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Qualification to the Grand Prix Final

 Qualification to the Grand Prix Final

This guide will explain the format of the Grand Prix series, how the point system and tiebreakers work, and how skaters qualify for the Grand Prix Final.

See also: Intro to skating guides, Overview of skating competitions

LAST UPDATED: Aug. 19, 2024

THE GRAND PRIX SERIES:

The Grand Prix Series, introduced in 1995, is a series of six figure skating competitions taking place in six different countries each season. The series usually runs from late October to early December, with one competition each weekend leading up to the Grand Prix Final. Junior skaters compete on the Junior Grand Prix Series, which is structured similarly and takes place before the senior Grand Prix. The qualification process for the Final is the same for the junior and senior Grand Prix.

Core host countries for the senior Grand Prix include USA, Canada, France, Japan, and China. (Russia has been banned since 2022 and has been replaced by other hosts, primarily Finland.) The combined Junior and Senior Grand Prix Final is usually held at the beginning of December. The location of the Final changes each season.

QUALIFYING FOR THE FINAL:

Six skaters/teams in each discipline can qualify for the Grand Prix Final. Qualification for the Final is based on a points system. Skaters receive points based on their placement at each Grand Prix competition. The following chart shows the points awarded to each placement:

Each Grand Prix event has a maximum of 12 women and men, 8 pairs, and 10 dance teams. Skaters participate in either one or two events per season. In order to qualify for the Final, a skater must compete at two events - it is not possible to qualify for the Final with only one event, even if they win it.

After all Grand Prix events have concluded, the top 6 skaters/teams based on total points qualify for the Grand Prix Final. Skaters may have identical point values, so there are several tiebreakers in place:

  1. Highest placement at an event: A skater who placed 1st and 3rd beats a skater who placed 2nd in both events.

  2. Highest combined total scores in both events: If a skater earned 200 points at one event and 210 at a second (total 410), that skater wins the tiebreak over a skater who earned 200 points at one event and 190 at another (total 390).

  3. Participated in two events.

  4. Highest combined scores in the free skate/free dance of both events.

  5. Highest individual score in the free skate/free dance from one event.

  6. Highest combined scores in the short program/short dance of both events.

  7. Highest number of total participants in the skater’s discipline at both events.

Tiebreakers beyond the second are almost never used, since it is unlikely that skaters would receive identical numerical score totals.

The following example shows the 2019-20 season Grand Prix rankings in the men’s discipline:

2019menqual.PNG

Yuzuru and Nathan each earned 30 points. They tied on the first tiebreaker, since each of them won at least one of their events. Yuzuru qualified above Nathan based on the second tiebreaker, as his total combined score from both events (627.64) was higher than Nathan’s (596.25).

Dmitri and Kevin each earned 24 points. They tied on the first tiebreaker, as the highest placement either of them achieved at an event was 2nd. Dmitri qualified above Kevin based on the second tiebreaker, with a total combined score of 513.43 vs. 504.66.

Boyang, Nam and Jason each earned 20 points. Boyang’s highest placement was 1st, so he qualified for the last Grand Prix Final spot above Nam and Jason due to the first tiebreaker. Nam’s final ranking was above Jason’s due to the second tiebreaker (total combined score).