JGP Austria Pairs Preview

Although Sui and Han finished below their personal best at their first Grand Prix event, they still took home the gold medal by a comfortable margin.  A medal of any color here will likely secure them a spot in the Junior Grand Prix Final but they'll be hoping for a return to the Grand Prix Final.  Their teammates Yu and Jin won silver behind them at JGP Latvia and are likely to do the same here.  They finished slightly below their personal best at their first event, which I expect to improve here.  Purdy and Marinaro already have a bronze medal this season and finished behind the two Chinese teams in Latvia.


Kadlecova and Bidar of the Czech Republic pulled double duty last season competing as seniors and juniors.  Their best result was a 7th place finish at Europeans.  They were fairly consistent last season and had solid results but have yet to climb onto the medal stand at a major international event.   


Two Russian teams are also looking for a medal finish: Petaikina/Kurduykov and Vasilieva/Shevchuk.  Neither have won a medal on the Junior Grand Prix and with so many talented Russian pairs teams they'll need a medal to prove they can cut it on the international circuit and have a shot at Junior Worlds. 


My podium predictions:
Gold: Sui/Han
Silver: Yu/Jin
Bronze: Kadlecova/Bidar


Bios of the competitors:


Kestila/Bullard, AUS: This is their international debut.


Martini/Kiefer, AUT: They finished 21^st at Worlds, 15^th at Europeans and 16^th at Junior Worlds.  They withdrew after the short program at JGP Latvia.  Their personal best is 100.87.  She is 18 years old and he is 20 years old.

Purdy/Marinaro, CAN: They won bronze at JGP Latvia.  Their personal best is 134.46.  She is 16 and he is 19.

Li/Jiang, CHN: They finished 10^th at their JGP debut in Latvia.  Their personal best is 100.89.  She is 13 and he is 19.

Sui/Han, CHN: They are the 2010 and 2011 World Junior Champions.  They won gold at JGP Latvia.  They won silver at Cup of China and bronze at Skate America last season to qualify for the GPF where they won bronze.  They won silver at JGP Austria and gold at JGP Germany last season to qualify for the JGPF but they withdrew to focus on the senior competition.  Their personal best is 179.04.  She is 16 years old and he is 19.

Yu/Jin, CHN: They took home the silver from JGP Latvia.  They won bronze at JGP Austria and gold at JGP Czech Republic last season to qualify for the JGPF where they won bronze.  Their personal best is 140.58.  She is 15 and he is 17.

Kadlecova/Bidar, CZE: They finished 15th at Worlds, 7th at Europeans and 8th at Junior Worlds.  They placed 6th at Trophee Eric Bompard last season.  They placed 7th at JGP Austria and JGP Great Britain last season.  Their personal best is 139.94.  She is 16 and he is 20.


Epstein/Epstein, NED: They finished 17th at Junior Worlds.  This is their JGP debut.  She is 18 and he is 18 (they are twins).  

Jaskolka/Snopek, POL: They finished 11^th at JGP Poland.  Their personal best is 90.22.  She is 14 and he is 20.

Malinkiewicz/Lofek, POL: They finished 10^th at their international debut at JGP Poland.  Their personal best is 93.10.  She is 13 and he is 17.

Fedorova/Miroshkin, RUS: This is their international debut.

Petaikina/Kurduykov, RUS: They finished 4^th at JGP Latvia.  Their personal best is 131.94.  She is 16 and he is 21.

Vasilieva/Shevchuk, RUS: They finished 11th at Junior Worlds.  They placed 9th at JGP Great Britain last season.  Their personal best is 130.14.  She is 15 and he is 21.


Rodriguez/Maestu, ESP: This is their international debut and they are the first Spanish pair team to compete internationally.  She is 14 and he is 21.

Lundberg/Lundberg, SWE: They placed 11^th at JGP Latvia last season.  Their personal best is 96.76.  She is 17 and he is 19.

Morand/Leeman, SUI: They finished 12th at Junior Worlds. This is their JGP debut.  She is 18 and he is 20.

Lavrentieva/Rudik, UKR: They finished 15th at Junior Worlds.  They placed 9th at JGP Poland.  Their personal best is 102.29.  She is 14 and he is 19.

Denney/Frazier, USA: They placed 8^th at their JGP debut in Latvia.  Their personal best is 116.04.  She is 15 and he is 18. 

Duarte/Grafton, USA: They placed 9^th at JGP Latvia.  Their personal best is 123.45.  She is 18 and he is 20. 

Oltmanns/Santillan, USA: They placed 7^th at JGP Latvia.  Their personal best is 118.45.  She is 14 and he is 19.