JGP Poland Men's Preview

He Zhang took home the silver medal last week from JGP Slovakia.  He rebounded from a 5th place short program and won the free skate.  His score was just shy of his personal best.  He is competing in back to back events, but both were in Europe so he didn't have to deal with any significant travel or jetlag.  He doesn't have much time to make any adjustments between events but he stands a good chance of winning here if he can repeat his free skate and clean up his short program.

Adian Pitkeev also has a silver medal from this season in Latvia.  He also had a 5th place short program and won the free skate at his event.  He set personal bests in all segments of competition in Latvia.  He also has a good shot at the gold if he can clean up his short program.  Both of these men can qualify with the Final with a gold medal while a silver and a bronze will keep them in contention.

Nam Nguyen just missed out on the podium at JGP Mexico, but he did set a personal best total score.  He has won one medal on the JGP and will be looking to claim his 2nd medal here.  He had a growth spurt over the summer and is readjusting to his new height but seems to be coping fairly well.

Wenbo Zang competed last week in Slovakia and finished 6th in his JGP debut.  He significantly improved his personal best in his first international competition since 2010.

Alexander Petrov is making his competitive debut this season after winning a silver medal on the JGP last season.  He started off slow at his first JGP assignment last season but scored nearly 20 points higher in his 2nd outing.  He'll need a personal best to contend for the podium, but it's well within his grasp.

Also in the mix are Sei Kawahara who placed 7th in Mexico and Deniss Vasiljevs who placed 7th in Latvia.

My podium predictions:
Gold: He Zhang
Silver: Adian Pitkeev
Bronze: Nam Nguyen

Bios of the competitors:
Slavik Hayrapetyan, ARM: He placed 21st at Junior Worlds.  His personal best is 143.48.  He is 17 years old.

David Kranjec, AUS: He placed 23rd at Four Continents and 24th at Junior Worlds.  He finished 12th at JGP Slovenia and 10th at JGP Croatia last season.  His personal best is 150.20.  He is 16 years old.

Larry Loupolover, AZE: This is his international debut.  He is 14 years old.

Ivo Gatovski, BUL: He finished 22nd at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 115.84.  He is 15 years old.

Nam Nguyen, CAN: He placed 12th at Junior Worlds.  He finished 4th at JGP Mexico.  His personal best is 181.04.  He is 15 years old.

Wenbo Zang, CHN: He placed 6th at JGP Slovakia.  His personal best is 177.61.  He is 17 years old.

He Zhang, CHN: He finished 9th at Junior Worlds.  He won silver at JGP Slovakia.  His personal best is 193.97.  He is 16 years old.

Chih-I Tsao, TPE: He placed 23rd at Junior Worlds.  He finished 11th at JGP USA and 9th at JGP Croatia last season.  His personal best is 155.30.  He is 15 years old.

Tomas Kupka, CZE: He placed 14th at JGP Turkey last season.  His personal best is 126.12.  He is 18 years old.

Juho Pirinen, FIN: He placed 20th at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 123.96.  He is 17 years old.

Adrien Tesson, FRA: This is his JGP debut.  He is 16 years old.

Armen Agaian, GEO: He finished 19th at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 124.51.  He is 17 years old.

Panagiotis Polizoakis, GER: He placed 11th at JGP France and 14th at JGP Croatia last season.  His personal best is 135.58.  He is 18 years old.

Niko Ulanovsky, GER: He placed 11th at JGP Croatia last season.  His personal best is 158.47.  He is 16 years old.

Wayne Wing Yin Chung, HKG: He placed 24th at JGP Turkey last season.  His personal best is 99.44.  He is 17 years old.

Sei Kawahara, JPN: He placed 7th at JGP Mexico.  His personal best is 170.41.  He is 17 years old.

Shu Nakamura, JPN: He placed 6th at JGP Turkey and 8th at JGP Germany last season.  His personal best is 161.69.  He is 17 years old.

Deniss Vasiljevs, LAT: He placed 7th at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 161.94.  He is 14 years old.

Julian Zhi Jie Yee, MAS: He finished 24th at Junior Worlds.  He placed 21st at JGP Slovenia.  His personal best is 112.93.  He is 16 years old.

Sondre Oddvoll Boe, NOR: He finished 26th at Junior Worlds.  He placed 23rd at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 134.88.  He is 15 years old.

Kamil Dymowski, POL: He finished 27th at Junior Worlds last season.  He finished 12th at JGP Turkey last season.  His personal best is 128.77.  He is 18 years old.

Krzysztof Gala, POL: He placed 18th at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 128.49.  He is 17 years old.

Dong-Won Lee, KOR: He placed 15th at JGP Slovakia.  His personal best is 166.93.  He is 16 years old.

Alexander Petrov, RUS: He finished 5th at JGP France and won silver at JGP Turkey last season.  His personal best is 174.45.  He is 14 years old.

Adian Pitkeev, RUS: He won silver at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 187.19.  He is 15 years old.

Marco Klepoch, SVK: He placed 36th at Junior Worlds.  He placed 21st at JGP Slovakia.  His personal best is 114.13.  He is 15 years old.

Johann Wilkinson, RSA: This is his JGP debut.  He is 18 years old.

Hector Alonso Serrano, ESP: This is his JGP debut.  He is 15 years old.

Igor Reznichenko, UKR: He placed 12th at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 150.05.  He is 18 years old.

Brian Krentz, USA: This is his international debut.  He is 18 years old.

Jordan Moeller, USA: He placed 9th at JGP Latvia.  His personal best is 158.74.  He is 18 years old.