Karina Safina/Luka Berulava (GEO) won the Junior Pairs Short Program as the competition at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships continued in Tallinn (EST) Thursday.
Karina Safina and Luka Berulava (GEO) compete in the Junior Pairs Short Program of the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships © ISU
Olympic and ISU World competitors Karina Safina/Luka Berulava of Georgia smashed expectations and won the Junior Pairs Short Program with six points to spare. Australia’s Anastasia Golubeva/Hector Giotopoulos-Moore finished second while Anastasiia Smirnova/Danylo Siianytsia (USA) are sitting in third heading into Friday’s Free Skating.
Safina/Berulava put out a strong performance of their program to a modern arrangement of the “Moonlight Sonata”, completing a triple twist, side by side double Axel and throw triple Salchow. The two-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalists picked up a level four for the twist, lift and side by side spin to set a new personal best of 67.77 points.
“We are satisfied, everything worked out today and we’ll work further,” Berulava said. “For us, each competition is the same, we prepare and focus in the same way, regardless if it is Junior Worlds or Senior Worlds.”
Performing to “Fire Dance” by Jennifer Thomas, Golubeva/Giotopoulos-Moore landed a triple twist, double Axel, throw triple Salchow and two level-four elements. The couple scored 61.72 points, which was a new personal best score as well.
Anastasia Golubeva and Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (AUS) at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships, Tallinn © ISU
“We are very happy with how we skated,” Giotopoulos-Moore told the press. “For us, it (the postponement of Junior Worlds) extended our season a bit and we had more training.”
Smirnova/Siianytsia’s performance to “Hey Big Spender” included a triple twist and throw triple Salchow. However, Smirnova’s double Axel was downgraded. Nevertheless, the team achieved a personal best score of 60.38 points.
“We are happy how it turned out today, but we still have tomorrow,” Siianytsia noted. “We feel we are stronger skaters than two years ago,” Smirnova said, when asked about coming back to Junior Worlds after 2020.
Anastasiia Smirnova and Danylo Siianytsia (USA) in the Junior Pairs Short Program of the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships © ISU
Brooke McIntosh/Benjamin Mimar (CAN) finished fourth with 58.00 points followed by Letizia Roscher/Luis Schuster (GER) on 54.01 points. Violetta Sierova/Ivan Khobta (UKR) came sixth (49.57 points).
Event Schedule
The schedule of the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2022 is as follows:
Thursday, April 14 Men’s & Pairs Short Program
Friday, April 15 Ice Dance/Rhythm Dance, Pairs Free Skating
Saturday, April 16 Women’s Short Program, Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, April 17 Ice Dance/Free Dance, Women’s Free Skating
* Following the IOC recommendation, in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q) i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in international ice skating Competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events (Full Statement to be read on ISU website).
