Gold medal winners celebrate during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 in Saitama (JPN) @ISU
Each season has something special about it. A post-Olympic season is not always easy with some top stars retiring or taking a break. At the same time, it is a chance for new talents to shine and for veterans to renew themselves. Historical achievements and new names coming up highlighted the 2022/23 Season.
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series set the tone for the year with many outstanding performances and achievements and there was more of that at the ISU Championships in the second half of the season. The year concluded with the ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating that provided another true highlight and showed a different side of the sport.
Miura/Kihara (JPN), Malinin (USA) make history
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) pose during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 in Saitama (JPN) @ISU
Pair skaters Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) just did not stop writing Figure Skating history. They started in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating becoming the first Japanese Pair Skaters to win an ISU Grand Prix event – first Skate Canada International and then the NHK Trophy. They went on to win the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, the ISU Four Continents title and the ISU World title – and every single one was a first for their country in their discipline.
Ilia Malinin (USA), nicknamed “Quad God” for a reason, made history by landing successfully a quadruple Axel in competition - as the first and so far only Skater in the World. He accomplished the feat at the ISU Challenger event in Lake Placid (USA) in September and repeated it in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.
Malinin received the “Special Achievement Award” of the ISU in recognition of his accomplishment.
ISU World Championships success
Number of participants: 181 Skaters/Couples
Number of countries: 39
Medal count: JPN (3), USA (3), ITA (2), KOR (2), BEL (1), CAN (1)
Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) poses during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 in Saitama (JPN) @ISU
Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and Shoma Uno (JPN) successfully defended their World titles at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama (JPN) – and together with Miura/Kihara made their country proud. Japan claimed three out of four World titles. Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) took the Ice Dance gold in Saitama 12 years after teaming up. The new World Champions went on to set new highest scores in the Rhythm Dance and Free Dance at the ISU World Team Trophy.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA) celebrate during the ISU World Team Trophy 2023 in Tokyo (JPN) @ISU
Junhwan Cha (KOR) became the first Korean man to take a World medal when he took the silver in Saitama. Korea for the first time in history had two World medals as Haein Lee earned the silver in the Women’s event.
Haein Lee (KOR) competes during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 in Saitama (JPN) @ISU
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships were held for the eighth time in Japan and for the third time in Saitama.
Historic firsts at the ISU European Championships
Number of participants: 131 Skaters/Couples
Number of countries: 35
Medal count: Italy (4), SUI (2), BEL (1), FIN (1), FRA (1), GEO (1), GER (1), GBR (1)
Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (ITA) pose at the Kiss and Cry during the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Espoo (FIN) @ISU
At the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Espoo (FIN), Sara Conti/Niccolò Macii put their names into the Figure Skating history books as the first Italian Pair Skaters to win this title. Their World bronze medal in Saitama again was a first for Italy in this discipline. They also were the first to earn a medal at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final – the bronze on home ice in Torino (ITA). Another highlight was the European title for Ice Dancers Charlène Guignard/Marco Fabbri.
Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (ITA) pose during the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Espoo (FIN) @ISU
They were not only the first European Ice Dance Champions from Italy in nine years, but also have been skating together for 13 years. Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson earned the first medal for Great Britain in nine years by winning the silver and Juulia Turkkila/Matthias Versluis of Finland earned the bronze – the first Finnish Ice Dance medal since Susanna Rahkamo/Petri Kokko won in 1995.
Anastasiia Gubanova‘s gold in Espoo was another historical result as she became the first Figure Skater to win a senior-level ISU Championship for Georgia. Loena Hendrickx skated to the silver medal – the first European Championship medal for a Belgian woman.
Loena Hendrickx (BEL), Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO) and Kimmy Repond (SUI) pose during the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Espoo (FIN) @ISU
Newcomer Kimmy Repond (SUI) stormed to the bronze in her debut – and together with Men’s bronze medalist Lukas Britschgi won the first medals for Switzerland at the ISU European Championships since 2011. Adam Siao Him Fa brought the European Men’s title back to France after 12 years.
Fun Facts from ISU Four Continents Championships
Number of participants: 91 Skaters/Couples
Number of countries: 13
Medal count: JPN (4), CAN (4), KOR (2), USA (2)
Kao Miura (JPN) celerates during the ISU Four Continents Championships 2023 in Colorado Springs (USA) @ISU
At the ISU Four Continents Championships, Kao Miura (JPN), the youngest competitor in the Men’s event, skated off with his first ISU Championship title. At the other end of the age scale, the oldest man in the competition Keegan Messing (CAN) claimed the silver - the first ISU Championship medal of his long career.
Keegan Messing (CAN) competes during the ISU Four Continents Championships 2023 in Saitama (JPN) @ISU
Lee rose from sixth place to snatch the ISU Four Continents crown and the first ISU Four Continents title for a Korean woman since Yuna Kim won in 2009.
Highlights in the ISU Grand Prix series
Daniel Grassl (ITA) competes during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield (GBR) @ISU
In the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, Daniel Grassl became the first man from Italy to claim an ISU Grand Prix title at the John Wilson Trophy. Deniss Vasiljevs earned the silver at this event, which was a first for him and for Latvia. Hendrickx celebrated her 23rd birthday in style by winning the first ISU Grand Prix gold medal for Belgium at the Grand Prix de France.
Turkkila/Versluis’ bronze at the Grand Prix Espoo was the first ISU Grand Prix medal for Finnish Ice Dance. At Skate Canada International, Rinka Watanabe (JPN) soared from sixth place after the Short Program to take gold in the first ISU Grand Prix event of her career. Yelim Kim struck gold at the NHK Trophy, winning the first ISU Grand Prix title for Korea in 13 years.
A total of 151 Skaters/Couples competed in the ISU Grand Prix Figure Skating series for 84 medals that were awarded in the six ISU Grand Prix events and the ISU Grand Prix Final.
Cool in Calgary at the ISU World Junior Championships
Number of participants: 177 Skaters/Couples
Number of countries: 44
Medal count: JPN (4), KOR (2), AUS (1), CAN (1), CZE (1), SUI (1), UKR (1), USA (1)
Mao Shimada (JPN) skates during the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2023 in Calgary (CAN) @ISU
The Juniors look back at an exciting season as well. At the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Calgary (CAN), Katerina Mrazkova/Daniel Mrazek (CZE) danced into history by claiming the first ISU World Junior title (and medal) for a Czech Ice Dance team. Silver medalists Hannah Lim/Ye Quan (KOR) also made it into the history books, as the first Korean Ice Dancers to win an ISU Championship medal. Mao Shimada (JPN) and Miura dominated in the singles’ discipline while Sophia Baram/Daniel Tioumentsev (USA) became the first U.S. Pair team to win the World Junior title in ten years.
ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek (CZE) skate during the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Torino (ITA) @ISU
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Season once more showcased the next generation of Skaters. They competed in six events in five countries and in the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Mrakova/Mrazek (CZE) and Lim/Quan (KOR) were the first of their countries to win an ISU Junior Grand Prix title in the Ice Dance discipline.
A total of 367 young Skaters/Couples from over 50 ISU Members competed in this year’s Series. Ecuador, Kuwait and Egypt participated in the ISU Junior Grand Prix for the first time.
Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).
Relive the action
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