ISU

The second World Cup in Heerenveen (NED) will feature the comeback of Kjeld Nuis (NED), who got a wildcard after missing out on qualification due to injury at the Dutch trials in October. The Olympic 1500m Champion will face an interesting battle with Jordan Stolz (USA). In Nuis’ absence, the 18-year-old Wisconsin prodigy dominated the Men’s 1000m and 1500m at the first World Cup in Stavanger (NOR) last week. But past results don’t guarantee future performance, as Olympic Champions Miho Takagi (JPN) and Irene Schouten (NED) found out in Norway. They’ll hope to bounce back at the Thialf Stadium in Heerenveen.

ISU World Champions Shoma Uno (JPN), Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), as well as ISU World Pairs silver medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) and ISU World Ice Dance bronze medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) are in action at the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy in Sapporo (JPN) this week. These stars and other top skaters aim at sealing a spot in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino (December 8-11, 2022) at this fifth and penultimate event of the Series.

After winning the 1500m in a track record on Friday, Jordan Stolz (USA) struck again in the 1000m on Sunday. Although still a junior, the 18-year-old Wisconsin prodigy left Olympic silver medalist Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) almost half a second behind in second place.

Olympic silver beat Olympic gold twice in Sunday’s women’s races at the start of a new World Cup season in Stavanger (NOR). Jutta Leerdam (NED) left Miho Takagi (JPN) behind in the 1000m, while Ivanie Blondin (CAN) kept Irene Schouten (NED) at bay in the Mass Start. 

Italy’s Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri danced with ease to their second ISU Grand Prix gold medal in as many weeks while Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson of Great Britain claimed their second silver on the circuit this season. Canadians Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha picked up the bronze.

Japan’s Mai Mihara struck her first ISU Grand Prix gold in Sheffield after narrowly missing the podium many times. Isabeau Levito (USA) earned the silver medal, her second on the circuit, while Anastasiia Gubanova of Georgia earned the bronze in her debut at the ISU Grand Prix – taking the first ISU Grand Prix medal for a female Figure Skater from Georgia. 

Daniel Grassl of Italy raced to the gold medal and a place in the history books, claiming the first ISU Grand Prix title in the Men’s event for his country, at the John Wilson Trophy. Latvia’s Deniss Vasiljevs earned the silver, his first ISU Grand Prix medal and the first for Latvia while Shun Sato of Japan rose from fourth to take the bronze. 

The tall, powerful Courtney Sarault (CAN) sent a message to the rest of the Short Track Speed Skating world as she secured a second ISU Four Continents gold medal in style on Saturday.

After winning his second ISU Four Continents Short Track Speed Skating gold medal in two days, Park Ji Won (KOR) declared he would like to “pack up” the Utah Olympic Oval and “take it home”.

Reigning ISU World Champions Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) continued their winning ways and skated off with the gold at the MK John Wilson Trophy. Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii of Italy earned the silver medal while Germany’s Letizia Roscher/Luis Schuster took the bronze, the first ISU Grand Prix medal of their career. 

Miho Takagi (JPN) was undefeated at 1500m in last year’s World Cup and picked up where she left off at the start of the new season in Stavanger on Saturday.

Reigning ISU Four Continents Champion Mai Mihara of Japan set the tone in the Women’s Short Program with her winning performance.  ISU World Junior Champion Isabeau Levito (USA) is less than half a point behind. Anastasiia Gubanova of Georgia completes the top three of the day.

International friendship gave Yuma Murakami (JPN) and Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) a boost heading into the new season. The Japanese sprinter went to Quebec to train with his Canadian rival for seven weeks last summer, and it paid off for both at the first World Cup event of the season in Stavanger.

Italy’s Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri sizzled on the ice to dance to a narrow lead over Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson of Great Britain in the Rhythm Dance, as the ISU Grand Prix MK John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield (GBR) continued Friday. Canadians Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha placed third heading into the Free Dance.

They may have done it in very different ways but Canada’s Steven Dubois and Korean Park Ji Won will both wake up on Saturday in Salt Lake City knowing they are ISU Four Continents Short Track Speed Skating champions.