There is only one team in this field that has already competed and are still in contention for the Final. McNamara and Carpenter are one of the more unique teams on the junior circuit and are also one of the youngest teams. They won their first medal at JGP Latvia earlier this season, taking home a silver and just missing out on a gold medal. They didn't set a personal best and still have room for improvement but seem poised to claim their first gold medal here. They need a gold or silver to qualify for the Final while a bronze medal would keep them in contention.
Morozova and Zhirnov are making their season debut in Belarus. They finished 4th at one event last season and won a medal at their second event. They had a significant 13 point improvement between their events last year.
Kim and Minov finished 5th at their first event this season, a significant improvement over their 10th place finish a year before. They'll be trying to hold off Popova and Vlasenko, a Russian team making their JGP debut but with previous international experience.
Two Canadian teams are also making their debut here along with Patsis and Johnson, the reigning US Novice Silver Medalists.
My podium predictions:
Gold: McNamara/Carpenter
Silver: Morozova/Zhirnov
Bronze: Kim/Minov
Bios of the competitors:
Kaunatskaia/Lukouski, BLR: They finished 11th at JGP Latvia. Their personal best is 78.27. She is 15 and he is 17.
Kavaliova/Bieliaiev, BLR: They finished 29th at Worlds and 21st at Junior Worlds. They finished 9th at JGP France and 11th at JGP Austria last season. She is 19 and he is 20.
Tkachenka/Gulitski, BLR: They placed 13th at JGP Poland. Their personal best is 96.44. She is 15 and he is 17.
Tsenova/Zaytsev, BUL: They finished 34th at Junior Worlds. They placed 20th at JGP Poland. Their personal best is 75.78. She is 14 and he is 16.
Jiang/Miller, CAN: This is their international debut.
Soucisse/Tanguay, CAN: This is their international debut. She is 18 and he is 20.
Boutary/Lamasse, FRA: This is their international debut. She is 17 and he is 17.
Elizabeth/Le Gac, FRA: They placed 15th at Junior Worlds. They finished 5th at JGP Latvia. Their personal best is 115.57. She is 17 and he is 18.
Geiler/Miersch, GER: This is their JGP debut. She is 15 and he is 16.
Steffan/Steffan, GER: They finished 13th at JGP Latvia. Their personal best is 91.54. She is 14 and he is 17.
Gabusi/Mirzakhani, ITA: This is their JGP debut. She is 17 and he is 17.
Kim/Minov, KOR: They finished 20th at Junior Worlds. They placed 5th at JGP Slovakia. Their personal best is 121.50. She is 15 and he is 20.
Morozova/Zhirnov, RUS: They placed 4th at JGP USA and won bronze at JGP Germany last season. Their personal best is 124.41. She is 16 and he is 18.
Popova/Vlasenko, RUS: This is their JGP debut. She is 16 and he is 18.
Gaistruk/Olejnik, UKR: They finished 9th at JGP Slovakia. Their personal best is 106.41. She is 15 and he is 19.
McNamara/Carpenter, USA: They placed 9th at Junior Worlds. They won silver at JGP Latvia. Their personal best is 128.16. She is 14 and he is 17.
Patsis/Johnson, USA: This is their international debut. She is 17 and he is 19.
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