Two-time U.S. champion and 2014 Olympic Team Event bronze medalist
Gracie Gold is scheduled to compete in the ISU Grand Prix Series this autumn after a lengthy absence to address personal issues.
Gold, who turned 23 on Aug. 17, received a berth to compete at Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, Nov. 16–18. She shared the news of her comeback to competitive skating via Instagram: "The first Grand Prix I ever medaled at was Cup of Russia in 2012. I'm proud to be competing again on the international circuit and I can't wait to go back to Moscow. Thanks for the love and endless support."
The ISU announced its Grand Prix Series assignments on June 28. This is the 24th Grand Prix season. The Grand Prix Series incorporates six international figure skating competitions as a unified point-scoring series that awards prize money to eligible skaters. At the conclusion of the series, athletes' points are totaled and the top six ladies, men, pairs and ice dance teams are invited to compete at the 2018 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The Grand Prix Final is scheduled for Dec. 6–9 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
For Gold, it will be the first time that she'll compete since the 2017 U.S. Championships in Kansas City, Missouri, where she placed sixth. She won U.S. titles in 2014 and 2016 and secured silver medals in 2013 and 2015. Gold finished fourth at the 2014 Olympics in the individual event, while helping Team USA claim bronze in the inaugural Olympic Team Event.
She finished fourth at the 2015 World Championships and was on her way to a podium finish after winning the short program at the 2016 World Championships in Boston. But a poor free skate in front of a packed house at the famed TD Garden dropped her to fourth place.
The disappointment of that competition sent Gold spiraling downward as she made public her subsequent battles with anxiety, depression and eating disorders.
Gold is training in Aston, Pennsylvania, under coach Vincent Restencourt, a former member of the French World Team.
Gold will be joined in Russia by 2017 U.S. champion Karen Chen, who is looking for a fresh start following an 11th-place finish at the Olympics in PyeongChang and a withdrawal from the World Championships a month later. Chen will also compete earlier in the Grand Prix Series in Helsinki, Finland.
U.S. champion Bradie Tennell will join the other 2018 U.S. titlists at Skate America, the Grand Prix Series opener in Everett, Washington, Oct. 19–21. Tennell will then have two months to finetune her programs before competing at the last Grand Prix event in Grenoble, France.
Veterans Ashley Wagner and Mirai Nagasu announced that they won't compete in the Grand Prix Series.
For a full Grand Prix Series preview on Team USA, read the August/September issue of SKATING magazine.
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