2024 Grand Prix de France: Stars to watch
World bronze medallist Siao Him Fa is a top contender in the men’s singles at the Grand Prix de France as he leads a stellar European line-up, including Estonia’s Alexander Selevko who came second to the French figure skater at the 2024 European championships.
World No.5 Lukas Britschgi could also pose a challenge. The Swiss athlete spent the last two weeks honing the programs that earned him a second-place finish at the 2024 Budapest Trophy and is eager to improve on his scores in Angers.
While Angers is the first Grand Prix stop for Siao Him Fa, Selevko, and Britschgi, it will be the last regular stop for Shimada Koshiro who is looking to upgrade his sixth place finish at Skate America and stand out among the dazzling men’s skaters on Team Japan.
The spotlight will shine even brighter on the Japanese female skaters who will try to extend their country’s dominant reign in the women’s singles event. Higuchi Wakaba won Skate America while Kaori Sakamoto led an all-Japanese podium at Skate Canada. Higuchi will be on the ice again in Angers with the aim to clinch her spot in the Finals while teammates Mihara Mai and Sumiyoshi Rion are set to make their first Grand Prix appearances this season.
USA champion Amber Glenn will try to break up this Japanese party as she did at the 2024 Lombardia Trophy in September by beating Sakamoto for the singles title. A runner-up in Bergamo, Glenn’s teammate Sarah Everhardt will also be at the Grand Prix de France after getting a last-minute call up to replace Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx.
While European champion Hendrickx decided to miss the third Grand Prix stop to devote more time to training, her teammate Nina Pinzarrone will still give Belgium a good chance to be represented in the Top 3. Pinzarrone finished second in Angers last season and was just one spot off the podium at Skate America.
World bronze medallist Kim Chaeyeon of the Republic of Korea, who has not finished off the podium for almost a year, is also not one to miss.
Belgium
