Eleven U.S. athletes will compete at 2018 Internationaux de France, the sixth event of the 2018 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, Nov. 23-24, in Grenoble, France. Multiple Americans, including reigning World champion
Nathan Chen, look to secure their spot in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Dec. 6-9 in Vancouver.
The Figure Skating Pass on NBC Sports Gold will stream the competition live to subscribers over two days with the short programs and rhythm dance airing on Friday, Nov. 23, and the conclusion of each discipline on Saturday, Nov. 24. Coverage will begin at 9 a.m. ET on Friday. NBC will air a recap of the competition at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 25. Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA will present encore coverage this Grand Prix season, Monday-Thursday following the event's conclusion.
In the ladies competition, reigning U.S. champion
Bradie Tennell will make her first Internationaux de France appearance. Tennell will return to Grand Prix ice after finishing just off the podium at 2018 Skate America.
Olympians
Jason Brown and
Nathan Chen will represent the United States in the men's field, each making their second appearance at the event. Reigning World and U.S. champion Chen claimed his second straight Skate America title to start the Grand Prix season and looks to punch his ticket to the Final in Vancouver. Brown finished sixth at Skate Canada International earlier this season. The Toronto-based skater earned the bronze medal in France in 2013.
Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea, and
Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov will make their second Grand Prix appearances of the season after competing at NHK Trophy. Kayne and O'Shea, who this season relocated to Colorado Springs to train, finished fifth in Japan. Reigning U.S. junior champions Lu and Mitrofanov made their Grand Prix debut in Japan, where they finished seventh.
The U.S. will send two ice dance teams to NHK Trophy. Coming off a gold medal performance at NHK Trophy,
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker look for their second Grand Prix medal of the season. The win in Japan marked the couple's first Grand Prix title. Rachel and Michael Parsons round out the U.S. contingent in France. The sibling duo has medaled at every international event this season, recently winning bronze at NHK Trophy, their first Grand Prix medal.
The Grand Prix Series, now in its 24th season, consists of six international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Approximately 300 athletes from 30 countries are expected to participate in the series. Each athlete is eligible to score points in up to two of the six scheduled events. The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the 2018 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, set for Dec. 6-9, in Vancouver.
