2022 Winter Olympics: Pairs Individual Event Preview

The last figure skating event of the 2022 Winter Olympics will be the high-flying pairs competition, China’s marquee discipline with stars Wenjing Sui and Cong Han in the mix for the gold medal. They will be challenged by three strong teams representing ROC, including current World Champions Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov. Here’s a quick introduction to some of the teams!

See also: 2022 Winter Olympics Info & Streaming for how to watch!

Wenjing Sui / Cong Han (China)

• Age: 26/29

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 82.83, FS - 145.11, Total - 224.55

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 82.83, FS - 155.60, Total - 234.84

• Programs: SP - Mission Impossible 2 Orchestra Suite, FS - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Pyeongchang Olympic silver medalists and 2-time World Champions, Sui and Han come into their second Olympic Games as strong contenders for the gold medal. They have led Chinese skating for the last 8 years, and are the longest-lasting pairs team in this field. They’ve been skating together for nearly 15 years, and their seamlessness, elegance and chemistry are apparent when they perform.

Their fiery short program to the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack shows off their crisp elements, while their free program to Bridge Over Troubled water is an emotional tribute to their journey together. They are the only pairs team to attempt a quadruple twist in this Olympics, and they will need every point to fend off challenges from Mishina/Galliamov and the other Russian teams. Sui/Han’s throw jumps are impeccable, but they sometimes struggle with the side-by-side jumps. They are stronger in the short program, where they currently hold the world record score, but will need to be as clean as possible in the free skate to win the gold.

Anastasia Mishina / Aleksandr Galliamov (ROC)

• Age: 20/22

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 82.64, FS - 157.46, Total - 239.82

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 82.64, FS - 157.46, Total - 239.82

• Programs: SP - Esmeralda, FS - The Snowstorm, Time, Forward!

The young team of Mishina/Galliamov have exploded onto the senior scene in the last few seasons, winning the 2021 World Championship title and 2022 European Championship title. They have cemented themselves as Russia’s top team this season with their consistency and high-quality elements, and are favorites along with Sui/Han for the Olympic gold medal. Their money combo is a side-by-side triple salchow-euler-triple salchow combination in the free skate, a difficult combination that few other pairs have attempted, and which helps their base value significantly. Mishina/Galliamov currently hold the world record scores for the free skate and combined total. Watch for their joyful short program to selections from the Esmeralda ballet.

Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov (ROC)

• Age: 27/29

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 81.58, FS - 154.85, Total - 236.43

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 81.58, FS - 154.85, Total - 236.43

• Programs: SP - Metamorphosis Two, Experience, FS - Lighthouse

Three-time World medalists and Russia’s top team at the 2018 Olympics, Tarasova and Morozov have fought through many challenges in the last few seasons, including coaching changes, injuries, and COVID. When they’re on, they have some of the most impressive technical elements in the field, especially their enormous triple twist. Their main struggle has been consistency, although they have improved in this aspect in the current season. Their programs highlight their classic lines and elegance, and if they can deliver, they may even challenge for Olympic gold.

Aleksandra Boikova / Dmitrii Kozlovskii (ROC)

• Age: 20/22

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 77.17, FS - 150.97, Total - 227.23

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 82.34, FS - 152.24, Total - 234.58

• Programs: SP - Swan Lake, FS - Malaguena

The 2020 European Champions Boikova/Kozlovskii are another young team that have swept through Russian skating in the last four years. Coached by the legendary Tamara Moskvina, alongside their teammates Mishina/Galliamov, they’re a team with incredible personality — Boikova’s sass stands out amongst Russian pairs women with her outstanding expression. The team has beautiful extension too, especially noticeable in their lifts.

Boikova/Kozlovskii have struggled with consistency in the last two seasons, but they are still very much contenders for the Olympic podium if they skate clean. Watch out for their dramatic programs to Swan Lake and Malaguena, two figure skating classics.

Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara (Japan)

• Age: 20/29

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 74.45, FS - 139.60, Total - 209.42

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 74.45, FS - 139.60, Total - 209.42

• Programs: SP - Hallelujah, FS - Woman

Coming from a country not known for pairs or ice dance, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have gone against the odds to prove that Japanese skating can stand on international podiums in every discipline. They paired up only two seasons ago, and spent a portion of time only receiving remote coaching due to travel difficulties surrounding the COVID pandemic. Nevertheless, they have medaled at two Grand Prix events this season, qualifying for the Grand Prix Final (before it was canceled.) Their meteoric rise helped Japan win a medal in the Olympic team event for the first time. Also notable is the fact that Ryuichi Kihara is now attending his third Olympic Games, putting him in impressive company, as few skaters ever make it to more than two.

Both of Miura/Kihara’s programs are full of personality. They skate to a beautiful rendition of Hallelujah by k.d. lang for their short program, and powerful version of Woman by Shawn Phillips in the free program. Clean performances here have the potential to put them in the top 6.

Cheng Peng / Yang Jin (China)

• Age: 24/27

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 76.71, FS - 135.15, Total - 211.86

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 76.71, FS - 141.21, Total - 216.90

• Programs: SP - Piano & I: Moonlight Sonata, FS - Selections from The Banquet

Sometimes underrated by the judges due to being China’s number two pair, Peng and Jin are incredibly talented, with immaculate synchronicity in their individual elements in addition to their top-notch pair elements. Like their teammates Sui and Han, Peng/Jin have gorgeous throw jumps, but sometimes struggle with their side-by-side jumps.

Peng and Jin are skating at their second Olympics together, looking for redemption from Pyeongchang, where they finished a disappointing 17th. In the last four years, they have absolutely proven to be one of the world’s top pairs, with medals at the Grand Prix Final and Four Continents Championships. They’ll be skating to Chinese music in their free program, composed of selections from The Banquet, a film set at the end of the Tang dynasty, with beautifully expressed themes of love in times of strife.

OTHERS TO WATCH:

Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro (Canada)

• Age: 29/30

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 67.34, FS - 122.77, Total - 184.37

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 76.36, FS - 138.59, Total - 211.05

• Programs: SP - Hold on Tight, FS - Carry You

Moore-Towers is competing at her third Olympics, and Marinaro at his second. The reigning Canadian National Champions have said this is their final season, and they’ll skate like it, leaving everything on the table for their final showing. With several disappointing performances this season, their main goal will be to show their best at the Olympics. Moore-Towers and Marinaro will skate to the emotional Carry You by Ruelle and Fleurie in their free, a testament to their journey to these Olympic Games.

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc (USA)

• Age: 26/31

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 70.75, FS - 132.04, Total - 202.79

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 76.23, FS - 132.04, Total - 205.58

• Programs: SP - Selections from The White Crow, FS - Selections from W.E.

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc have persevered through injuries, and both personal and professional challenges to make it to these Olympic Games. Timothy Leduc is the first-ever openly non-binary athlete at the Winter Olympics. The reigning US National Champions, they’ll skate to The White Crow by Ilan Eshkeri in the short program, and selections from W.E. by Abel Korneniowski in the free program. Keep an eye out for their side-by-side triple loops, another rare jump in pairs skating.

2022 Winter Olympics: Ice Dance Individual Event Preview

The second individual figure skating event at the Beijing Olympics kicks off with the ice dance competition! Besides the gold medal favorites Papadakis/Cizeron, it’s anyone’s guess which teams will claim the other spots on the podium, and in which order. Ice is slippery, and placements could be decided by the slimmest of margins in ice dance, where skaters chase high levels and Grades of Execution in their fight for the podium.

See also: 2022 Winter Olympics Info & Streaming for how to watch!

Gabriella Papadakis / Guillaume Cizeron (France)

• Age: 26/27

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 89.08, FD - 132.61, Total - 221.25

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 90.03, FD - 136.58, Total - 226.61

• Programs: RD - John Legend Medley; FD - Elegie

Coming in as the gold medal favorites, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron have won every title there is to win in ice dance with the exception of the Olympic gold medal. Losing to Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in 2018 only seemed to light a fire under them as they approached ice dance with new fervor, trying new techniques and styles over the last four years, such as a free dance to spoken word. Although they missed the entire 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they came back strong in the Olympic season, winning every competition they entered so far.

This season, for the street dance-themed rhythm dance, Papadakis and Cizeron have opted to create a program inspired by Waacking, a 1970s underground gay club style. In their free program, they’ll return to what they’re best known for, lyrical and exquisite lines, with choreography set to French composer Gabriel Fauré’s L’élegie.

Papadakis and Cizeron are the current world record holders for the rhythm dance, free dance, and combined total scores.

Victoria Sinitsina / Nikita Katasalapov (ROC)

• Age: 26/30

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 87.89, FD - 130.07, Total - 217.96

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 88.73, FD - 133.02, Total - 221.17

• Programs: RD - You Can Leave Your Hat On, Brick House; FD - Piano Concerto No. 2 by Rachmaninov, Caprice No. 24 by Paganini

Russia boasts some of the world's top ice dance teams, with Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov holding the current title of World Champions. Though Katsalapov has struggled with a back injury over the last few years, they remain sharp competitors, showcasing clean, elegant lines in their jazzy You Can Leave Your Hat On rhythm dance and their free dance to a classical Rachmaninov medley.

Although they appeared to be Papadakis/Cizeron’s main competitors heading into the Olympics, they placed behind both American teams in the Olympic Team Event just a week ago, setting up a very interesting fight for the podium.

Madison Hubbell / Zachary Donohue (USA)

• Age: 26/30

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 86.56, FD - 125.96, Total - 209.54

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 86.56, FD - 128.66, Total - 214.71

• Programs: RD - Janet Jackson Medley, FD - Drowning

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue have been skating together for over a decade, and came close to a taste of glory at the Pyeongchang Olympics, finishing in fourth place. Four years have given them time to polish and shine, and they have been one of the two leading American teams for the past Olympic cycle. Their strength lies in their speed and power across the ice, with some of the strongest basic skating in the field.

Their rhythm dance is set to a medley of Janet Jackson songs, with knee slides and sharp lines to match Jackson’s R&B and Hip Hop styles. Hubbell and Donohue will then switch gears with their gentle free dance set to singer-songwriter Anna Silas’ Drowning, a personal farewell to skating. The team plans to retire after this season.

Madison Chock / Evan Bates (USA)

• Age: 29/32

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 86.02, FD - 129.07, Total - 210.78

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 86.02, FD - 129.07, Total - 213.18

• Programs: RD - Billie Eilish Medley, FD - Daft Punk Medley

Three-time Olympians Madison Chock and Evan Bates are looking for a strong podium finish after facing two challenging Olympic attempts. Having traded US National titles back and forth with training mates Hubbell and Donohue over the last four years, they’ll be looking to cement their spot as the top American ice dance team—not an easy feat in a deep field of dancers.

Chock and Bates are engaging performers with often conceptual programs. In the rhythm dance, they’ll be skating to a medley of hit-singer Billie Eilish’s songs, while showcasing their storytelling capabilities in the free dance with Contact, in which Bates plays an astronaut coming into contact with an alien (Chock) for the first time. They see it as a story of communication across boundaries, a recurring theme in Chock and Bates’ free dances.

Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier (Canada)

• Age: 30/30

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 85.65, FD - 125.62, Total - 210.97

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 85.65, FD - 130.98, Total - 214.35

• Programs: RD - Elton John Medley, FD - The Long and Winding Road

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier easily take the crown of ice dance’s quirkiest team. Check out their ISU profiles, with hobbies listed such as “avoiding the knights who say Ni”, and “Monty Python horse riding”. They are certain to bring a smile to any audience watching. Gilles and Poirier are known for wildly unique and innovative programs over the years, although their programs for the Olympic season are slightly more traditional, by their standards. They will skate to a vibrant Elton John medley in the rhythm dance, and a Long and Winding Road Beatles tribute in the free dance.

For them, it’s all about the emotional connection to the music, so let yourself be taken along for the ride — it’s certainly been a long and winding road for them as they arrive at their second Olympic games, but for the first time, as Canada’s top ice dance team. Coming into the competition as World bronze medalists, they have an outside shot at the Olympic podium.

Alexandra Stepanova / Ivan Bukin (ROC)

• Age: 26/28

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 86.45, FD - 126.75, Total - 213.20

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 86.45, FD - 127.64, Total - 213.20

• Programs: RD - Backstreet Boys, Shawn Mendes/Justin Bieber Medley, FD - A Time for Us, Romeo and Juliet

Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin have been chasing the heels of Sinitsina/Katsalapov for the last few years. They come into their first Olympics as reigning European silver medalists. Watch for their fire as they attack their Everybody/Monster rhythm dance with sharp accuracy, then switch gears entirely for the free dance with a soft and tender skate inspired by Romeo and Juliet’s A Time for Us.

Laurence Fournier-Beaudry / Nikolaj Sørensen (Canada)

• Age: 29/32

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 77.38, FD - 117.29, Total - 194.67

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 81.16, FD - 119.84, Total - 210.00

• Programs: RD - George Michael Medley, FD - Gladiator

Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj originally competed together under the Danish flag, however, Denmark’s strict citizenship laws meant that Fournier-Beaudry was unable to obtain citizenship in time for the Pyeongchang Olympics. Citizenship troubles followed them to Canada, but Sørenson finally took his oath in the fall of 2021, clearing the path for these two skaters to bring their beautiful skating to Beijing. 

They’ll be skating to Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard’s Gladiator score in the free dance, a testament to all of the challenges they’ve overcome to arrive on the Olympic stage. Keep an eye out for their interesting lift positions.

Charlène Guignard / Marco Fabbri (Italy)

• Age: 32/34

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 83.83, FD - 126.10, Total - 208.88

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 84.66, FD - 126.10, Total - 208.88

• Programs: RD - Michael Jackson Medley, FD - Atonement, Little Sparrow

Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri are competing at their third Olympics, with a fun and upbeat Michael Jackson medley for their rhythm dance. Watch for their elegant transitions between elements — they really know how to maintain their speed and ice coverage. 

In the free program, they’ll skate to a program inspired by Ian McEwan’s Atonement — we’re hoping to see Guignard with her stunning lines decked out in that classic emerald green dress, but we’ll have to wait until the free dance to see for sure. 

Olivia Smart / Adrian Diaz (Spain)

• Age: 24/31

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: RD - 78.53, FD - 118.87, Total - 196.86

• ISU Personal Best Scores: RD - 78.53, FD - 118.87, Total - 196.86

• Programs: RD - Proud Mary, FD - The Mask of Zorro

After a grueling season-long competition for Spain’s lone Olympic ice dance spot, Smart and Diaz finally find themselves on the Olympic stage for the first time as a team. They’ll be skating to the fierce and fiery Proud Mary by Tina Turner in the rhythm dance. Their free dance is a fun and engaging program set to the Mask of Zorro soundtrack, complete with the sound effects of swordplay on ice.

We ran out of room to include more, but make sure you also keep an eye out for these teams!

Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR), Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean Luc Baker (USA), Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha (CAN), Shiyue Wang/Xinyu Liu (CHN)

2022 Winter Olympics: Men’s Individual Event Preview

Better late than never…? The men’s individual event at the 2022 Olympic starts today! Here’s an overview of some of the top contenders, as well as some fan favorites!

Note: Unfortunately, Vincent Zhou (USA) withdrew from the event due to a positive COVID-19 test.

See also: 2022 Winter Olympics Info & Streaming for how to watch the event

Nathan Chen (USA)

• Age: 22

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 111.71, FS - 200.46, Total - 307.18

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 111.71, FS - 224.92, Total - 335.30 

• Programs: SP - La boheme; FS - Rocketman

Nathan Chen is the 3-time and reigning World Champion, and current world record holder for both the free skate and combined total scores (Yuzuru Hanyu currently holds the short program record). After four years of growth, he’s ready to reclaim the Olympics as an experience for himself. He looked fully in command in the Team Event short program, where he earned a personal best in the segment, worlds away from his nervy skates in 2018.

Nathan’s short program to Charles Aznavour’s La boheme has the most difficult jump layout in the world, with a quad flip and backloaded quad lutz-triple toe combination. He regularly includes 4 or 5 quads in his free program to Elton John’s Rocketman. His base value and consistency make him the favorite for gold in the men’s event, with some extra room for error, but his main fight will be with himself.

Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan)

• Age: 27

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: Did not compete internationally

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 111.82, FS - 212.99, Total - 322.59 

• Programs: SP - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso; FS - Ten to Chi to

The man of the hour when it comes to figure skating—and truly, when it comes to figure skating, he's the man of the decade. Two-time and reigning Olympic Champion Yuzuru Hanyu heads into his third Olympics as one of the favorites for the podium. For the past few seasons, his number one goal has been to land the quadruple axel, a jump that no one has ever landed before in competition. It will be the first jump in his free program to the music Ten to Chi to (Heaven and Earth (and)). He first attempted the jump at the Japanese National Championships this season, where he landed it on two feet and half a rotation short. Although the risk of the quad axel and his lower base value overall will make it hard to catch a perfect Nathan Chen, never count Yuzuru Hanyu out.

During this event, watch for his incredible transitions in and out of jumps, especially in his jam-packed short program to Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. Yuzuru’s biggest strengths are the quality of his elements, which can earn massive Grades of Execution, and his musicality and charisma. Keep your ears out too, for little touches in the choreography that accentuate the musical notes in the program.

Shoma Uno (Japan)

• Age: 24

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 105.46, FS - 187.57, Total - 290.15

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 105.46, FS - 197.36, Total - 290.15 

• Programs: SP - Oboe Concerto; FS - Bolero

The first skater to land a quad flip in competition, Shoma Uno has undergone some serious changes in his training situation since he won his silver medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics. After leaving his longtime Japanese coaches, Shoma went through a slump before finding himself with his new coach Stephane Lambiel. He has steadily made his way back up in the last couple of seasons, and is once again a contender for an Olympic medal.

In the Team Event short program, Shoma set a new personal best in the segment with a clean program to some rare classical music - Oboe Concerto by Marcello and Concerto in C Minor for Cello by Vivaldi. He will attempt 5 quads in his free skate to a remix of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero. Shoma has not skated this layout clean in competition for several years, but if he hits, he might well find himself on the Olympic podium for the second time.

Yuma Kagiyama (Japan)

• Age: 18

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 100.64, FS - 208.94, Total - 286.41

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 100.96, FS - 208.94, Total - 291.77

• Programs: SP - When You’re Smiling; FS - Gladiator

Japan’s latest sensation, Yuma Kagiyama will be competing at his first Olympics at just 18 years old. He burst onto the senior scene last season with a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships. He is coached by his father, Masakazu Kagiyama, a 1992 and 1994 Olympian.

Yuma has gorgeous basic skating skills and jump technique. With his Gladiator free skate, Yuma won the men’s free skate portion of the Team Event with a personal best score, helping Team Japan to a bronze medal. He has recently added the quad loop to his free skate. If he hits, and depending on how the other skaters fare, Yuma has a good chance at earning an individual Olympic medal as well.

Mark Kondratiuk (ROC)

• Age: 18

• ISU Season’s Best Scores: SP - 99.06, FS - 187.50, Total 286.56 

• ISU Personal Best Scores: SP - 99.06, FS - 187.50, Total 286.56 

• Programs: SP - Magnificent Century; FS - Jesus Christ Superstar

A couple of seasons ago, very few people knew who Mark Kondratiuk was - now he’s the reigning Russian National Champion, European Champion, and recently helped Team ROC win the gold medal at the Olympic Team Event.

An artist off the ice, and an Artist on the ice, Mark’s main draw is his obvious passion for performing and his complete commitment to his programs. You should definitely watch his free skate to Jesus Christ Superstar. Two good skates and his momentum from this season could put him in the top 5 in the men’s individual event.

OTHERS TO WATCH:

Junhwan Cha (South Korea)

Korean skating absolutely lives for the legacy of Yuna Kim, but Junwhan Cha is forging his own path as South Korea’s top man of the last few years. This is his second Olympics, and he is coming in as the reigning Four Continents Champion. He will skate to his striking Fate of the Clockmaker program in the short, and the operatic Turandot by Puccini in the free program.

Jason Brown (USA)

A fan favorite and for good reason, Jason Brown may never land multiple quads, but the quality in the rest of his skating more than makes up for it for the average viewer. His skating skills, spins, flexibility, and attention to music will be on display in his scintillating Sinnerman short program and touching Schindler’s List free skate.

Boyang Jin (China)

Boyang Jin, in what can only be called the figure skating equivalent of an arms race, was one of the first to push the frontier of how many quads a skater could land in one program. He was the first man to land the incredibly difficult quad lutz-triple toe loop combination, and his quad lutz is a sight to behold when he lands it. Boyang has struggled with consistency the last few seasons, but he has improved his presentation skills with various types of programs. He will skate to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the short program, and Bolero in the free skate.

Donovan Carrillo (Mexico)

One of Mexico’s flagbearers at the opening ceremony and crowd favorite, Donovan Carrillo has been on a long journey to be Mexico’s first figure skating entry at the Winter Olympics in 30 years. Personally, we’re rooting for him to qualify for the free skate! In the short program, he will skate to Black Magic Woman & Shake It by Carlos Santana, and guaranteed, you’ll want to get out of your seat and dance with him. Watch this documentary on the Olympic Channel for a glimpse of his training and background!

We ran out of room to include them, but keep an eye out for these skaters as well!

Michal Brezina (CZE), Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA), Evgeni Semenenko (ROC), Kevin Aymoz (FRA), Deniss Vasiljevs (LAT), Andrei Mozalev (ROC), Matteo Rizzo (ITA), Daniel Grassl (ITA), Keegan Messing (CAN)

2022 Winter Olympics: Team Event Overview

The figure skating competitions of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics kicks off today with the Figure Skating Team Event! While skating is normally a solo (or paired) sport, the Figure Skating Team Event was introduced in the 2014 Sochi Olympics; now countries have the opportunity to bring together their strongest skaters to fight for Olympic gold. Read on for an overview of the competition format and the teams competing at this Olympics!

See also: 2022 Winter Olympics Info & Streaming for information on how to watch!

COMPETITION FORMAT

The Team Event will take place over 3 days, and involve all 4 figure skating disciplines of men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, and ice dance.

• Feb. 4: Men’s SP, Rhythm Dance, Pairs’ SP

• Feb. 6: Women’s SP, Men’s FS

• Feb. 7: Pairs’ FS, Free Dance, Women’s FS

Countries qualify for the Olympic Team Event based on the World Standing points that their skaters earned at various competitions throughout the season. A maximum of 10 countries can qualify for the Team Event. Countries must qualify skaters in at least 3 individual Olympic disciplines in order to be eligible for the Team Event. If a country has skaters in 3 individual disciplines, they can bring in a 4th skater to complete their team. The additional skater can only compete in the Team Event.

Scoring in the Team Event is based on skaters’ placements in both the short program and free skate segments of the competition. After all short programs are complete, the top 5 teams with the highest point totals advance to the free skate. The following chart shows how many points each placement earns:

Placement	SP Points	FS Points
1st	10	10
2nd	9	9
3rd	8	8
4th	7	7
5th	6	6
6th	5
7th	4
8th	3
9th	2
10th	1

Points for each team are added together as their skaters complete each segment, and the team with the highest final point total wins.

If there is a tie in points, these are the criteria used to break the tie, in order:

• The highest aggregate Team points per Team from the two (2) best places in different disciplines

• The highest total sum of the segment/total scores of the two (2) skaters/couples who build the tie

• The highest aggregate Team points per Team from the three (3) best places in different disciplines

• The highest total sum of the segment/total scores of the three (3) skaters/couples who build the tie

• If these criteria fail to break the ties, the Teams will be considered tied.

Since scoring for the Team Event is based on placements, and not skaters’ scores for their programs, all disciplines are weighted equally, and the margin by which skaters outscore other skaters does not matter.

Teams that have qualified more than one skater in an individual discipline can substitute their entry between the short program and free skate of the Team Event, in up to two disciplines. This is where the strategy comes in - which skaters are better at which segment? Which disciplines should be split, if any? Could skating in the Team Event affect the skaters’ performance in their individual events? (This is especially an issue to consider for the men, as their individual events begin the day after the Team Event ends.)

Additionally, due to the point distribution, the short program is the more vital segment - since a skater can earn from 10 points all the way down to 1 point in the short program, a big mistake in the short program can cost their team many more points than a big mistake in the free skate. Even a last-place free skate will still earn 6 points. Teams with the ability to split their entries between the SP and FS will be thinking very hard about which of their skaters are more reliable in the short program.

The entries for each segment of the Team Event will not be announced until a short time before the segments begin.

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PREVIEW

The 10 countries that have qualified for the Team Event are:

• Russia

• USA

• Canada

• Japan

• Italy

• China

• Georgia

• Germany

• Czech Republic

• Ukraine 

Russia(n Olympic Committee):

• Men: Mark Kondratiuk (SP), Andrei Mozalev (?), Evgeni Semenenko (?)

• Women: Kamila Valieva (SP), Anna Shcherbakova (?), Alexandra Trusova (?)

• Pairs: Anastasia Mishina/Aleksandr Galliamov (SP), Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (not participating), Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitrii Kozlovskii (?)

• Ice Dance: Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RD, FD), Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin (not participating), Diana Davis/Gleb Smolkin (not participating)

Russia (or the Russian Olympic Committee, as they will be called during these Games) are the heavy favorites for gold in the Team Event. Their strongest disciplines are women, pairs, and ice dance, where they are expected to place within the top 2 in each segment (free dance entry pending). While their men are more volatile, they are still capable of a high placement in each segment. Although anything is possible, ROC will need to make several mistakes to not win the gold medal. ROC has multiple options to split between the SP and FS, and it will be interesting to see who they choose.

USA

• Men: Nathan Chen (SP), Vincent Zhou (?), Jason Brown (?)

• Women: Karen Chen (SP, FS), Mariah Bell (not participating), Alysa Liu (not participating)

• Pairs: Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (SP, FS), Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy Leduc (not participating)

• Ice Dance: Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (RD), Madison Chock/Evan Bates (FD), Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean Luc Baker (not participating)

The United States comes into the event as favorites for silver, though it is not guaranteed. Their strongest disciplines are men and ice dance, while their pairs and women are weaker, but still capable of decent placements in the top half of the standings. USA will very likely split their men’s and ice dance disciplines between the SP and FS.

Canada

• Men: Roman Sadovsky (SP, FS), Keegan Messing (not participating)

• Women: Madeline Schizas (SP, FS)

• Pairs: Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro (SP), Vanessa James/Eric Radford (?)

• Ice Dance: Piper Gilles/Paul Poirer (RD, FD), Laurence Fournier-Beaudry/Nikolaj Sorensen (not participating), Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha (not participating)

Olympic Team Event champions four years ago, Canada has struggled in this Olympic cycle after the retirement of many of their top skaters. Their team this year has some veterans as well as newbies. While it will be difficult for Canada to make the team podium this time, they still have a chance of qualifying for the free skate portion against Italy, Georgia, and China. Ice dance is Canada’s strongest discipline. Keegan Messing, Canada’s top man, will not make it to the Team Event due to a positive COVID test.

Japan

• Men: Shoma Uno (SP), Yuma Kagiyama (FS), Yuzuru Hanyu (not participating)

• Women: Wakaba Higuchi (SP), Kaori Sakamoto (FS), Mana Kawabe (not participating)

• Pairs: Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (SP, FS)

• Ice Dance: Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto (RD, FD)

Japan has been a singles powerhouse for years, but have always been held back in the Team Event by their weaker pairs and dance teams. This year, the rise of Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara in the pairs discipline gives Japan their best shot at winning a Team Event medal, likely bronze. Ice dance is still their biggest weakness, so Japan will need their other three disciplines to perform as well as possible to win a place on the podium. If they medal, it will be the first time that a country besides Russia, USA and Canada have medaled at the Olympic Team Event. Japan will likely split their men’s and women’s disciplines between the SP and FS.

Italy

• Men: Daniel Grassl (SP), Matteo Rizzo (?)

• Women: Lara Naki Gutmann (SP, FS)

• Pairs: Nicole Della Monica/Matteo Guarise (SP), Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini (?)

• Ice Dance: Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (RD, FD)

Italy’s strongest disciplines are men and ice dance. Guignard/Fabbri are capable of placing in the top 4, while Daniel Grassl may pull an upset - or bomb - during the men’s event. Italy will fight with Canada, China, and Georgia to qualify for the free skates.

China

• Men: Boyang Jin (SP, FS)

• Women: Yi Zhu (SP, FS)

• Pairs: Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (SP), Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (?)

• Ice Dance: Shiyue Wang/Xinyu Liu (RD, FD)

China’s strongest discipline is pairs, where Wenjing Sui/Cong Han are one of the contenders for Olympic gold in the individual event. Boyang Jin may also disrupt the standings depending on his performance - wildly inconsistent, he may place top 3 or last. China will be fighting with Canada, Italy, and Georgia to qualify for the free skate portion.

Georgia

• Men: Morisi Kvitelashvili (SP, FS)

• Women: Anastasiia Gubanova (SP, FS)

• Pairs: Karina Safina/Luka Berulava (SP, FS)

• Ice Dance: Maria Kazakova/Georgy Reviya (RD, FD)

Despite being a little-known country in figure skating, Georgia has assembled a strong team of formerly-Russian skaters for the Olympic season and qualified for the Team Event. They will battle China, Italy, and Canada for a place in the free skate segment. Even if they will not win a medal, some of their skaters may pull surprising upsets over others and throw a wrench in the standings.

Germany

• Men: Paul Fentz (SP)

• Women: Nicole Schott (SP)

• Pairs: Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nolan Seegert (SP) *withdrawn because of positive COVID test

• Ice Dance: Katharina Mueller/Tim Dieck (RD)

Due to the withdrawal of Hase/Seegert from the SP after a positive COVID test, Germany will not be able to earn any points in the pairs segment and likely will not advance to the free skate.

Czech Republic

• Men: Michal Brezina (SP, FS)

• Women: Eliska Brezinova (SP, FS)

• Pairs: Jelizaveta Zukova/Martin Bidar (SP, FS)

• Ice Dance: Natalie Taschlerova/Filip Taschler (RD, FD)

Czech Republic will likely not qualify for the free skates, but keep an eye out for the performances of siblings Michal Brezina and Eliska Brezinova in singles, and Taschlerova/Taschler in ice dance.

Ukraine

• Men: Ivan Shmuratko (SP) *withdrawn because of positive COVID test

• Women:  Anastasiia Shabotova (SP)

• Pairs: Sofiia Holichenko/Artem Darenskyi (SP)

• Ice Dance: Oleksandra Nazarova/Maksym Nikitin (RD)

Due to the withdrawal of Ivan Shmuratko from the SP after a positive COVID test, Ukraine will not be able to earn any points in the men’s segment and likely will not advance to the free skate.