The China Mail - Skating stars Malinin, Sakamoto begin quest for Olympic gold in France

The first of the six-stop ISU Grand Prix series heads for western France from October 17-19 as competitors build towards the Olympics which get under way on February 6 in northern Italy.

Skaters compete in two of the six-leg series with the top ranked qualifying for the Grand Prix Final, which this season is set for Nagoya, Japan, from December 4-7.

Quadruple-jumping maestro Malinin is favourite to follow retired fellow American Nathan Chen onto the top of the Olympic men's podium in what will be the 20-year-old's first Winter Games.

Malinin claimed a second world title in Boston earlier this year with an impressive 31-point margin on Kazakh Mikhail Shaidorov.

Japan's Yuma Kagiyama, the 2022 Olympic silver medallist, and South Korea's Cha Jun-hwan are also hoping for a Games medal along with France's Adam Siao Him Fa.

In France, Malinin is set to go toe to toe with home hope Siao Him Fa, a three-time winner in Angers and former world medallist. Malinin has been undefeated in competition since coming second to Siao Him Fa in Angers in 2023.

Malinin will then head to Skate Canada on week three of the series from October 31 to November 2. Shaidorov will compete in the Cup of China from October 24-26 and Skate America from November 14-16.

Sakamoto, a former three-time world champion, won bronze at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics behind two Russian skaters.

But the 25-year-old comes into the Olympic season having been thwarted in her bid for a fourth world gold by American Alysa Liu in Boston last March.

Liu, 20, begins her campaign at the Grand Prix of China along with fellow American Amber Glenn who won two Grand Prix golds and the Grand Prix final last year.

In Angers, Sakamoto will face old rivals -- American Isabeau Levito and South Korea's Kim Chae-yeon -- the trio going 1-2-3 at the 2024 world championships.

- Russians banned -

However competitors will be unable to test themselves against their Russians rivals before the Olympics.

Russian and Belarusian skaters have been banned from ISU events since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

Athletes from both countries will be allowed to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics under a neutral banner.

Among them Russian women's figure skaters Adeliia Petrosian and Viktoriia Safonova and men's competitor Petr Gumennik.

Two-time Russian national champion Petrosian, 18, booked her ticket by winning last month's qualifying competition in Beijing with Safonova, 22, finishing fourth.

In pairs, world champions Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi of Japan will compete in France and Skate America.

Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are on the comeback trail having not competed in over three years and kick off their campaign at the Cup of China.

Ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the three-time world champions, will compete in China and the United States.

Reigning Olympic ice dance champion Guillaume Cizeron, now partnered with Canadian Laurence Fournier Beaudry, will compete in Angers.

"There's a little bit of our story inside this programme, overcoming challenges and always believing in a dream, in a new possibility," said Fournier Beaudry at the start of the season.

"It's a bit of a leap into the void, a precipice."

Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri are also on the ice in France along with Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, the world bronze medallists.

Schedule (all times GMT):

Friday, October 17

1600-1730: Women's short programme

1750-1900: Pairs short programme

Saturday, October 18

1100-1220: Ice dance Rhythm Dance

1240-1427: Women's free skating final

1610-1739: Men's short programme

1800-1920: Pairs free skating final

Sunday, October 19

0930-1100: Ice dance free dance final

1120-1307: Men's free skating final

1700-1930: Exhibition Gala

B.Carter--ThChM