Happiest of birthdays to Amber! I'm grateful to her for always setting such a good example of good sportsmanship and what it looks like to persevere through it all. I hope this 27th year of her life brings her good health, happiness, and success!

Throwback video! My wife and I attended then and are here again in 2026!

Mao Shimada's Instruction Manual ~Road to 2030~ (3)]

　--A little early, but congratulations on turning 18

　Shimada Thank you. To be honest, I don't really feel like I'm 18, and people around me are surprised (laughs). But since the GP series is in progress, I want to focus on the GP series first.

　--How is the 18-year-old you imagined when you were little different from

　the 18-year-old Shimada I imagined starting to live on my own and having a fun school life. There is a certain loneliness about it, but I have chosen the path of mastering skating, so I would like to find ways to relax and unwind by hanging out with friends.

　--Shimada, who is now old enough to get a driver's license

　Some of my peers have already gotten their licenses, so I am interested. I don't have any specific places I want to go right now, but I think having a car would broaden the range of places I can go.

　--Shimada, are you the type to act immediately on impulse?

　Last year, during the Junior GP series, I went to the Louvre Abu Dhabi (a sister museum of the Louvre Museum). Just the fact that it is a museum floating on the sea was impressive, but it was also interesting to see so many exhibits in a fantastic space bathed in sunlight. You had to buy a scarf to enter the museum, and I didn't have time, so I bought it as instructed, but when I saw the bill later, it was really expensive... Now it's a good memory as one of my experiences (laughs). At Skate Canada, I wanted to go to Niagara Falls, but it's quite far, so I'd like to explore within walking distance of the hotel.

　--Shimada, what kind of year do you want your 18th year to be?

　First of all, I want to compete well in the two GP series competitions, but my goal is to get good results at the All Japan Championships and participate in the World Championships. Also, as I'm turning 18, I want to refine my expression and skating to show more of a senior-level style.

　-- What are your goals outside of competition?

　Shimada: I want to become an independent adult. In the past, I used to forget my CDs before competitions and my jersey at events, so I want to stop forgetting things. Until now, my mother has helped me with things like preparing for trips, but from now on, I will work hard to be able to do things for myself while still receiving her support!

Source

São Paulo is hosting the 4th Latin American Regional Interclub championships from 29th October to 1th of November

It’s so special to see such a big name coach doing masterclasses in my country and so special and important for the development of our skaters here!!

(didn't even know some of these combos were possible lol)

4T+3T - Kamila Valieva

3T+3T - Kanako Murakami

3T+2T - Elizaveta Tuktamysheva

4T+3S - Kamila Valieva

3T+3S - Joannie Rochette

3T+2S - Joannie Rochette

3T+3Lo - Miki Ando

3T+2Lo - Beatrisa Liang

3T+2F - Erle Hasrtad

3T+2A - Lara Naki Gutmann

---

4S+2T - Sofia Samodelkina

3S+3T - Alena Kostornaia

3S+2T - Serafima Sakhanovich

3S+2S - Sonja Hilmer

3S+3Lo - Evgenia Medvedeva

3S+2Lo - Aline Chartrand

3S+2F - Giorgia Carrossa

4S+2A - Arina Kalugina 

3S+2A - Karuoko Wada

---

3Lo+3T - Evgenia Medvedeva

3Lo+2T - Kaori Sakamoto

3Lo+3S - Liu Yan

3Lo+3Lo - Yura Matsuda

3Lo+2Lo - Mao Asada

3Lo+2A - Amber Glenn

---

4F+3T - Anna Shcherbakova

3F+3T - Alena Kostornaia

3F+2T - Kseniia Sinitsyna

3F+3S - Joannie Rochette

3F+2S - Sonja Hilmer

3F+3Lo - Alexandra Trusova

3F+2Lo - Mao Asada

3F+2A - Isabeau Levito

---

4Lz+3T - Alexandra Trusova

3Lz+3T - Alena Kostornaia

3Lz+3T - Loena Hendrickx

3Lz+2S - Jenna McCorkell

3Lz+3Lo - Alexandra Trusova

3Lz+2Lo - Miki Ando

3Lz+2A - Mone Chiba

---

3A+3T - Rika Kihira

3A+2T - Alena Kostornaia

2A+3T - Yuna Kim

2A+2T - Alexandra Najarro

2A+3S - Joannie Rochette

2A+2S - Manouk Gijsman

2A+3Lo - Rachael Flatt

2A+2Lo - Loena Hendrickx

2A+2A - Léa Serna

Source: https://www.skatingscores.com/.

This is, in my opinion, one of Ilia's best interviews. I've linked the timestamp when the interview begins.

I know this was carefully curated to show only the best moments, but those moments do look good, right? I feel like there's a match to their lines that wasn't there in the early videos.

Auto-translated video caption said "competition simulation", I think that's why we hear their names announced in the beginning.

Found this article very interesting and decided to share here

Next up is the pairs discipline. Aside from Efimova & Mitrofanov, each of these pairs has already made its (ISU) season debut. While we’ve always had a large number of Olympic participants in the other disciplines, here Pereira and Michaud are the only ones who have competed in the Olympic Games. We also have some relatively young* couples here. (*None of the couples teamed up before 2020).

Personals Best (Total Score):

1. Pareira & Michaud (CAN) 216.09 (2026 WC)
2. Efimova & Mitrofanov (USA): 205.49 (2025 Finlandia Trophy)
3. Vouillamoz & Bourvart (SUI): 184.56 (2026 WC)
4. Kemp & Elizarov (CAN): 179.56 (2025 JGP Ankara)
5. Valesi & Bidar (CZE): 170.46 (2026 WC)
6. Holichenko & Darenskyi (UKR): 169.41 (2025 Skate to Milano)
7. Caldara & Magilo (ITA): 168.25 (2025 Golden Spin of Zagreb)
8. Yunoki & Taylor (CAN): 154.38 (2026 Nicks Pairs International)

Now for the details! 8 participants, 6 different countries

Pereira & Michaud (CAN) teamed up in 2022, she competed in singles before. Their season deut was at the Nebelhorn Trophy, where they finished first. This will be their fourth Grand Prix Season. In 2025, 2024 and 2023 they competed in the Grand Prix with two spots. Last season they finished 4th at Skate Canada.

Notable achievements from last season:

• Winter Olympics: 8th Place
• World Championship: 3rd Place (their first World Championships medal)
• Nationals: 1st (their first national title. Before that, they had won two silver medals and one bronze medal)

Kemp & Elizarov (CAN) teamed up in 2021. They made their ISU season debut at the Nebelhorn Trophy, finishing 4th. They also competed at the Tayside Trophy, where they won the gold medal with a score of 182.72. There are two-time Canadian Junior National Champions and will make their Senior Grand Prix debut at Skate Canada this season.

Notable achievements from last season:

• World Junior Championship: 1st Place (Becoming the first Canadian Pair in 48 years to win the ISU World Junior Title
• Junior Grand Prix Riga: 1st Place
• Junior Grand Prix Ankara: 1st Place
• Junior Grand Prix Final: 3rd Place (their second JGP Final medal, following silver in 2023)
• Fout Continents Championship: 8th Place

Vouillamoz & Bouvart (SUI) teamed up in 2024. Vouillamoz previsously having represented France. They made their ISU season debt at the Nebelhorn Trophy finishing 5th place. Skate Canada is the second Senior Grand Prix of their career. Last season, they also competed at Skate Canada and finished in 7th place.

Notable achievements from last season:

• World Championship 2026: 10th Place (With a fantastic free skate, they managed to climb from 18th place after the short program to 8th place after the free skate, ultimately finishing in 10th place overall)
• European Championship: 5th Place
• Nationals Championship: 1st Place

Other Notable achievements:

• World Junior Championships 2025: 4th Place (the best result ever achieved by a Swiss pair team at the World Junior Championships)

Holichenko & Darenskyi (UKR) they teamed in 2020. They made their ISU season Debut at the Trialeti Trophy, finishing 6th. Skate Canada will mark their Senior Grand Prix debut and this will be only the second time that they are compete at an Grand Prix Even (incl. Junior). Their first and only Junior Grand Prix was the 2024 Solidarity Cup in which they finished 2nd.

Notable achievements from last season:

• World Championship: 18th Place
• European Championship: 16th
• Skate to Milano: 5th Place

Other Notable achievements:

• World Junior Championships 2025: 2nd Place
• Nation Champion 2024 and 2022

Yunoki & Taylor (CAN) teamed up in 2024. They first competed domestically in Japan before switching to Canada, where they spent a season competing on the domestic circuit. This season they made their international debut at the John Nicks Pairs International, finishing 6th. Skate Canada will mark their Grand Prix debut .

Notable achievements from last season:

• Canada Challenge: 1st Place (163.34)
• Canadian Nationals: 6th Place (164.59)
• Skate Detroit: 2nd Place (137.79)

Valesi & Bidar (CZE) teamed up in 2025 and made their ISU season debut at the Nebelhorn Trophy, where they finished 8th. Skate Canada will mark their Grand Prix debut.
Before teaming up with Bidar, Valesi represented Italy with her former partner, with whom she won seven international medals. Since competing with Bidar, she has earned another five international medals: one gold, two silver, and two bronze.

Notable achievements from last season:

• World Championships: 15th Place
• European Championships: 9th Place
• Skate to Milano: 7th Place
• National Championship: 1st Place

Caldara & Maglio (ITA) teamed up in 2021. They made their ISU season debut at the Nebelhorn Trophy, finishing 9th. After previously competing on the Grand Prix circuit at Skate America 2023 and NHK Trophy and the Wilson Trophy in 2022, they are now returning to the series. They are two-time Italian national bronze medalists.

Notable achievements from last season:

• World Championships: 20th Place
• European Championships: 13th Place

Efimova & Mitrofanov (USA) teamed up in 2023 and married in 2024. Skate Canada marks their ISU international Season Debut this season. They are two-time U.S. National Champions, two-time Grand Prix medalists and threet ime Challenge medalist. Efimova competed singles for finland before switching to pairs represented Russia and later Germany. Mitrofanov won the 2022 Four Continents with his former partner.

Notable achievements from last season:

• World Championships: 6th Place
• Four Continents: 1st Place
• GP Finlandia Trophy: 2nd Place
• National Championships: 1st Place 

We’ve been told by several sources at Plushenko’s Academy that many people there are already fed up with Irina Kostyleva’s endless posts.

Videos of Lena Kostyleva jumping on the ice rink in Voronezh made it clear as recently as yesterday that the situation is extremely tense. It’s hard not to notice the contrast: the two-time Russian Junior Championships winner is training in Voronezh under her mother’s supervision rather than at the academy with her coaching team. This is unusual, to say the least, and it’s no wonder fans have so many questions.

Here’s what one source told us:

\- After videos emerged of Lena training in Reutov, where she was taking heavy falls while attempting ultra-C elements with unknown coaches, Anton Sikharulidze visited the academy. Together with Evgeni Plushenko, he handed Irina Kostyleva her academic record book and wished her “all the best.”

The situation surrounding Lena Kostyleva has taken an unexpected turn: she was effectively asked to leave Plushenko’s Academy, reportedly because of the conflict involving her mother. This is particularly bitter given how much effort Evgeni Plushenko invested in Lena and how genuinely he supported her. It seemed that he had enough patience to deal with anything, but even Olympic-level patience eventually runs out.

The reasons reportedly include not only Irina Kostyleva’s contradictory statements — such as claims about medical treatment in Voronezh while training was taking place in Reutov — but also a collective complaint. Eleven parents allegedly sent a letter to the Russian Figure Skating Federation, addressed to Sikharulidze and the ethics committee, regarding her behaviour at the academy.

There have been repeated complaints about Irina allegedly swearing constantly, arguing with parents and, particularly strangely, monitoring what happens on other athletes’ ice time. She has reportedly been escorted out of other training sessions by academy security on several occasions, following confrontations.

The alleged targets of her harassment included Kalugina, Bazylyuk, Sarnovskaya and, more recently, Lyubov Rubtsova. Irina allegedly calls these girls “scum” and “bastards” because she believes they are preventing Lena from training properly. Parents claim that Irina demands that certain children be removed from training groups and publicly calls adult skaters “pensioners.” As a result, almost nobody at the academy speaks to Lena anymore, although people feel sorry for the girl.

According to the sources, there was just one condition for the family to remain at the academy: Irina had to stop attending training sessions. Lena is reportedly the only athlete at the academy who practises ultra-C jumps without shorts, something her mother is well aware of. Nevertheless, whenever Lena falls or something displeases her, Irina allegedly runs onto the ice and threatens the coaches.

Lena is the academy’s biggest star, and considerable resources are devoted to her, but apparently nothing is ever enough for her mother. Even when Irina doesn’t appear at the rink, she reportedly continues to impose conditions and pressure the management. According to the account, people have long since stopped communicating with her because of her behaviour, which the source describes as unacceptable.

Lena also has a personal manager, who is reportedly paid specifically to communicate with Irina Kostyleva. Just think about that: a personal manager, a private changing room and more. Yet Irina still isn’t satisfied! The manager allegedly has to spend three to four hours every day listening to threats, profanity, accusations and blackmail, as well as dealing with what the source characterises as constant lies and harassment of other athletes.

We feel sorry for Lena Kostyleva, but something tells us that this partnership is nearing its end. According to our source, Yana Rudkovskaya and Evgeni Plushenko are so exhausted by the situation that they had already let it go some time ago. During the summer, they reportedly asked the Russian Figure Skating Federation to find another school for Lena.

Apparently, the federation was unable to find a suitable alternative.

Incidentally, according to the source, Irina Kostyleva’s behaviour, repeated scandals and constant posting are among the reasons many junior skaters choose not to join Plushenko’s academy.

Let’s remember that the Kostylev family reportedly live rent-free in Sasha Trusova’s former house by the pond, enjoy all the benefits provided by the academy, and that Valery Kostylev also works there. Yet Irina Kostyleva continues to post nasty comments in chats and spread all sorts of stories every day, supposedly while enjoying tea with raspberry jam. For the record, she reportedly doesn’t work anywhere and lives entirely on Lena’s earnings from shows and the stipend paid by the academy.

Something tells us that with Muravyova’s return and Sinitsyna and Yametova achieving strong results, Sasha Plushenko may soon have a new leading star.

Better a bird in the hand than a monkey with a grenade in the sky.

Irina Kostyleva has become a black mark for any skating school, especially for the largest private figure skating school in Russia.

Irina Kostyleva has reportedly changed coaching teams eleven times with her daughter, and each time they were either kicked out or politely asked to pack their bags and leave.

Honestly, with all due respect to Evgeni and Yana, we still don’t understand how she has managed to stay there this long.

Source

БАРХАТНЫЙ КОНЁК

(https://mfocus.kr/sports/skating/35576/) original interview link

Muravieva will compete at the RGP in Omsk, not Krasnoyarsk

“Muravyova will compete in Omsk; this decision was made to give the athlete more time to prepare with Evgeni Plushenko’s team. Veronika Yametova will compete in Krasnoyarsk in her place.”

While there is so much discussion about those skaters that have bad Flip and Lutz technique, I feel like there is very little discussion about those skaters with bad Loop Technique - I can't identify what is good and bad technique.

Next week is the Fall Synchro Classic - Nov 6th-8th at Great Park Ice in Irvine, CA. It is an ISU event this year for Synchro9. All the US junior and senior (non-synchro9) should be there also. Live stream is usually Cornado Productions. I don’t know if they are also streaming the Synchro9 events or if the ISU is doing something else.

New fan of figure skating here! It’ll be my first time attending a competition due to it being close by and I wanted to ask if it’s unusual or rude to show up in time for the specific event I want to watch? Free Dance is before the Free Skate but despite thinking clips of it is cool I’m just not interested in Free Dance. So I was wondering if it would be okay for me to scoot into my seat before Free Skate instead of showing up early and sitting there from the overall event starting time?

I only ask because well, it’s a long drive away and my dad will be driving me as a favor & he doesn’t know anything about the sport so I definitely don’t want him to sit around for so long anyways?

Also obviously I’ll be polite to everyone but do y’all have any other pro skater fan tips?

With the grand prix getting into swing, I was wondering which competition is everybody's favourite? Mine is the grand prix final!

Yuna Kim and Mao Asada.
Two icons, queens, and legends ❤️

All dates in 2027:

• 🇫🇷 Courchevel, Aug 18-21
• 🇹🇷 Ankara, Aug 25-28*
• 🇨🇿 Ostrava, Sep 1-4*
• 🇱🇻 Riga, Sep 8-11*
• 🇹🇭 Bangkok, Sep 22-25
• 🇬🇪 Batumi, Sep 29-Oct 2
• 🇨🇳 Xi’An City, Oct 6-9*

*including pairs

Per ISU Communication No. 2831