There are four ladies competing here trying to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final. Polina Edmunds won gold at her first assignment this season and beat the field by almost 20 points after winning all segments of the competition. She has triple + triples and impressive artistry for her age and should be able to cruise to another easy victory here. She needs a medal to qualify for the Final while a 4th place finish would keep her in contention.
Natalia Ogoreltseva won the silver medal at her debut in Mexico. She placed 2nd in the short program but dropped to 4th place in the free skate and nearly lost out on the silver medal. She needs a gold medal to qualify for the Final and a silver or bronze medal to keep her in the running.
Alaine Chartrand and Rika Hongo both had 4th place finishes in their first events of the season. They need a gold medal to keep themselves in contention for the Final.
Barbie Long finished 5th in Slovakia but did take home a silver medal from the JGP last season. She had a strong free skate and even set a new personal best, but unfortunately she was assigned to a deep field and it wasn't enough to land her on the podium there.
My podium predictions:
Gold: Polina Edmunds
Silver: Natalia Ogoreltseva
Bronze: Barbie Long
Bios of the competitors:
Maria Cristina Martinez de Haro, AND: She placed 23rd at JGP Latvia. Her personal best is 85.57.
She is 14 years old.
Lara Roth, AUT: This is her international debut. She is 13 years old.
Daria Batura, BLR: She placed 21st at JGP Poland. Her personal best is 82.39. She is 14 years old.
Janina Makeenka, BLR: This is her JGP debut. She is 18 years old.
Kristina Zakharanka, BLR: She placed 36th at Europeans and 43rd at Junior Worlds. She finished 26th at JGP Turkey and 20th at JGP Croatia last season. Her personal best is 92.03. She is 16 years old.
Vasilena Yakimova, BUL: She placed 26th at JGP Poland. Her personal best is 78.58. She is 16 years old.
Alaine Chartrand, CAN:
She finished 8th at Junior Worlds. She placed 4th at JGP Latvia. Her personal best is 146.95. She is 17 years old.
Madelyn Dunley, CAN: This is her international debut.
Kristina Dubrovskaya, CYP:
She placed 30th at JGP Slovakia. Her personal best is 69.15. She is 16 years old.
Pernille Sorensen, DEN:
She finished 35th at Junior Worlds. She placed 14 at JGP Latvia. Her personal best is 106.26. She is 15 years old.
Lyydia Maattanen, FIN:
She placed 15th at JGP Mexico. Her personal best is 106.98. She is 15 years old.
Laurine Lecavelier, FRA:
She placed 13th at Junior Worlds. She finished 11th at JGP Latvia. Her personal best is 131.25. She is 17 years old.
Maria-Katharina Herceg, GER: She finished 18th at JGP Germany last season. Her personal best is 96.80. She is 15 years old.
Ivett Toth, HUN: She finished 21st at Junior Worlds. She placed 14th at JGP Slovenia last season. Her personal best is 113.34. She is 14 years old.
Agnes Dis Brynjarsdottir, ISL: This is her JGP debut.
Sara Casella, ITA: She placed 29th at Junior Worlds. This is her JGP debut. She is 15 years old.
Rika Hongo, JPN:
She placed 9th at Junior Worlds. She placed 4th at JGP Mexico. Her personal best is 149.38. She is 17 years old.
Mai Mihara, JPN: This is her JGP debut. She is 14 years old.
Elizabet Turzynbaeva, KAZ: This is her international debut.
Angelina Kuchvalska, LAT:
She placed 20th at Junior Worlds. She finished 15th at JGP Slovakia. Her personal best is 115.52. She is 14 years old.
Deimante Kizalaite, LTU: This is her international debut. She is 14 years old.
Da Bin Choi, KOR: She placed 5th at JGP Mexico. Her personal best is 142.23.
She is 13 years old.
Yulia Li, RUS: This is her international debut. She is 14 years old.
Natalia Ogoreltseva, RUS: She won silver at JGP Mexico. Her personal best is 153.73. S
he is 13 years old.
Pina Umek, SLO:
She finished 22nd at JGP Latvia. Her personal best is 90.52. She is 18 years old.
Josefine Taljegard, SWE:
She finished 24th at Junior Worlds. She placed 14th at JGP Mexico. Her personal best is 122.99. She is 18 years old.
Elif Erdem, TUR: This is her international debut. She is 15 years old.
Mayada Khussein, UKR: This is her international debut.
Polina Edmunds, USA: She won gold at JGP Mexico. Her personal best is 171.21.
She is 15 years old.
Barbie Long, USA:
She placed 5th at JGP Slovakia. Her personal best is 148.19. She is 17 years old.
