ISU Grand Prix series to go ahead as planned in fall

The figure skating Grand Prix series held by the International Skating Union will go ahead this fall as scheduled, it was learned Tuesday.

Sources told Kyodo News that the decision to hold the six-leg series beginning in October was approved at an online ISU executive meeting on Monday.

Due to travel restrictions put in place in various countries because of the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, potential changes to the format of the series will be discussed at a later date.

The Grand Prix series takes place at venues in the United States, Canada, China, France, Russia and Japan.

The sixth stop on the series, the NHK Trophy in Japan, is scheduled to be held from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29 at Towa Pharmaceutical Ractab Dome in Osaka Prefecture.

The top six ranked male and female skaters, pairs and ice dance pairs over the series advance to the Grand Prix Final, penciled in for December in Beijing.

However, because of the spread of the virus across the globe, the GP Final could be moved to the beginning of next year.