ISU

The International Skating Union (ISU) is proud to announce the American Figure Skating Coach Michelle Hong as the “WISD Icon #1” of the second World Ice Skating Day (WISD) edition, taking place on December 3, 2023. This annual festival strives to open the doors of ice skating rinks to everyone all over the world with the purpose to experience in a joyful and fun way the practice and techniques of ice skating sports. As a globally recognized Figure Skating coach, Michelle Hong with her unique teaching and mentorship style has been dedicated in making Figure Skating accessible by empowering every generation and level of skaters. Her inclusive approach perfectly resonates with the values of the World Ice Skating day creating a powerful partnership that promises to break down barriers and unleash new opportunities in the ice skating world.

Figure Skaters from Korea, Japan, Germany, Canada and Ukraine qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final during the penultimate ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating event in Gdansk (POL). Juheon Lim (KOR), Rena Uezono (JPN), Pair Skaters Ava Kemp/Yohnatan Elizarov (CAN) and Ice Dancers Darya Grimm/Michail Savitskiy (GER) took home the gold medals. Gdansk hosted the sixth ISU Junior Grand Prix event of the season.

Two-time and reigning ISU World Junior silver medallist Jia Shin (KOR) cruised into the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final with another victory during the latest ISU Junior Grand Prix event that took place in Budapest (HUN) on September 20-23, 2023. Teammate Hyungyeom Kim (KOR) and Pair Skaters Anastasiia Metelkina/Luka Berulava (GEO) will join Jia Shin in the Final to be held in Beijing (CHN) on December 07-10, 2023. Ice Dancers Iryna Pidgaina/Artem Koval (UKR) danced off with gold, but will have to wait and see if that is enough to make it to the Final.  Budapest hosted the fifth ISU Junior Grand Prix event of the season.

While the season is well underway with the ISU Junior Grand Prix series and the ISU Challenger events, we still have some out of competition updates for you!

After the successful first edition spanning 47 countries and almost 170 ice rinks across the world, the International Skating Union (ISU) is proud to announce the launch of the second World Ice Skating Day (WISD) edition to be unveiled on December 3rd, 2023. Taking the form of a global and annual festival, this one-day event aims at bringing together on the ice people from different communities, ages and skating levels with the purpose to discover and celebrate all Ice Skating sports. This year’s edition promises to set standards high: an array of new exciting partners, skating icons and participating countries will be joining in with the continuous commitment to turn the ice into a space of diversity, inclusion and fun !

Reigning ISU World Junior Champion Mao Shimada (JPN) shone on home ice and took the first step towards the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Ice Dancers Leah Neset/Artem Markelov (USA) qualified with their second victory on the circuit, while Francois Pitot (FRA) earned a ticket to the Final by claiming gold in Japan. Osaka was the fourth ISU Junior Grand Prix event of the season.

Here she comes again: Japan’s Mao Shimada gets ready to shine on the ISU Junior circuit. The 14-year-old won each international competition she entered in the past season, including the ISU World Junior Championships and Junior Grand Prix Final titles.

Reigning ISU World Junior bronze medallist Ami Nakai (JPN) and Rio Nakata (JPN) are the first Skaters to secure their spots for the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final by coming first and second respectively at the latest ISU Junior Grand Prix event that took place on September 6-9, 2023, in Istanbul (TUR). The new Pair made of Anastasiia Metelkina/Luka Berulava (GEO), Ice Dancers Mariia Pinchuk/Mykyta Pogorielov (UKR) as well as Minkyu Seo (KOR) competing in the Men category, all struck gold. Istanbul was the third ISU Junior Grand Prix event of the season.

During last season’s ISU World Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen (NED), Davide Ghiotto (ITA) took the first ever Italian World Single Distance title, shattering the field in the Men’s 10,000m. The long distance specialist hopes to inspire a new generation of Italian youngsters in Speed Skating. After fulfilling his dream in Heerenveen, he reflects on his historic title while training on summer ice in Inzell (GER) with a new target in mind: the 2026 Winter Olympic Games on home soil, in Milano Cortina.

Two-time World Junior silver medallist Jia Shin (KOR), Adam Hagara (SVK), newcomers Martina Ariano Kent/Charly Laliberte Laurent (CAN) and Ice Dancers Darya Grimm/Michail Savitskiy (GER) took the first important step towards the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final by skating off with gold at the Cup of Austria in Linz (August 30 – September 2, 2023). The Cup of Austria was the second ISU Junior Grand Prix event of the season.

We’re getting closer to the official start of the skating season with the first ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating event in Bangkok, Thailand, later this month. Before we are fully switching to competition mode, we have some more news and updates for you.

People in the park do often stop and stare. Many approach, and after a bashful “hello”, they are delighted to discover that the man with a five-month-old in his arms and a toddler hanging off his hand is indeed Canada’s equal most decorated Olympian of all time.

It is with deep regret and sorrow that the ISU has learned of the passing of former Ice Dancer and Olympian Alexandra Paul (CAN) who tragically lost her life in a motor vehicle accident on August 22, 2023 at age 31.

The ISU Junior Grand Prix Series is live! The next generation of up and coming young Figure Skaters started off with an exciting competition in Bangkok (THA) with Ami Nakai (JPN), Rio Nakata (JPN) and Ice Dancers Leah Neset/Artem Markelov (USA) taking the top prizes. It was also a premiere for Thailand, that hosted an ISU Junior Grand Prix event for the very first time.

The next generation of up and coming young Figure Skaters is ready to step on to the international scene as the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2023/24 starts.