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Jacob Sanchez (USA) competes during the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ljubljana (SLO) @ISU

 

The excitement grows as we get closer to the end of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2024/25 with the sixth event in Ljubljana (SLO) and less and less spots for the ISU Junior Final are left. Sophie Joline von Felten (USA) came out of nowhere to claim the title and suddenly is in contention for the Junior Final. Jacob Sanchez (USA) secured his second victory and spot in the Final while in an interesting Ice Dance competition Iryna Pidgaina/Artem Kovalev (UKR) had the upper hand and are headed to Grenoble as well.  

Sophie Joline von Felten (USA) jumps to gold  

This is what makes the sport of Figure Skating so exciting: Little heralded Sophie Joline von Felten (USA) surprised everyone to jump from fourth place and skate off with the gold, landing three triple Axels en route. Von Felten returned to the Junior circuit after sitting out two years. Competing for her native Switzerland in 2022, she had finished 23^rd and 25^th at JGP Baltic Cup and JGP Riga Cup. Since this season, the 15-year-old represents the USA and was off to a strong start with a triple Axel-triple toe combination in the Short Program that put her into fourth place. Performing to “Romeo and Juliet” von Felten reeled off a triple Axel-triple toe and a solo triple Axel as well as four more clean triple jumps to rise to first place at 197.41 points. Naturally, it was a new personal best score. Now she can even make the Junior Final as she has been assigned to the seventh and last JGP in Wuxi (CHN).

“I finally found my great coaching team that helped me with everything, with presentation, with my jumps and being more consistent. I’m skating now a lot more programs in my training,”

von Felten answered when asked about her huge improvement. And she has big plans for the future:

“I would love to show a clean quad Salchow, because I’ve been training that. Maybe later on in the season.”

Three-time World Junior silver medalist Jia Shin (KOR) knew she had to be at the top of her game to preserve her chance to get into the Junior Final after coming fourth in her first event in Bangkok. The multiple JGP Champion led following her sublime Short Program to “Adios Nonino” but then was edged out of the gold by four points in spite of another beautiful performance to “Daphnis and Chloe” (193.04 points). It’s going to be very hard for Shin to qualify for the Final with three JGP gold medalists competing this week in Wuxi. Mei Okada (JPN) earned the bronze, her second bronze this season (190.93 points).

Sophie Joline Von Felten (USA) Jia Shin (KOR) and Mei Okada (JPN) during the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ljubljana (SLO) @ISU

 

Smooth Sanchez (USA) soars to second gold 

Jacob Sanchez (USA) confirmed his success from JGP Ankara and cruised to his second gold medal this season and straight into the Junior Final. The 17-year-old took the lead with a clean Short Program to “Music” by John Miles and followed up with a solid Free Skating to “Io Ci Saro” that featured a triple Axel-triple toeloop combination. However, he lost points when popping a loop. Nevertheless, Sanchez was first in the segment and totaled 229.46 points, improving his personal best from JGP Ankara by almost 10 points.

“I definitely felt the pressure of being in first place. This was my first time of getting a medal in the Junior Grand Prix in Ankara,” Sanchez shared. “But coming here I was like, I might have to push a little more to make sure I guarantee my spot in the Final. That was the only thing I was really focused on.”

Reigning ISU World Junior and Junior Final bronze medalist Adam Hagara (SVK) claimed the silver medal but it might not be enough for the Junior Final this time as he got a bronze from his first event and a gold and three silver medalists from previous events will compete in China.

Genrikh Gartung (GER) stepped it up from his first event in Riga and landed two quad Lutzes in the Free Skating which lifted him from sixth place in the Short Program to third. His bronze medal is the first for a German male Skater on the ISU Junior circuit in 19 years.  

Sophie Joline Von Felten (USA) Jia Shin (KOR) and Mei Okada (JPN) during the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ljubljana (SLO) @ISU

 

Emotional win for Iryna Pidgaina/Artem Koval (UKR)  

Iryna Pidgaina/Artem Koval (UKR) celebrated an important and emotional win in Ljubljana. The Ukrainians that had to relocate to Vienna (AUT) due to the war in their home country danced to a narrow lead in their Rhythm Dance to “Get Up” and “I Got You” by James Brown. They went on to produce a beautiful Free Dance to “S.O.S. d’un terrien en détresse”, earning high levels and extra points for the execution of their elements. The couple cracked the 100 points mark for the first time to score 168.30 points total, a new personal best. Pidgaina/Koval had won a JGP last season but missed the Junior Final as they came sixth at their other event. This time they have secured their place in the Grenoble.

“We feel really good. We didn’t expect it (the gold) but we came here with goals which we reached,” Pidgaina commented. “We are so excited and want to enjoy the process to get ready for the Final,” she added.

“I feel amazing. It was the best run-through and we are so happy about this,” Koval noted.

The Skaters feel the support from their coaches and the Austrian Skating Federation in their difficult situation. Also, the ISU supports high-level Skaters from Ukraine that are training abroad because of the war in the 2024/25 season with a budget of 85,000 US Dollars.

The favored Celina Fradji/Jean-Hans Fourneaux (FRA) picked up the silver medal. The two-time ISU Junior Grand Prix Finalists were a close second in the Rhythm Dance but lost some ground in the Free Dance to “Exogenesis Symphony” due to an unexpected fall by Fradji on a transition move. The French ranked third in the segment but remained in second place overall with a new personal best of 162.86 points. With their gold from Ostrava and the silver from Ljubljana, the team qualified for their third consecutive ISU Junior Final.

Caroline Mullen/Brendan Mullen (USA) turned in two nice performances to earn the bronze, their second medals on the JGP after a silver in Riga earlier this season.

Pidgaina/Koval (UKR), Fradji/Fourneaux (FRA) and Mullen/Mullen (USA) uring the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ljubljana (SLO) @ISU

A total of 101 Skaters/Couples from 31 countries competed in Ljubljana. You can re-live all the action and the winners’ interviews at the ISU YouTube channel. Tune in again when the series concludes with the seventh and last event in Wuxi (CHN) this next week and find out who qualifies for the Junior Final!

 

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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