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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: Oct. 15, 2023

THE GRAND PRIX SERIES:

The senior Grand Prix Series, introduced in 1995, is a series of six figure skating competitions taking place in six different countries each season. The Grand Prix 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 in a similar way. The qualification process for the Final is the same for the junior and senior Grand Prix.

Six competitions are currently part of the senior Grand Prix series:

  • Skate America (USA)

  • Skate Canada (Canada)

  • Cup of China (China)

  • Rostelecom Cup (Russia) (Banned since 2022; replaced by other hosts)

  • Internationaux de France (France)

  • NHK Trophy (Japan)

The Grand Prix Final is usually held at the beginning of December, along with the Junior Grand Prix Final. The location of the competition 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 depending on their placement at each Grand Prix competition. The following chart shows the number of points awarded to each placement:

Each Grand Prix event has a maximum of 12 ladies 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.

The top 6 skaters/teams based on point totals qualify for the Grand Prix Final after all the Grand Prix events are finished. 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 one are almost never used, as it’s highly unlikely that skaters would receive identical numerical score totals.

Let’s take a look at the 2019-20 season Grand Prix rankings for 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).