ISU

2022 is going to be quite a year! As we head to the Beijing Olympic Winter Games and the ISU World Championships, the International Skating Union (ISU) brings back its #UpAgain campaign celebrating the unbreakable spirit that drives athletes to compete on ice.

Are you ready for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games? The Ice Skating Podcast certainly is. In the run-up to – and during – the Games, we will be broadcasting five special editions of the pod. One is already out now, with more to follow on January 30, and then weekly during the action.

In the past years, Russia has boasted a seemingly endless reservoir of talented Skaters, especially in the Women’s discipline. The Russian Women have swept the podium at the 2021 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Stockholm (SWE), they have swept the podium at the ISU European Championships 2022 and 2020 and this season, five of them had qualified for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final (that was cancelled): Kamila Valieva, Anna Shcherbakova, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Maiia Khromykh and Aliona Kostornaia.

Junhwan Cha (KOR) made history by taking the first ISU Championship title and medal for a Korean male skater at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn. Japan’s Kazuki Tomono and Kao Miura claimed the silver and bronze medals. All three Men stood on an ISU Championship podium for the first time. 

Audrey Lu/Misha Mitrofanov led the Pairs from the United States to a one-two finish as the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships continued Saturday in Tallinn (EST). Teammates Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe took silver. Evelyn Walsh/Trennt Michaud of Canada earned the bronze.

Mai Mihara of Japan skated off with her second Four Continents title at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Tallinn (EST) Saturday. Korea’s Haein Lee and Yelim Kim claimed silver and bronze, their first ISU Championship medals. 

Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (USA) celebrated a golden debut in their first ISU Championship as a team, striking gold at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn (EST) Friday. Japan’s Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi made history for Japanese Ice Dance by winning the first ISU Championship silver medal. Takahashi is also the first Olympic and World medalist in Single Skating to win an ISU Championship medal in Ice Dance. The bronze went toChristina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (USA). 

Junhwan Cha of Korea grabbed the lead in the Men’s Short Program at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Friday in Tallinn (EST), setting a new personal best score en route. Japan’s Kazuki Tomono and Kao Miura are currently ranked second and third.

Three-time ISU Four Continents medallist Mai Mihara of Japan tops the Women’s Short Program at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Tallinn (EST) Thursday and is poised for another medal at the event. Korea’s Haein Lee and Yelim Kim follow in second and third.

USA’s Audrey Lu/Misha Mitrofanov won the Pairs Short Program as the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships continued Thursday in Tallinn (EST). Evelyn Walsh/Trennt Michaud of Canada came second while Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe (USA) currently rank third. All three teams achieved a new personal best score.

Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (USA) danced to the lead as the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships opened Thursday in Tallinn (EST) with the Rhythm Dance. Japan’s  Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi came second followed by Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (USA).

Following the ISU European Figure Skating Championships (January 10-16), the attention now shifts this week to the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships with non-European top skaters competing in Tallinn, Estonia (January 18-23). Tallinn has stepped in to take over the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2022 due to the exceptional circumstances this season after the original host, China, returned the event.

2010 Olympic Champion Yuna Kim was a trailblazer for Korean Figure Skating. She was the first Korean Figure Skater to win medals at ISU Championships and crowned her unique career with Olympic gold in 2010 and Olympic silver in 2014. Her example inspired many young Skaters in the country that we see competing today.

Kamila Valieva led the Russian women to a podium sweep at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn (EST) on Saturday. Anna Shcherbakova moved up from fourth place to claim the silver medal while Alexandra Trusova earned the bronze – like they had two years ago. It was the eighth podium sweep for the Russian women at the ISU European Championships.

Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov of Russia defended their European Ice Dance title Saturday at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn (EST). Teammates Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin earned the silver medal while Italy’s Charlene Guignard/ Marco Fabbri collected the bronze.