NBC Sports to Present Coverage of 2012 HILTON HHONORS SKATE AMERICA, 10/21

NBC Sports presents coverage of the 2012 HILTON HHONORS SKATE AMERICA, from ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., the 2012 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating's first event of the season, this weekend. NBC will begin its coverage this Sunday at 4 p.m. ET, with live coverage of the Ladies' Free Skate and next-day coverage of the Men's Free Skate. Universal Sports will re-air the NBC coverage on Sunday from 8-10 p.m. ET.

NBC and Universal Sports team up to present more than 47 hours of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating this season beginning with Skate America and culminating with the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, December 8and December 9 from Sochi, Russia, the site of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games on NBC.

COMMENTATORS: Emmy Award-winning play-by-play announcer Mike 'Doc' Emrick, the lead voice of NBC's NHL coverage, will make his figure skating play-by-play debut at Skate America alongside NBC's Olympic figure skating analysts Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic and Tracy Wilson, with Andrea Joyce handling the interviews.

Additionally the commentator team of Terry Gannon, Michael Weiss and Tara Lipinski will announce the remaining Grand Prix events on NBC, with Peter Carruthers filling in for Weiss during the event in Russia on Nov. 10. Carruthers will also host Universal Sports' Grand Prix coverage, alongside Joyce, Tanith Belbin, Tonia Kwiatkowski and/or Judy Blumberg.

2012 Hilton HHonors Skate America will feature compelling skaters and storylines.

Team USA

Ladies

Ashley Wagner begins the season as the reigning U.S. and Four Continents champion. She will make her Skate America debut. Last fall, prior to winning her first U.S. title, Wagner placed third and fourth, respectively at Skate Canada and NHK Trophy. Rachael Flatt, the 2010 U.S. champion, makes her fourth Skate America appearance. She won silver medals in 2009 and '10. Christina Gao starts her second senior international season in Kent.

Men

Like Wagner, Jeremy Abbott will compete at Skate America for the first time. Abbott is a three-time U.S. champion who owns the 2012 title. He is also a 2010 Olympian and a seven-time Grand Prix Series medalist. Douglas Razzano made his Grand Prix Series debut at 2011 Hilton HHonors Skate America. Razzano most recently finished fifth at the 2012 U.S. Championships.

The Grand Prix Series, now in its 18th season, consists of six international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Approximately 300 athletes from 30 countries are expected to participate in the series. Each athlete 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 2012 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, set for Dec. 6-9, in Sochi, Russia, home of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Athletes will compete for a total of more than $1.35 million in prize money throughout the series.

NBC Sports and Universal Sports Broadcast Schedule

schedule subject to change

ALL TIMES ET

Sun., Oct. 21 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate America Ladies & Mens' Free NBC
8 p.m. – 10 p.m. Re-air Ladies & Mens' Free Universal Sports
Sat., Oct. 27 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Canada Pairs & Dance Free Universal Sports
7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Canada Men's Free Skate Universal Sports
Sun., Oct. 28 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Canada Ladies & Mens' Free NBC
7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Re-air Ladies & Mens' Free Universal Sports
Sat., Nov. 3 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Cup of China Ladies & Mens' Free Universal Sports
9 p.m. – 11 p.m. Cup of China Men's & Pairs' Free Universal Sports
Sat., Nov. 10 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Russia Men's & Pairs' Free Universal Sports
7 p.m. – 8 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Russia Free Dance Universal Sports
Sun., Nov. 11 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Russia Ladies & Mens' Free NBC
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Re-air Ladies & Mens' Free Universal Sports
Sat., Nov. 17 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Paris Men's & Pairs' Free Skate Universal Sports
7 p.m. – 8 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Paris Free Dance Universal Sports
Sun., Nov. 18 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Paris Ladies & Mens' Free NBC
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Re-air Ladies & Mens' Free Universal Sports
Sat., Nov. 24 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Japan Free Dance Universal Sports
8 p.m. – 9 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Japan Men's Free Universal Sports
Sun., Nov. 25 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Japan Ladies & Mens' Free NBC
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Japan Pairs Free Universal Sports
7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Re-air Ladies & Mens' Free Universal Sports
Sat., Dec. 8 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. ISU Grand Prix – Final Free Dance Universal Sports
8 p.m. – 10 p.m. ISU Grand Prix – Final Men's & Pairs' Free Universal Sports
Sun., Dec. 9 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. ISU Grand Prix – Final Ladies & Mens' Free NBC
4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Re-air Ladies & Mens' Free Universal Sports

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