Polina Edmunds is making her JGP debut here and ready to take the international scene by storm. After spending several seasons nationally at the Junior level getting good results and some notice, she took the junior ladies title at US nationals with her triple + triple combinations and improved style. She is capable of both the triple lutz + triple toe and the triple flip + triple toe and has been known to include both in her free skate. She scored nearly 160 points in her win at Gardena Spring Trophy last season and after strong summer results, looks poised to make the podium here.
Rika Hongo finished in the top 10 at Junior Worlds and took home a silver medal from the JGP last season. She is also the only lady at this event to win a medal on the JGP last season. She was consistently in the 140 range all season and will need to up her elements and program components to reach the next level and give herself a chance at the Final this year.
Da Bin Choi of Korea is making her JGP debut at just 13 years old. She has had one international competition this season, the Asian Figure Skating Trophy, where she scored just over 140 points. If she can replicate that result, she'll be solidly in the mix for medals here.
Julianne Seguin finished 2nd at Skate Detroit earlier this summer and has been attempting a double axel + triple toe. She had some problems with under-rotations and messy landings at this competition but if she can clean everything up then she could also make a run for the podium. Her best finish on the JGP was 7th last season but she did manage to finish in the top 10 at Four Continents. Her teammate Sandrine Martin placed 2nd at the Liberty Summer Competition and is making her international debut.
One thing is for certain in junior ladies, and that is that you can never count out the Russians. They are sending a 14 and a 13 year old both making their international debuts to this competition. Alsu placed 14th in the Junior Ladies event at Russian nationals and 9th in Senior ladies while Natalia finished 13th in Senior ladies. Both of their scores at Russian nationals would land them on the podium here, but nationals results tend to be slightly inflated.
Another skater to look for is Mariah Bell. She made her international debut back in 2011 and did not receive any international assignments last season. She has an infectious personality on the ice and is a solid short program skater. Her biggest weakness over the past few seasons has been putting out a clean free skate to keep her on top the standings.
My podium predictions:
Gold: Polina Edmunds
Silver: Rika Hongo
Bronze: Alsu Kaiumova
Bios of the competitors:
Anhelina Bosko, ARG: She placed 23rd at JGP USA last season. Her personal best is 63.15. She is 15 years old.
Brooklee Han, AUS: She placed 21st at Worlds, 12th at Four Continents and 16th at Junior Worlds. She finished 8th at JGP USA and 12th at JGP Turkey last season. Her personal best is 141.88. She is 18 years old.
Sandrine Martin, CAN: This is her international debut. She is 15 years old.
Julianne Seguin, CAN: She placed 11th at Four Continents. She finished 7th at JGP France and 10th at JGP Slovenia last season. Her personal best is 146.58. She is 16 years old.
Melanie Yuung-Hui Chang, TPE: This is her JGP debut. She is 17 years old.
Lyydia Maattanen, FIN: This is her JGP debut. She is 15 years old.
Jennifer Parker, GER: She placed 18th at JGP Slovenia last season. Her personal best is 99.52. She is 17 years old.
Isabella Schuster-Vellisariou, GRE: She finished 33rd at Europeans and 37th at Junior Worlds. She finished 24th at JGP Germany last season. Her personal best is 82.04. She is 17 years old.
Yong Yeu Tiffany Lau, HKG: She placed 31st at JGP Slovenia last season. Her personal best is 69.73. She is 16 years old.
Anavi Tekriwal, IND: This is her international debut. She is 15 years old.
Netta Schreiber, ISR: She placed 32nd at Junior Worlds. She finished 14th at JGP USA and 23rd at JGP Turkey last season. Her personal best is 101.33. She is 15 years old.
Giada Russo, ITA: She placed 13th at JGP Germany last season. Her personal best is 115.47. She is 16 years old.
Rika Hongo, JPN: She placed 9th at Junior Worlds. She won silver at JGP France and placed 5th at JGP Croatia last season. Her personal best is 149.38. She is 17 years old.
Amirah Azfariena Azhari, MAS: This is her international debut. She is 14 years old.
Maria Jose Cavazos, MEX: This is her international debut. She is 17 years old.
Itzel Gaytan, MEX: This is her international debut. She is 18 years old.
Michelle Quintero, MEX: She placed 26th at JGP Germany last season. Her personal best is 74.76. She is 18 years old.
Sarah MacGibbon, NZL: This is her JGP debut. She is 18 years old.
Samantha Caibles, PHI: This is her international debut. She is 16 years old.
Da Bin Choi, KOR: This is her JGP debut. She is 13 years old.
Alsu Kaiumova, RUS: This is her international debut. She is 14 years old.
Natalia Ogoreltseva, RUS: This is her international debut. She is 13 years old.
Chloe Ing, SIN: This is her international debut. She is 14 years old.
Dominika Murckova, SVK: She placed 13th at JGP Croatia last season. Her personal best is 104.66. She is 17 years old.
Michaela Du Toit, RSA: This is her international debut. She is 13 years old.
Josefine Taljegard, SWE: She finished 24th at Junior Worlds. She placed 10th at JGP USA and 7th at JGP Croatia last season. Her personal best is 122.99. She is 18 years old.
Tanja Odermatt, SUI: She placed 20th at JGP France last season. Her personal best is 91.49. She is 16 years old.
Promsan Rattanadilok Nu Phuket, THA: She placed 28th at JGP Austria last season. Her personal best is 75.59. She is 14 years old.
Mariah Bell, USA: This is her JGP debut. She is 17 years old.
Polina Edumunds, USA: This is her JGP debut. She is 15 years old.
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