Four-time World Champions and two-time Olympic bronze medallists Aliona Savchenko/ Robin Szolkowy (GER) headline the Pairs event. Olympic silver medallists Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov (RUS) want to stop the Germans’ quest for a fifth World title. Savchenko/Szolkowy hold a seasons best of 227.03 points from the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final while Stolbova/Klimov scored a seasons best of 218.68 points in Sochi. Reigning Four Continents Champions Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN/seasons best 212.40), 2013 World bronze medallists Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford (CAN/seasons best 199.53) and Kirsten Moore-Towers/Dylan Moscovitch (CAN/seasons best 208.45) have a shot at the podium as well.
The Ice Dance event looks open without Olympic and World Champions Meryl Davis/Charlie White (USA) and Olympic and World silver medallists Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN). Olympic bronze medallists Elena Ilinykh/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) picked up a seasons best of 183.48 points in Sochi and are the team to beat. The challenge should come from ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medallists Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat (FRA/seasons best 177.22 points), 2013 World bronze medallists Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev (RUS/seasons best 172.92 points), Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN/seasons best 175.23 points) and reigning European Champions Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA/seasons best 171.61 points).
Prize Money
The ISU awards a global prize money of US$ 710,000 at the World Championships to skaters/couples placed 1st to 12th. The prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples as follows:
Men and Ladies Pairs and Dance (per couple)
1st place US$ 45,000 1st place US$ 67,500
2nd place US$ 27,000 2nd place US$ 40,500
3rd place US$ 18,000 3rd place US$ 27,000
4th place US$ 13,000 4th place US$ 19,500
5th place US$ 10,000 5th place US$ 15,000
6th place US$ 7,000 6th place US$ 10,500
7th place US$ 6,000 7th place US$ 9,000
8th place US$ 5,000 8th place US$ 7,500
9th place US$ 3,500 9th place US$ 5,250
10th place US$ 3,000 10th place US$ 4,500
11th place US$ 2,500 11th place US$ 3,750
12th place US$ 2,000 12th place US$ 3,000