look for their second career Grand Prix Series medal in China. They were fifth at this event last season before winning bronze at 2010 Rostelecom Cup.

Last season, Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani became the first ice dancing team to medal at both of their Grand Prix events in their first year as seniors (bronze at NHK Trophy and Skate America). They built on that success by becoming the 2010 U.S. silver medalists and then the first U.S. ice dancing team to medal in their debut at the World Championships (bronze). Charlotte Lichtman & Dean Copely make their international senior debuts. They are the 2011 U.S. titlists and 2011 World Junior bronze medalists. Emily Samuelson & Todd Gilles make their competitive debuts. They announced their partnership in late August. Samuelson, a 2010 Olympian with former partner Evan Bates, did not compete last year after a Bates injury forced them to sit out the season. Gilles previously skated with Jane Summersett and Trina Pratt.

The Grand Prix Series, now in its 17th season, consists of six international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Approximately 300 athletes from 30 countries are expected to participate in the series. Each athlete is eligible to score points in two of the six scheduled events. The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Quebec City, Canada, Dec. 8-11. Athletes will compete for a total of more than $1.35 million in prize money throughout the series.

Caroline Zhang continues her season after making her debut two weeks ago at 2011 Hilton HHonors Skate America where she placed sixth.

Stephen Carriere is the 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy bronze medalist. Andrea Poapst & Chris Knierim, the 2011 U.S. junior silver medalists, make their international debuts in Graz.

Like Zhang, Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello made their season debuts at Skate America. They are joined by Lynn Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt. The duo takes the ice for the first time since placing fifth at the 2011 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Held annually since 1971, Ice Challenge is organized by the Austrian Figure Skating Association.