There are stories within stories in this women’s event at the very first Grand Prix event of the season. Besides the fact that we have three World medalists at this event (Chaeyeon Kim, Isabeau Levito, and Kaori Sakamoto), there is also some internal jockeying for position among the French, Japanese, and Korean entrants—all of whom will be facing off against each other at their respective national championships later this season for a chance to get onto their Olympic team. So as you watch this event this week, also know that the results here will absolutely have an effect down the road.
2025 Grand Prix de France predictions
Unofficial hashtag: #GPFRA25 | Official Grand Prix hashtag: #GPFigure
GOLD Kaori Sakamoto JPN - Nowhere near her best at Kinoshita Group Cup in early September, and she was still over 200 points with a silver medal. Sakamoto has never been known to be a good Challenger Series skater, but she tends to lock it in when the Grand Prix rolls around. She’s the veteran of this field, in her third Olympic season and also her farewell season. Another win here will give her a ninth career Grand Prix title.
SILVER Rion Sumiyoshi JPN - You know who’s been on fire this season? Rion Sumiyoshi. Much like last season, Sumiyoshi is coming into the first Grand Prix event very strong, having won both Lombardia Trophy and Tokyo Regionals. She will want to watch for those underrotations that crept into her free skate at regionals, but another strong showing here will do her a lot of good in her bid to make it to the Olympics this season.
BRONZE Isabeau Levito USA - A win at Cranberry Cup and fourth at Nebelhorn Trophy—both events saw Levito score a 207, which puts her in very good stead coming into this competition. What she’s displayed early this season is consistency, what could play a role in whether she’s on the podium or not will be cleanness of rotations.
4. Ami Nakai JPN - It’s been a brilliant start for Nakai in her first senior international season. Even though the triple axel hasn’t been firing, the rest of her jumps have been very strong, and that’s lead to a gold and a silver on the Challenger Series, defeating the likes of Mone Chiba and Alysa Liu in the process. The person she lost to at Lombardia Trophy was Sumiyoshi. Can she turn the tables here?
5. Jia Shin KOR - After a disappointing start to her senior international debut season at Cranberry Cup, Shin came back six weeks later and looked like a completely different skater at Nebelhorn Trophy. And though both times, she took bronze, those were two very different competitions and performances. She carries momentum into France, where she was a late substitute entry after Niina Petrokina withdrew. She’s got
6. Lorine Schild FRA - Her career-high 15th at Worlds last season earned France a spot for the women at the Olympics this season. After the early events of this season, she and Serna have emerged as the two frontrunners for that one spot. Schild has historically been more consistent than Serna, but Serna has absolutely closed the gap so far this season.
7. Lea Serna FRA - Serna has had a very strong start to hear season, skating especially well in the free skate at Trophee Metropole Nice two weeks ago. There’s a lot to like about her skating—strong jumps and big skating. The showdown between her and Schild will be one to watch here.
8. Young You KOR - We have yet to see You in competition this season, and this will be the first time since her 12th-place finish at worlds in March that we are seeing her compete. Last season, we saw her have issues with both consistency and clean rotations.
9. Chaeyeon Kim KOR - Kim is perhaps the biggest question mark of the 12 at this event. At Nepela Memorial just a few weeks ago, she looked completely out of sorts—mistakes, underrotations, and pops—finishing with the lowest score of her entire senior career and 12th in the standings there. She has since returned to an old free skate, perhaps to have something feel under her control. But have three weeks been enough for her to make what would be a miraculous stride back to form?
10. Elyce Lin-Gracey USA - We haven’t quite seen Lin-Gracey at her best since that phenomenal Nebelhorn showing about 13 months ago that put her in the conversation among the American women. We know the potential and the quality are there, but she will need to be more consistent. She was 11th at Nepela Memorial to start her season three weeks ago.
11. Livia Kaiser SUI - We aren’t really sure what Kaiser’s condition is here. She withdrew from Nebelhorn Trophy after the short program in late September, so she’s had three weeks since to work back into the season.
12. Clemence Mayindu FRA - Making her second appearance on the Grand Prix, Mayindu was 12th here last year at Grand Prix de France. She was ninth last week at Tayside Trophy.