Eleven U.S. Athletes Head to Skate Canada International

Eleven Team USA athletes are headed to Skate Canada International in Vancouver, the second stop of the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. Competition starts on Friday, Oct. 29, with the short programs and rhythm dance. The event will conclude with the free skates and free dance on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Alysa Liu will make her Grand Prix debut in Vancouver. The two-time U.S. champion is undefeated this season, picking up wins at Cranberry Cup, Lombardia Trophy and Nebelhorn Trophy, which confirmed the third women's entry for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. 2018 Olympian Karen Chen will also represent Team USA in Canada. The 2018 Olympian finished fourth at Autumn Classic International and sixth at Finlandia Trophy earlier this season. She also placed fourth at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021.

In the men's competition, Nathan Chen will look to collect his second Grand Prix medal after earning the bronze medal at 2021 Guaranteed Rate Skate America last week. Chen, who is the three-time reigning World champion and five-time reigning U.S. champion, is making his first career appearance at the event. Chen will be joined by Jason Brown and Tomoki Hiwatashi in Canada. Brown recently won gold at Finlandia Trophy and placed seventh at the 2021 World Championships. The 2014 Olympic bronze medalist trains out of Toronto. Hiwatashi placed fifth and seventh at Lombardia Trophy and Cranberry Cup, respectively. He is also the 2019 World Junior champion.

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc are the sole U.S. pair heading to Canada. The 2019 U.S. champions collected bronze medals at Finlandia Trophy and Autumn Classic International earlier this season, and placed ninth at the 2021 World Championships.

The United States will send two ice dance teams to Skate Canada International: Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, and Caroline Green and Michael Parsons. Carreira and Ponomarenko train out of London, Ontario, and are the 2020 U.S. pewter medalists. Earlier this season, they finished fourth and eighth at Lombardia Trophy and Finlandia Trophy, respectively. Green and Parsons are the 2021 U.S. pewter medalists and have medaled at their first two events of the season, claiming gold at the Lake Placid Ice Dance International and bronze at Autumn Classic International.

Fans can watch the entire event live and on-demand on Peacock Premium. NBC will also broadcast a recap show on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 4-6 p.m. ET. The Grand Prix Series Competition Central is the one-stop-shop for fans to follow Team USA, read up on the latest news, and access schedules and results.

The Grand Prix Series, now in its 26th season, consists of six international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete or team is eligible to score points in up to two of the six scheduled events. The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, set for Dec. 9-12, in Osaka, Japan.
 

U.S. ENTRIES AT SKATE CANADA INTERNATIONAL
Athlete | Hometown | Training Town

Women
Karen Chen | Fremont, Calif. | Colorado Springs, Colo.
Alysa Liu | Richmond, Calif. | Oakland, Calif.

Men
Jason Brown | Highland Park, Ill. | Toronto
Nathan Chen | Salt Lake City | Irvine, Calif.
Tomoki Hiwatashi | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Colorado Springs, Colo.

Pairs
Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc | Coppell, Texas; Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Euless, Texas

Ice Dance
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko | Montreal; San Jose, Calif. | London, Ontario
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons | Rockville, Md.; Derwood, Md. | Leesburg, Va.


PEACOCK PREMIUM STREAMING SCHEDULE
All times Eastern. Subject to change.

Friday, Oct. 29
Pairs short program | 4 p.m.
Men's short program | 5:35 p.m.
Rhythm dance | 8 p.m.
Women's short program | 9:45 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30
Pairs free skate | 4 p.m.
Men's free skate | 5:47 p.m.
Free dance | 8:30 p.m.
Women's free skate | 10:31 p.m.