Eleven Americans will represent the United States at the Grand Prix Final and the Junior Grand Prix Final from Dec. 6-8 in Vancouver. Fourteen senior and junior athletes will also compete at Golden Spin in Zagreb, Croatia, this weekend.
The senior and junior competition will take place simultaneously throughout the weekend, beginning on Thursday, Dec. 6 with the junior short programs and rhythm dance, and the senior ladies and men's short programs. The Figure Skating Pass on NBC Sports Gold will stream the senior competition live to subscribers beginning at 11:05 a.m. ET on Dec. 6. NBC will air a recap the day after each competition beginning on Friday, Dec. 7 at 11:30 p.m. ET. The junior competition will be available on the International Skating Union's YouTube page.
Nathan Chen will represent Team USA in the senior men's competition. The reigning World champion claimed gold at Skate America and Internationaux de France this season. He will look to defend his 2017 Grand Prix Final title, competing in the event for the third straight year.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue were the top qualifier in the ice dance field, taking home gold at Skate America and Skate Canada International. The Montreal-based couple is competing in their fourth consecutive Grand Prix Final and will look to capture their first medal at the 2018 Final.
Also representing the United States in senior ice dance,
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker will make their Grand Prix Final debut in Vancouver. The duo topped the podium at NHK Trophy and finished fourth at Internationaux de France to qualify for the event.
In the Junior Grand Prix Final,
Camden Pulkinen and
Tomoki Hiwatashi will skate in the men's competition. Pulkinen, who won the silver medal at the JGP Final in 2017, won a gold and silver medal earlier this season. Hiwatashi picked up a pair of silver medals this season and is making his first JGP Final appearance.
Sarah Feng and TJ Nyman make their JGP Final debut after picking up a bronze medal at JGP Czech Republic earlier this season. The duo took home the junior silver medal from the 2018 U.S. Championships.
Avonley Nguyen and Vadym Kolesnik will represent the U.S. in the junior ice dance competition. The tandem won JGP Slovenia and finished second at JGP Lithuania.
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.
In Croatia, 14 athletes will skate in the junior and senior competition at 2018 Golden Spin, the 10th and final Challenger Series event of the season.
In the senior ladies field, reigning U.S. champion
Bradie Tennell will headline the American contingent. She'll be joined by
Mariah Bell, who is coming off an impressive performance at NHK Trophy, and
Megan Wessenberg, who looks to build on her sixth-place finish at Skate America.
Jason Brown, fresh off a silver medal at Internationaux de France, will take the ice in the senior men's competition.
In the senior pairs field, reigning U.S. champions
Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Chris Knierim will be joined by
Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc, and
Deanna Stellato and Nathan Bartholomay. Chelsea Liu and Ian Meyh will represent the United States in the junior pairs field.
Reigning U.S. junior silver medalists
Caroline Green and Gordon Green will skate in the junior ice dance competition.
