Anna Shcherbakova can lock up a spot at the Grand Prix Final this weekend at Cup of China, streaming live for NBC Sports Gold subscribers on Friday and Saturday.
Shcherbakova, 15, won Skate America while landing quads to kick off her debut senior Grand Prix season. Her biggest challengers for the podium will come from within her own country, from 2015 world champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva and 2019 European champion Sofia Samodurova. Keep an eye on Shcherbakova’s quads, of course, but also Tuktamysheva’s triple Axels. Japan’s Satoko Miyahara, a two-time world medalist, also makes her Grand Prix season debut in China.
The men’s side is a less clear picture. With the withdrawal of Vincent Zhou a few weeks ago, there is more room on the podium for the likes of China’s Jin Boyang, Canada’s Keegan Messing, and South Korea’s Cha Jun-Hwan.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates compete in back-to-back weekends as they head to China following a silver medal finish at Grand Prix France. Their biggest competition will likely come from training partners and fellow Americans Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker as well at from Russians Viktoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov. Skate America bronze medalists, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen of Canada, should also make a push for the podium.
In pairs, the two-time world champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are easy favorites, especially at home. This is their first major international competition of the season. Last year, the team was sidelined by injuries for much of the early part of the season before coming back to win the world championships.
As a reminder, you can watch the events from the 2019-20 figure skating season live and on-demand with the ‘Figure Skating Pass’ on NBC Sports Gold. Go to NBCsports.com/gold/figure-skating to sign up for access to every ISU Grand Prix and championship event, as well as domestic U.S. Figure Skating events throughout the season. NBC Sports Gold gives subscribers an unprecedented level of access on more platforms and devices than ever before.
MORE: Tuktamysheva, armed with triple Axel, fights to compete with Russian teens
Cup of China Broadcast Schedule
| Day | Time (ET) | Event | Network |
| Friday | 2:30 a.m. | Rhythm Dance | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK |
| 4 a.m. | Ladies’ Short | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK | |
| 6 a.m. | Men’s Short | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK | |
| 8 a.m. | Pairs’ Short | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK | |
| Saturday | 1:30 a.m. | Free Dance | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK |
| 3:30 a.m. | Ladies’ Free | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK | |
| 5:45 a.m. | Men’s Free | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK | |
| 8 a.m. | Pairs’ Free | NBC Sports Gold | STREAM LINK | |
| Sunday | 12-1:30 p.m. | Highlights | NBC | STREAM LINK |
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