JGP Austria Ladies Preview

Polina Agafonova of Russia is on the comeback trail.  She won junior world bronze in 2010 but had a less than stellar JGP season last year.  She started this season strong with a bronze medal in her first event in Latvia and has an opportunity to move up the podium here.  She'll be facing off with another bronze medalist, Vanessa Lam of the United States, who claimed her prize in Australia.


Zijun Li of China won the silver medal in Latvia and is looking for her second medal of the season to secure a return spot to the JGPF where she won bronze last season.  Miu Sato of Japan finished just off the podium at her debut in Poland and will be looking to move up the ranks.  Katarina Kulgeyko of the United States is making her international debut.  She withdrew from an earlier event due to injury.  If she's fully healed she could contend for a medal here.


My podium predictions:
Gold: Vanessa Lam
Silver: Zijun Li
Bronze: Polina Agafonova


Bios of the competitors:


Zara Pasfield, AUS: This is her JGP debut.


Anita Kapferer, AUT: This is her JGP debut.


Mona Lisa Weinberger, AUT: This is her international debut.


Nina Larissa Wolfslast, AUT: This is her international debut.


Lieselotte Swerts, BEL: This is her international debut.  She is 15 years old.


Natasha Purich, CAN: This is her international debut.  She is 16 years old.


Zijun Li, CHN: She placed 9^th at the World Junior Championships.  She won the silver medal at JGP Latvia.  She won the bronze medal at JGP Austria and finished 4^th at JGP Czech Republic last season to earn a berth to the JGPF where she won the bronze medal.  Her personal best is 149.82.  She is 14 years old. 

Petra Juric, CRO: This is her JGP debut.  She is 16 years old.


Eliska Brezinova, CZE: She finished 26th at JGP Germany and 14th at JGP Czech Republic last season.  her personal best is 101.70.  She is 15 years old.


Daria Podtelejnikova, DEN: She finished 27th at JGP Austria and 21st at JGP Germany last season.  Her personal best is 92.55.  She is 16 years old.


Svetlana Issakova, EST: She finished 18th at Europeans.  She placed 19th at JGP Romania last season.  Her personal best is 118.44.  She is 18 years old.

Beata Papp, FIN: She finished 7^th at her JGP debut in Australia.  Her personal best is 117.37.  She is 16 years old.

Anais Ventard, FRA: She finished 6th at JGP France and 8th at JGP Romania last season.  Her personal best is 121.49.  She is 15 years old.


Isabel Drescher, GER: She finished 19th at World Juniors.  She placed 11th at JGP Great Britain and 16th at JGP Germany last season.  Her personal best is 126.65.  She is 17 years old.


Lana Bagen, GBR: This is her international debut.  She is 15 years old.

Sumika Yamada, HKG: She finished 32nd in the preliminary round at Junior Worlds.  She placed 22^nd at JGP Australia.  Her personal best is 78.57.  She is 16 years old.

Agnese Garlisi, ITA: This is her JGP debut.  She is 17 years old.

Miu Sato, JPN: She finished 4^th at her international debut in Poland.  Her personal best is 135.60.  She is 14 years old.

Kako Tomotaki, JPN: This is her JGP debut.  She is 16 years old.


Michelle Quintero, MEX: She finished 27th at JGP Romania last season.  Her personal best is 54.39.  She is 16 years old.


Kim Bell, NED: This is her JGP debut.  She is 16 years old.


Camilla Gjersem, NOR: She finished 28th at JGP Austria.  Her personal best is 79.24.  She is 17 years old.


So-Youn Park, KOR: This is her international debut.

Polina Agafonova, RUS: She is the 2010 World Junior bronze medalist.  She won bronze at JGP Latvia.  Her personal best is 154.27.  She is 15 years old.

Alexandra Kunova, SVK: She finished 24th at Europeans.  Her personal best is 105.86.  She is 18 years old.


Pina Umek, SLO: She placed 25th at JGP Romania last season.  Her personal best is 68.30.  She is 16 years old.

Tina Sturzinger, SUI: She finished 10^th at JGP Latvia.  Her personal best is 116.02.  She is 15 years old.

Duygu Sen, TUR: This is her JGP debut.  


Katarina Kulgeyko, USA: This is her international debut.  She is 15 years old.

Vanessa Lam, USA: She won bronze at JGP Australia.  Her personal best is 156.41.  She is 16 years old.