The 2011-2012 figure skating season is off to its (unofficial) start this week with Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition, now in its 43rd consecutive year, is the first international senior-level competition and will feature some big names, including former U.S. champion Mirai Nagasu, 2010 Czech champion Michal Brezina, and World silver medalists Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov.
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The Junior Grand Prix Series is already in full swing, with Baltic Cup, the third event of the series, just concluding over the weekend in Poland. For many of the entrants, Nebelhorn Trophy will be a warmup competition for the fall’s Grand Prix Series, which will begin with Skate America in late October.
In the ladies’ competition, Nagasu will be up against former Russian champion Ksenia Makarova, who looks to be the biggest obstacle between her and the title. Brezina will be fighting for the gold with defending champion Tatsuki Machida and 2010 World junior champion Yuzuru Hanyu. In dance, the field is wide open and will feature former Canadian junior champions Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill, and the international debut of Americans Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue.
But fans of American skating will perhaps be most interested in watching the pairs competition, where new pair Caydee Denney and John Coughlin will be competing together internationally for the first time after a great debut in the preseason domestic events. They will be competing against the new Russian stars, Volosozhar and Trankov, who are only skating in their second season together. Canadian fans will be looking forward to their own rookie pair, Jessica Dube and Sebastien Wolfe.
FULL PREVIEWS & PREDICTIONS
Men
Ladies
Pairs
Dance
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