Yelim Kim performing her Short Program at JGP Ostrava (Photo credit: ISU)
This week: Huge scores, first finalists, program debuts, and much more.
The news roundup is published every weekend. Follow us on Twitter for the most timely updates throughout the week. If you have news, announcements and/or shoutouts you'd like to be included in the week's roundup, DM us on Twitter and we will take them into consideration!
Announcements
Polina Edmunds (USA) has announced that she will be taking the 2018-19 season off due to injury. She plans to return to competition next season (source).
Carolina Kostner (ITA) and Gabrielle Daleman (CAN) have withdrawn from Japan Open, and will be replaced by Maria Sotskova (RUS) and Mariah Bell (USA) respectively (source).
2018 Olympic Silver Medalists Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) have competed for the first time this season at the annual French Masters competition. They premiered their new Rhythm Dance but withdrew before the Free Dance as the program was not yet ready to be shown in competition. They began prepping for the season in early August, and Guillaume sustained a minor head injury whilst training, leading to their Free Dance not being quite competition ready (source).
RD: Two violin pieces (choreography by Christopher Dean), FD: Music by Rachel Yamagata (choreography by Stephane Lambiel)
With the conclusion of the final Pairs event of the JGP series, the teams that will be off to the Junior Grand Prix Final in December have been decided. Congratulations to all of the qualifiers!
Anastasia Mishina/Aleksandr Galliamov (RUS)
Polina Kostiukovich/Dmtrii Ialin (RUS)
Kseniia Akhanteva/Valerii Kolesov (RUS)
Apollinariia Paniflova/Dmitry Rylov (RUS)
Anastasia Poluianova/Dmitry Sopot (RUS)
Sarah Feng/TJ Nyman (USA)
Competitions
Nebelhorn Trophy (27-29 September)
Ladies - 1st: Alina Zagitova (RUS), 2nd: Mai Mihara (JPN), 3rd: Loena Hendrickx (BEL)
Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova set three new World Records at this event for the Ladies Short, Free, and Combined Total.
Pairs - 1st: Alisa Efimova/Alexander Korovin (RUS), 2nd: Alexa Scimeca-Knierim/Chris Knierim (USA), 3rd: Deanna Stellato/Nathan Bartholomay (USA)
Ice Dance - 1st: Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN), 2nd: Rachel Parsons/Michael Parsons (USA), 3rd: Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (USA)
Men - 1st: Keegan Messing (CAN), 2nd: Alexander Majorov (SWE), 3rd: Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin performing their Free Dance at JGP Czech Skate (Photo credit: ISU)
JGP Czech Skate (27-29 September)
Ladies - 1st: Alena Kostornaia (RUS), 2nd: Yelim Kim (KOR), 3rd: Viktoria Vasilieva
Pairs - 1st: Kseniia Akhanteva/Valerii Kolesov (RUS), 2nd: Polina Kostiukovich/Dmitrii Ialin (RUS), 3rd: Sarah Feng/TJ Nyman (USA)
Ice Dance - 1st: Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva/Nikita Nazarov (RUS), 2nd: Maria Kazakova/Georgy Reviya (GEO), 3rd: Diana Davis/Gleb Smolkin (RUS)
Men - 1st: Andrei Mozalev (RUS), 2nd: Camden Pulkinen (USA), 3rd: Joseph Phan (CAN)
Shoma Uno using a stretching band very… effectively (Photo credit: Demmy)
Did we forget some news? Help us be even more comprehensive next week by DM-ing us news on Twitter!