ISU

It was cold and windy at the Jääurheilukeskus outdoor Speed Skating track in Finland, but the future stars of Speed Skating defied the tough conditions at the first of three Junior World Cup events of this season. Jade Groenewoud (NED), Alina Dauranova (KAZ) and Issa Gunji (JPN) were the most decorated Skaters with two gold medals each in the Junior category, while Anna Ostlender (GER), Kasper Tveter (NOR) and Nil Llop Izquierdo (ESP) seized two victories each in the Neo-Senior category.

Every month effervescent Teun Boer (NED) will be sharing his highs, lows and inner thoughts as he looks to make a big impression in his first season as a World Cup Short Track Speed Skater.

Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier of Canada, 2021 ISU World bronze medalists, continued their success this season with another Grand Prix gold medal. Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA) claimed their second Grand Prix silver medal this season and will go together with the Canadians to the ISU Grand Prix Final next month. To the delight of the home crowd, Finland’s Juulia Turkkila/Matthias Versluis moved up to take the bronze, the first ISU Grand Prix medal for a Finnish Ice Dance team. 

Japan’s two-time ISU Four Continents Champion Mai Mihara overtook reigning ISU World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx of Belgium in the Women’s Free Skating to claim her second ISU Grand Prix gold medal this season. Mana Kawabe, also from Japan, picked up the bronze. Mihara and Hendrickx qualified for the ISU Grand Prix Final. 

Ilia Malinin (USA), nicknamed “Quad God” for a reason, jumped to gold and right into the ISU Grand Prix Final. Japan’s Shun Sato moved up from third to second to take the silver and a spot in the Final as well. Kevin Aymoz of France celebrated a successful comeback from injury by earning the bronze. 

Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini struck the Pairs gold and secured their spot in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. It was the first ISU Grand Prix title for an Italian Pair Skating team since Stefania Berton/Ondrej Hotarek had won Skate Canada International in 2013. Germany’s Alisa Efimova/Ruben Blommaert climbed from fourth to earn the silver, while Anastasiia Metelkina/Daniil Parkman of Georgia earned the bronze, the first ISU Grand Prix medal in the Pairs category for their country. 

2021 ISU World bronze medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier of Canada danced to a confident lead in the Rhythm Dance, setting a new personal best score en route. Second placed Skate America silver medalists Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA) are looking for another silver and the spot in the ISU Grand Prix Final. Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (USA) are standing in third place as they head into the Free Dance on Saturday. 

Since the introduction of the Junior World Cup in the 2008/2009 speed skating season, many future stars had a first taste of international competition in this series. Joep Wennemars (NED) is a perfect example. The Dutch youngster dominated the series last season and already took his first medals this season in Heerenveen. The Junior World Cup starts with two legs in Seinäjoki, Finland, on 27-27 November and 3-4 December, and concludes with a final event on 4-5 February 2023 in Inzell, Germany.

Kevin Aymoz of France surprisingly took the lead in the Men’s Short Program over hot favorite Ilia Malinin (USA). Japan’s Shun Sato came third.

Reigning ISU World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx of Belgium topped the Women’s Short Program, edgingahead of Japan’s two-time ISU Four Continents Champion Mai Mihara by a mere 1.30 points. Mana Kawabe, also from Japan, sits in third. 

Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini of Italy skated to the lead in the Short Program and held on to their chance to qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Anastasiia Smirnova/Danylo Siianytsina (USA) follow in second place, while Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina/Daniil Parkman came third.

For the launch of the first-ever World Ice Skating Day (WISD) on December 4th 2022, the International Skating Union (ISU) is proud to count among its partners the charity organization Inclusive Skating, dedicated to providing skaters with any form of disability or impairment an equitable participation in ice skating sports. This collaboration naturally came to life, as Inclusive Skating’s mission perfectly aligns with the World Ice Skating Day initiative: a global annual festival opening up the world of Ice Skating to everyone regardless of any social, economic, cultural or physical considerations.  

The last spots for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino (December 8-11, 2022) are on the line as ISU World silver medallist Loena Hendrickx (BEL), rising star, and Skate America Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) as well as ISU World medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) will compete at the sixth and last ISU Grand Prix event in Espoo, Finland, this week.

The ISU is delighted to launch our Recast Channel, joining a rapidly growing list of rights holders on the pioneering Over-The-Top (OTT) sports platform, enabling fans to watch content.

On December 4, the ISU will be celebrating Ice Skating sports all around the world by launching the first edition of the World Ice Skating Day. To date, more than 30 countries on all continents will take part in this initiative and will organize a variety of events hand in hand with local skating clubs, rinks and national skating federations. Lausanne (SUI), the Olympic Capital and home of international sports organizations, will join this Ice Skating festival by hosting a special event at the Vaudoise Aréna rink with Alexia Paganini (SUI) – the Swiss national Figure Skating champion – as guest-star.