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Minkyu Seo (KOR) performs during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2024/25 continued with an exciting second event in Ostrava (CZE) September 4-7. There were many great performances and even a backflip! Korea’s ISU World Junior Champion Minkyu Seo skated to the Junior Men’s crown while newcomers Kaoruko Wada (JPN) and Xuanqi Zhang/Wenqiang Feng (CHN) were golden in the Junior Women’s and Pairs. Ice Dancers Celina Fradji/Jean-Hans Fournaux (FRA) danced to their first gold in their fifth year on the circuit.

Minkyu Seo (KOR) at the top

Korea’s rising star Minkyu Seo did it again and skated off with the gold in what was a very interesting and unpredictable competition. On the first day, Adam Hagara (SVK), Taiga Nishino (JPN) and Seo were separated by less than a point in the Short Program. So it was a tight battle in the Free Skating. Seo landed two triple Axels in his entertaining routine to “Singin’ in the Rain” but he wobbled on a triple loop. The ISU World Junior Champion was second in the Free Skating but pulled to first to take the gold, his second JGP title. After missing the JGP Final a year ago, Seo is determined to book his spot at his next event in Gdansk (POL).

Minkyu Seo (KOR) performs during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

“I was more nervous compared to the World Junior Championships because this is the first competition of the season”, Seo commented. “I actually was relieved (to be in third place in the Short Program). I felt more confident. This season I want to train hard to bring fantastic performances to my fans,” the 15-year-old added.

The energetic Patrick Blackwell (USA) came out of nowhere to grab the silver medal. The 16-year-old had so far only a tenth place in the Junior event of the Cranberry Cup from August on his record.

Patrick Blackwell (USA) performs during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

He stood in fifth in the Short Program after falling on the change sit spin but he was on fire in his Free Skating to “Smoke and Mirrors”, reeling off a quad toe as well as seven triples and the backflip to win the segment and pull up to second place (221.56 points). The backflip is allowed as a choreographic element since this season.

Patrick Blackwell (USA) performs during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

Reigning ISU World Junior bronze medalist Hagara missed his opening triple Axel in the Free Skating but fought back to take the bronze at 211.23 points. Nishino on the other hand dropped to sixth after some errors.

Kaoruko Wada’s (JPN) golden moment

Please welcome Kaoruko Wada on the international scene - another wonderful talent from Japan. This 15-year-old from Nagoya debuted this year at the ISU Junior circuit and pocketed the gold with two excellent performances. She started off with a strong Short Program to “How Does a Moment Last Forever”. Wada’s golden moment continued with her captivating Free Skating to the “Titanic” soundtrack that featured six triple jumps (a seventh was slightly underrotated) and difficult spins. The Japanese Skater totaled 194.14 points.  

Kaoruko Wada (JPN) performs during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

“I didn’t expect to win this title,” Wada shared. “I enjoyed performing in the Short Program and in the Free Skating. It was amazing.” She looks up to three-time ISU World Champion Mao Asada (JPN). “After watching the Sochi Olympics (in 2014) I was motivated to start skating and she has been my idol since then,” Wada said.

The newly minted JPG Ostrava Champion will take the ice again in Gdansk (POL) for her next event and with the objective to get into the Junior Final.

Stefania Gladki (FRA) skated to the silver medal, her first medal on the circuit and the first JGP medal for a French woman since 2005.  Skating to “Dracula the Musical” in the Short Program and “Moulin Rouge” in the Free Skating, she turned in two strong performances to set a new personal best of 182.61 points.

Kaoruko Wada (JPN) performs during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

Yujae Kim (KOR) even landed a triple Axel in the Free Skating to capture the bronze medal (178.79 points). 2024 ISU World Junior bronze medalist Rena Uezono (JPN) slipped from second to fourth place after falling on two jumps.

Yujae Kim (KOR) performs during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

Zhang/Feng (CHN) strike gold

The Chinese Pairs are back! A week ago Jiaxuan Zhang/Yihang Huang (CHN) won in Riga, this week their teammates Xuanqi Zhang/Wenqian Feng (CHN) repeated the feat in Ostrava and struck gold in their very first international competition. They took the lead in the Short Program and came second in their Free Skating set to Spanish inspired music that was highlighted by a triple twist and difficult lifts (145.55 points).

Xuanqi Zhang and Wenqiang Feng (CHN) perform during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

“I am very happy and very honored to represent my country and participate in this event,” Feng commented.“This was a very good beginning of the season for us and this (watching Zhang/Huang winning) gave us a lot confidence coming here,” he continued.

Xuanqi Zhang and Wenqiang Feng (CHN) perform during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

Romane Telemaque/Loucas Coulon (FRA) came from Riga last week where they just missed the podium in fourth place. This time around, the couple from Melun stood in second place following the Short Program and held on to this placement in the Free Skating scoring a personal best of 139.84 points. This is the first medal for a French Pair Skating team since the very beginning of the ISU Junior Series in 1997 when Sabrina Lefrancois/Nicolas Osseland got a silver in Banska Bystrica (SVK).

Romane Telemaque and Lucas Coulon (FRA) perform during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

Julia Quattrochi/Simon Desmarais (CAN), who debuted on the series, won the Free Skating segment and picked up the bronze medals (137.54 points).

Ice Dancers Fradji/Fourneaux (FRA) claim first JGP title

Celina Fradji/Jean-Hans Fourneaux (FRA) have been competing on the ISU Junior Grand Prix since 2019 and have won several medals, but now the couple celebrated their very first victory on the circuit. It was a confident victory with 14 points to spare and a personal best of 158.66 points on top! Fradji/Fourneaux danced to the lead in the Rhythm Dance to “In the Navy” and “YMCA” and twizzled to the gold with their Free Dance to “Exogenesis Symphony”, showing off good unison and flow. They are the first French Ice Dance couple to win an ISU JGP title in eight years.

Celina Fradji and Jean-Hans Fourneaux  (FRA) perform during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

“We feel amazing. Since Taipei (ISU World Junior Championships 2024) we worked a lot on our programs and we worked all summer. So when we came here, it was of course to skate clean and maybe win. It was our goal,” Fradji noted.

Not surprisingly, Fourneaux revealed that they feel inspired by 2022 Olympic Champions Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA).

The dancers have been assigned to JGP Ljubljana (SLO) for their next event and are looking to qualify for their third consecutive ISU Junior Final.

Katerina Wolfkostin/Dmitry Tsarevski (USA) had actually competed at the senior level in the past season, but now returned to juniors and collected the silver medal in Ostrava with their emotional Free Dance to “Moulin Rouge” (144.94 points).

Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski  (USA) perform during the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Ostrava, Czech Republic. @ISU

The bronze went to Layla Veillon/Alexander Brandys (CAN) and it was their first medal since their JGP debut in 2022.

A total of 136 Skaters/Couples from 37 countries competed in Ostrava. You can re-live all the action and the winners’ interviews on the ISU YouTube channel. Tune in again when the series continues with the third event in Bangkok (THA) next week, from September 11-14, 2024.

 

Follow the ISU Junior Grand Prix events:

The schedules of each ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating event are available below:

• 28 - 31 Aug 2024 Riga/LAT

• 04 - 07 Sep 2024 Ostrava/CZE

• 11 - 14 Sep 2024 Bangkok/THA

• 18 - 21 Sep 2024 Ankara/TUR

• 25- 28 Sep 2024 Gdansk/POL

• 02 - 05 Oct 2024 Ljubljana/SLO

• 09 - 12 Oct 2024 Wuxi/CHN

 

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final:

• 05 - 08 Dec 2024 Grenoble/FRA

 

Where to Watch?

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating events will be live streamed on the official ISU YouTube channel in most countries.

 

How do skaters qualify for the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final?

Skaters compete in a maximum of two events and collect points. The top six Single Skaters, Pairs and Ice Dance Couples will then qualify for the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Grenoble (FRA) December 5-8, 2024, where they will be competing for the final JGP title.

Check out the ISU Junior Grand Prix Standings to find out who is on their way to qualify for the Final:

Men      Women            Pair Skating      Ice Dance

 

More information

Full entry lists, results, the General Announcement and further information are available on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series page.

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