The 2008–09 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating was a series of six international invitational competitions in the 2008–09 season. Skaters competed in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing on the senior level. At each event, skaters earned points based on their placements and the top six scoring skaters or teams at the end of the series qualified for the 2008–09 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, held in Goyang, South Korea.
The Grand Prix series set the stage for the 2009 European Figure Skating Championships, the 2009 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, the 2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, and the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, as well as each country's national championships. The Grand Prix series began on October 23, 2008 and ended on December 14, 2008.
The Grand Prix was organized by the International Skating Union. Skaters competed for prize money and a chance to compete in the Grand Prix Final. The corresponding series for Junior-level skaters was the 2008–09 ISU Junior Grand Prix.
Qualifying Skaters who reached the age of 14 by July 1, 2008 were eligible to compete on the senior Grand Prix circuit. The top six skaters from the 2008 World Championships were seeded and were guaranteed two events. Skaters who placed 7th through 12th were also given two events, though they were not considered seeded.
Skaters/teams who medaled at the 2007–08 Junior Grand Prix Final or the 2008 World Junior Championships were guaranteed one event. Skaters who medaled at both the Junior Grand Prix Final and the World Junior Championships were guaranteed only one event.
The host country was allowed to send three skaters/teams of their choosing in each discipline.
The spots remaining were filled from the top 75 skaters/teams in the 2007–08 Season's Best list.
Schedule Date Event Location October 23–26 2008 Skate America Everett, Washington, United States Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 2008 Skate Canada International Ottawa, Ontario, Canada November 6–9 2008 Cup of China Beijing, China November 13–16 2008 Trophée Éric Bompard Paris, France November 20–23 2008 Cup of Russia Moscow, Russia November 27–30 2008 NHK Trophy Tokyo, Japan December 10–14 2008–09 Grand Prix Final Goyang, South Korea
Assignments Men Nation skater Assignment(s) Belarus Sergei Davydov Skate America, NHK Trophy Belgium Kevin van der Perren Skate America, Cup of Russia Canada Jeffrey Buttle Skate Canada International, Cup of China Canada Patrick Chan Skate Canada International, Trophée Éric Bompard Canada Vaughn Chipeur Cup of China, Cup of Russia Canada Christopher Mabee Skate America, NHK Trophy Canada Ian Martinez Skate America (added) Canada Kevin Reynolds Skate America, NHK Trophy Canada Shawn Sawyer Skate America, Skate Canada International (added) Canada Jeremy Ten Skate Canada International (added), Cup of China (added) China Gao Song Cup of China China Guan Jinlin Trophée Éric Bompard, NHK Trophy China Li Chengjiang Skate America, Cup of Russia China Wu Jialiang Cup of China, Trophée Éric Bompard (added) China Xu Min Cup of China Czech Republic Tomas Verner Cup of China, Cup of Russia France Yoann Deslot Trophée Éric Bompard (added) France Brian Joubert Trophée Éric Bompard, Cup of Russia France Kim Lucine Trophée Éric Bompard France Yannick Ponsero Skate Canada International, NHK Trophy France Alban Preaubert Trophée Éric Bompard, Cup of Russia Germany Peter Liebers Trophée Éric Bompard, NHK Trophy (added) Italy Karel Zelenka Skate Canada International Japan Takahiko Kozuka Skate America, Trophée Éric Bompard Japan Takahito Mura NHK Trophy Japan Kensuke Nakaniwa Cup of China Japan Yasuharu Nanri Skate Canada International, NHK Trophy (added) Japan Nobunari Oda NHK Trophy Japan Daisuke Takahashi Cup of China, NHK Trophy Russia Artem Borodulin Cup of China, Cup of Russia Russia Andrei Griazev Skate America, Trophée Éric Bompard Russia Andrei Lutai Trophée Éric Bompard (added), NHK Trophy Russia Alexander Uspenski Cup of Russia Russia Vladimir Uspenski Skate Canada International Russia Sergei Voronov Skate Canada International, Cup of Russia Slovakia Igor Macypura Skate America (added), Trophée Éric Bompard (added) Slovenia Gregor Urbas Trophée Éric Bompard Sweden Kristoffer Berntsson Cup of China, Cup of Russia Sweden Adrian Schultheiss Skate America, NHK Trophy Switzerland Stephane Lambiel Skate Canada International, Trophée Éric Bompard Switzerland Jamal Othman NHK Trophy (added) Ukraine Anton Kovalevski Skate Canada International (added), NHK Trophy (added) United States Jeremy Abbott Cup of China, Cup of Russia United States Ryan Bradley Skate Canada International, Trophée Éric Bompard United States Stephen Carriere Cup of China, NHK Trophy United States Evan Lysacek Skate America, Skate Canada International United States Brandon Mroz Skate Canada International, Trophée Éric Bompard United States Adam Rippon Skate America, Cup of Russia United States Johnny Weir Skate America, NHK Trophy
Medal summary Event Date Discipline Gold Silver Bronze Skate America October 25 Pairs Aliona Savchenko / Robin Szolkowy Keauna McLaughlin / Rockne Brubaker Maria Mukhortova / Maxim Trankov Men Takahiko Kozuka Johnny Weir Evan Lysacek October 26 Ice dancing Isabelle Delobel / Olivier Schoenfelder Tanith Belbin / Benjamin Agosto Sinead Kerr / John Kerr Ladies Kim Yuna Yukari Nakano Miki Ando
Event Date Discipline Gold Silver Bronze Skate Canada November 1 Pairs Yuko Kawaguchi / Alexander Smirnov Jessica Dubé / Bryce Davison Keauna McLaughlin / Rockne Brubaker Men Patrick Chan Ryan Bradley Evan Lysacek Ladies Joannie Rochette Fumie Suguri Alissa Czisny November 2 Ice dancing Meryl Davis / Charlie White Vanessa Crone / Paul Poirier Nathalie Péchalat / Fabian Bourzat
Event Date Discipline Gold Silver Bronze Cup of China November 7 Pairs Zhang Dan / Zhang Hao Tatiana Volosozhar / Stanislav Morozov Pang Qing / Tong Jian November 8 Ladies Kim Yuna Miki Ando Laura Lepistö Ice dancing Oksana Domnina / Maxim Shabalin Tanith Belbin / Benjamin Agosto Jana Khokhlova / Sergei Novitski Men Jeremy Abbott Stephen Carriere Tomáš Verner
Event Date Discipline Gold Silver Bronze Trophée Eric Bompard November 15 Men Patrick Chan Takahiko Kozuka Alban Préaubert Pairs Aliona Savchenko / Robin Szolkowy Maria Mukhortova / Maxim Trankov Meagan Duhamel / Craig Buntin Ladies Joannie Rochette Mao Asada Caroline Zhang Ice dancing Isabelle Delobel / Olivier Schoenfelder Federica Faiella / Massimo Scali Sinead Kerr / John Kerr
Event Date Discipline Gold Silver Bronze Cup of Russia November 22 Ladies Carolina Kostner Rachael Flatt Fumie Suguri Pairs Zhang Dan / Zhang Hao Yuko Kawaguchi / Alexander Smirnov Tatiana Volosozhar / Stanislav Morozov Men Brian Joubert Tomáš Verner Alban Préaubert November 23 Ice dancing Jana Khokhlova / Sergei Novitski Oksana Domnina / Maxim Shabalin Meryl Davis / Charlie White
Event Date Discipline Gold Silver Bronze NHK Trophy November 29 Pairs Pang Qing / Tong Jian Rena Inoue / John Baldwin Jessica Dubé / Bryce Davison Ice dancing Federica Faiella / Massimo Scali Nathalie Péchalat / Fabian Bourzat Emily Samuelson / Evan Bates Ladies Mao Asada Akiko Suzuki Yukari Nakano November 30 Men Nobunari Oda Johnny Weir Yannick Ponsero
Event Date Discipline Gold Silver Bronze Grand Prix Final() December 13 Ice dancing Isabelle Delobel / Olivier Schoenfelder Oksana Domnina / Maxim Shabalin Meryl Davis / Charlie White Men Jeremy Abbott Takahiko Kozuka Johnny Weir Ladies Mao Asada Kim Yuna Carolina Kostner Pairs Pang Qing / Tong Jian Zhang Dan / Zhang Hao Aliona Savchenko / Robin Szolkowy
Points After the final event, the 2008 NHK Trophy, the six skaters/teams with the most points advanced to the Grand Prix Final. The qualification point system is as follows:
Placement Points (Singles/Dance) Points (Pairs) 1st Place 15 Points 15 Points 2nd Place 13 Points 13 Points 3rd Place 11 Points 11 Points 4th Place 9 Points 9 Points 5th Place 7 Points 7 Points 6th Place 5 Points 5 Points 7th Place 4 Points 8th Place 3 Points
There were seven tie-breakers in cases of a tie in overall points: Highest placement at an event. If a skater placed 1st and 3rd, the tiebreaker is the 1st place, and that beats a skater who placed 2nd in both events. Highest combined total scores in both events. If a skater earned 200 points at one event and 250 at a second, that skater would win in the second tie-break over a skater who earned 200 points at one event and 150 at another. Participated in two events. Highest combined scores in the free skating/free dancing portion of both events. Highest individual score in the free skating/free dancing portion from one event. Highest combined scores in the short program/original dance of both events. Highest number of total participants at the events.
If a tie remained, it was considered unbreakable and the tied skaters all qualified for the Grand Prix Final.
Final points Skaters in bold qualified for the Grand Prix Final.
Points Men Ladies Pairs Ice dance 30 Patrick Chan Kim Yuna Joannie Rochette Aliona Savchenko / Robin Szolkowy Zhang Dan / Zhang Hao Isabelle Delobel / Olivier Schoenfelder 28 Takahiko Kozuka Mao Asada Yuko Kawaguchi / Alexander Smirnov Oksana Domnina / Maxim Shabalin Federica Faiella / Massimo Scali 26 Johnny Weir Pang Qing / Tong Jian Jana Khokhlova / Sergei Novitski Meryl Davis / Charlie White Tanith Belbin / Benjamin Agosto 24 Brian Joubert Jeremy Abbott Tomáš Verner Carolina Kostner Yukari Nakano Miki Ando Fumie Suguri Tatiana Volosozhar / Stanislav Morozov Maria Mukhortova / Maxim Trankov Keauna McLaughlin / Rockne Brubaker Jessica Dubé / Bryce Davison Nathalie Péchalat / Fabian Bourzat 22 Alban Préaubert Evan Lysacek Rachael Flatt Vanessa Crone / Paul Poirier Sinead Kerr / John Kerr 20 Yannick Ponsero Alissa Czisny Rena Inoue / John Baldwin Meagan Duhamel / Craig Buntin Emily Samuelson / Evan Bates 19 18 Stephen Carriere Kevin Reynolds Laura Lepistö Caroline Zhang Ashley Wagner Anna Cappellini / Luca Lanotte 17 Ryan Bradley 16 Kristina Gorshkova / Vitali Butikov 15 Nobunari Oda 14 Shawn Sawyer Mylène Brodeur / John Mattatall Tiffany Vise / Derek Trent Ekaterina Bobrova / Dmitri Soloviev Pernelle Carron / Mathieu Jost 13 Akiko Suzuki 12 Susanna Pöykiö Beatrisa Liang Kimberly Navarro / Brent Bommentre 11 Brandon Mroz Alena Leonova Alexandra Zaretski / Roman Zaretski 10 Adam Rippon Mirai Nagasu Anna Zadorozhniuk / Sergei Verbillo 9 Artem Borodulin Sergei Voronov Candice Didier Amanda Evora / Mark Ladwig Dong Huibo / Wu Yiming Lubov Iliushechkina / Nodari Maisuradze Stacey Kemp / David King Ekaterina Rubleva / Ivan Shefer Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje 8 Wu Jialiang Adrian Schultheiss Katrina Hacker Katherine Copely / Deividas Stagniūnas 7 Vaughn Chipeur Takahito Mura Cynthia Phaneuf Zhang Yue / Wang Lei Ksenia Ozerova / Alexander Enbert Maria Sergejeva / Ilja Glebov Jennifer Wester / Daniil Barantsev 6 Kristoffer Berntsson Yasuharu Nanri Kimmie Meissner 5 Alexander Uspenski Peter Liebers Kevin van der Perren Jelena Glebova Xu Binshu Sarah Meier Adeline Canac / Maximin Coia Monica Pisotta / Michael Stewart Caitlin Yankowskas / John Coughlin Rachel Kirkland / Eric Radford Laura Magitteri / Ondřej Hotárek Kristin Fraser / Igor Lukanin 4 Jeremy Ten Mira Leung Jenna McCorkell Júlia Sebestyén Elene Gedevanishvili Jane Summersett / Todd Gilles Anastasia Platonova / Alexander Grachev 3 Anastasia Gimazetdinova Yu Xiaoyang / Wang Chen Andrea Chong / Guillame Gfeller Cathy Reed / Chris Reed
Prize money The total prize money was $180,000 per event in the series and $272,000 for the Final. All amounts are in U.S. dollars. Pairs and dance teams split the money. The breakdown was as follows:
Placement Prize money (series) Prize money (final) 1st $18,000 $25,000 2nd $13,000 $18,000 3rd $9,000 $12,000 4th $3,000 $6,000 5th $2,000 $4,000 6th - $3,000
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