JGP Courchevel Dance Preview

In the world of Junior Ice Dance, Russia reigns supreme.  Despite two medals on the Junior Grand Prix last season, Zenkova and Sinitsin were not named to the Junior Worlds team.  In one of the toughest events, their silver and bronze last season also left them out of the JGP Final.  They'll need higher placements if they want to make the Final and Junior Worlds for the first time and they have a great shot at their first gold here.  

Papadakis and Cizeron just missed the podium at both of their JGP events last season but broke out with a 5th place finish at Junior Worlds.  They have steadily been climbing the ranks and will be attempting to qualify for their first Final this season.  

Two Canadian teams are in the medal hunt.  Edwards and Pang finished 5th in their JGP debut last season.  They haven't competed internationally since but finished 2nd at nationals and should see an increase in their scores from last season given their scores at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships.  The Hasegawa siblings finished 5th at both of their events last season.  They dropped from 3rd in 2011 to 5th in 2012 at nationals and will have to make up ground to keep pace with their teammates.

Two U.S. teams are making their international debuts.  McNamara and Carpenter are the reigning US junior bronze medalists.  They are the youngest competitors at this event and she aged into juniors this season on the international level.  They have a unique style and their programs are always interesting.  Moore and Klaber are the reigning US novice champions and share the same coaches as Pechalat/Bourzat and Weaver/Poje.

My podium predictions:
Gold: Zenkova/Sinitsin
Silver: Papadakis/Cizeron
Bronze: McNamara/Carpenter

Bios of the competitors:

Kavaliova/Bieliaiev, BLR: They placed 19th at Junior Worlds.  They finished 8th at JGP Poland last season.  Their personal best is 111.34.  She is 18 and he is 19.

Abts/Buckens, BEL: They placed 16th at JGP Italy last season.  Their personal best is 70.08.  She is 14 and he is 17.

Edwards/Pang, CAN: They placed 5th at JGP Austria last season.  Their personal best is 122.90.  She is 16 and he is 17.

Hasegawa/Hasegawa, CAN: They placed 5th at JGP Poland and JGP Italy last season.  Their personal best is 118.45.  She is 18 and he is 20.

Lohmus/Davodov, EST: They finished 12th at the Youth Olympic Games.  They placed 20th at JGP Poland and Estonia last season.  Their personal best is 70.78.  She is 15 and he is 18.

Elizabeth/Le Gac, FRA: They finished 5th at the Youth Olympic Games.  They placed 9th at JGP Austria and 8th at JGP Italy last season.  Their personal best is 111.87.  She is 16 and he is 17.

Papadakis/Cizeron, FRA: They finished 5th at Junior Worlds.  They placed 4th at JGP Poland and JGP Estonia last season.  Their personal best is 138.70.  She is 17 and he is 17.

Rudchenko/Reggiani, FRA: They placed 14th at JGP Poland last season.  Their personal best is 91.71.  She is 17 and he is 20.

Dyson/Dredge, GBR:  This is their international debut.  She is 14 and he is 20.

Sforza/Fioretti, ITA: They finished 10th at Junior Worlds.  They placed 5th at JGP Romania and 7^th at JGP Italy last season.  Their personal best is 116.25.  She is 17 and he is 19.

Evdokimova/Bazin, RUS: They finished 7th at JGP Austria.  Their personal best is 116.81.  She is 15 and he is 16.

Zenkova/Sinitsin, RUS: They won bronze at JGP Australia and silver at JGP Italy last season. Their personal best is 130.58.  She is 17 and he is 20.

Korotitskaia/Spodirev, UKR: This is their JGP debut.  She is 14 and he is 18.

McNamara/Carpenter, USA: This is their international debut.  She is 13 and he is 16.

Moore/Klaber, USA: This is their international debut.  She is 16 and he is 18.