Four Continents Figure Skating Championships

For the speed skating event, see Four Continents Speed Skating Championships.
For the 2025 edition, see 2025 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.

Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
StatusActive
GenreInternational championship event
FrequencyAnnual
Inaugurated1999
Previous event2025 Four Continents Championships
Next event2026 Four Continents Championships
Organized byInternational Skating Union

The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships are an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The ISU established the Four Continents Championships to provide skaters from non-European countries with a similar competition to the European Figure Skating Championships. The first Four Continents Championships were held in 1999 in Halifax, Canada. Only eligible skaters from ISU member countries in Africa, Asia, North America, Oceania, and South America are allowed to compete.

Patrick Chan of Canada holds the record for winning the most Four Continents Championship titles in men's singles (with three), while Mao Asada and Fumie Suguri of Japan are tied for winning the most championships in women's singles (with three each). Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China hold the record in pair skating (with six). Five teams are tied for winning the most titles in ice dance (with three each): Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz of Canada; Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States; Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States; Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada; and Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States.

History

From 1923 to 1971, skaters from Canada and the United States competed at the biennial North American Figure Skating Championships. This allowed Canadian and American skaters the opportunity to compete at a comparable event to the European Figure Skating Championships. At this time, medal contenders at the World Figure Skating Championships and the Winter Olympics came from either Europe or North America. However, by the mid-1970s, skaters from Asia were also successfully competing at major international events. The last North American Championships were held in 1971, so skaters from Europe had the advantage of an International Skating Union (ISU) championship event that was not accessible to skaters outside of Europe.[1] In order to provide equal opportunities for all skaters, the ISU established the Four Continents Championships in 1999. The name referred to the four continents outside of Europe where competitive figure skating took place: Africa, Asia, Australia (Oceania), and North America.[1] At this time, there were no ISU member nations in South America, although Brazil was admitted as the first South American member nation in 2002.[1]

The inaugural Four Continents Championships took place in Halifax, Canada, in 1999. Takeshi Honda of Japan won the men's event, while Tatiana Malinina of Uzbekistan won the women's event. Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China won the pairs event, and Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz of Canada won the ice dance event.[1] Skaters from all four of the founding continents have competed at all Four Continents Championships.[1] The Four Continents Championships have been held every year since, except for 2021, when the championships were cancelled on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

The 2022 Four Continents Championships were originally scheduled to be held in Tianjin, China.[3] However, the Chinese Skating Association cancelled the event on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the ISU could not find a suitable replacement host among non-European nations, they asked the Estonian Skating Union to host the event, as Estonia would also be hosting the 2022 European Championships. The 2022 Four Continents Championships took place one week after the European Championships at the same venue, marking the first and only time that the Four Continents Championships were held in Europe.[4]

The 2026 Four Continents Championships are scheduled to be held January 19–24 in Beijing, China.[5]

Qualifying

Only those competitors who are "members of a non-European ISU Member" are eligible to compete in the Four Continents Championships.[6] Unlike the European Championships, where member nations are only entitled to enter one competitor or team per discipline, but with requirements that must be met in order to submit additional competitors, the Four Continents Championships allow member nations to enter up to three competitors or teams per discipline.[6]

Age restrictions have changed throughout the history of the Four Continents Championships. Until the 2023–24 figure skating season, skaters had to be at least 15 years old before July 1 of the previous year.[7] At the ISU Congress held in June 2022, members of the ISU Council accepted a proposal to gradually increase the minimum age limit for senior competition to 17 years old beginning from the 2024–25 season. To avoid forcing skaters who had already competed in the senior category to return to juniors, the age limit remained unchanged during the 2022–23 season, before increasing to 16 years old during the 2023–24 season, and then to 17 years old during the 2024–25 season.[8]

As of 2025, the following countries are eligible to send skaters to the Four Continents Championships: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, New Zealand, North Korea, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), Thailand, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.[9]

Medalists

The reigning Four Continents figure skating champions: Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan (men's singles); Kim Chae-yeon of South Korea (women's singles); Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan (pair skating); and Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada (ice dance)

Men's singles

Men's event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1999 Halifax Takeshi Honda Li Chengjiang Elvis Stojko [10]
2000 Osaka Elvis Stojko Li Chengjiang Zhang Min
2001 Salt Lake City Li Chengjiang Takeshi Honda Michael Weiss [11]
2002 Jeonju Jeffrey Buttle Takeshi Honda Gao Song [12]
2003 Beijing Takeshi Honda Zhang Min Li Chengjiang [13]
2004 Hamilton Jeffrey Buttle Emanuel Sandhu Evan Lysacek [14]
2005 Gangneung Evan Lysacek Li Chengjiang Daisuke Takahashi [15]
2006 Colorado Springs Nobunari Oda Christopher Mabee Matthew Savoie [16]
2007 Evan Lysacek Jeffrey Buttle Jeremy Abbott [17]
2008 Goyang Daisuke Takahashi Jeffrey Buttle Evan Lysacek [18]
2009 Vancouver Patrick Chan Evan Lysacek Takahiko Kozuka [19]
2010 Jeonju Adam Rippon Tatsuki Machida Kevin Reynolds [20]
2011 Taipei City Daisuke Takahashi Yuzuru Hanyu Jeremy Abbott [21]
2012 Colorado Springs Patrick Chan Daisuke Takahashi Ross Miner [22]
2013 Osaka Kevin Reynolds Yuzuru Hanyu Yan Han [23]
2014 Taipei City Takahito Mura Takahiko Kozuka Song Nan [24]
2015 Seoul Denis Ten Joshua Farris Yan Han [25]
2016 Taipei City Patrick Chan Jin Boyang Yan Han [26]
2017 Gangneung Nathan Chen Yuzuru Hanyu Shoma Uno [27]
2018 Taipei City Jin Boyang Shoma Uno Jason Brown [28]
2019 Anaheim Shoma Uno Jin Boyang Vincent Zhou [29]
2020 Seoul Yuzuru Hanyu Jason Brown Yuma Kagiyama [30]
2021 Sydney Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [2]
2022 Tallinn Cha Jun-hwan Kazuki Tomono Kao Miura [31]
2023 Colorado Springs Kao Miura Keegan Messing Shun Sato [32]
2024 Shanghai Yuma Kagiyama Shun Sato Cha Jun-hwan [33]
2025 Seoul Mikhail Shaidorov Cha Jun-hwan Jimmy Ma [34]

Women's singles

Women's event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1999 Halifax Tatiana Malinina Amber Corwin Angela Nikodinov [35]
2000 Osaka Angela Nikodinov Stacey Pensgen Annie Bellemare
2001 Salt Lake City Fumie Suguri Angela Nikodinov Yoshie Onda [11]
2002 Jeonju Jennifer Kirk Shizuka Arakawa Yoshie Onda [12]
2003 Beijing Fumie Suguri Shizuka Arakawa Yukari Nakano [13]
2004 Hamilton Yukina Ota Cynthia Phaneuf Amber Corwin [14]
2005 Gangneung Fumie Suguri Yoshie Onda Jennifer Kirk [15]
2006 Colorado Springs Katy Taylor Yukari Nakano Beatrisa Liang [16]
2007 Kimmie Meissner Emily Hughes Joannie Rochette [17]
2008 Goyang Mao Asada Joannie Rochette Miki Ando [18]
2009 Vancouver Yuna Kim Joannie Rochette Mao Asada [19]
2010 Jeonju Mao Asada Akiko Suzuki Caroline Zhang [20]
2011 Taipei City Miki Ando Mao Asada Mirai Nagasu [21]
2012 Colorado Springs Ashley Wagner Mao Asada Caroline Zhang [22]
2013 Osaka Mao Asada Akiko Suzuki Kanako Murakami [23]
2014 Taipei City Kanako Murakami Satoko Miyahara Li Zijun [24]
2015 Seoul Polina Edmunds Satoko Miyahara Rika Hongo [25]
2016 Taipei City Satoko Miyahara Mirai Nagasu | Rika Hongo [26]
2017 Gangneung Mai Mihara Gabrielle Daleman Mirai Nagasu [27]
2018 Taipei City Kaori Sakamoto Mai Mihara Satoko Miyahara [28]
2019 Anaheim Rika Kihira Elizabet Tursynbaeva Mai Mihara [29]
2020 Seoul Rika Kihira You Young Bradie Tennell [30]
2021 Sydney Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [2]
2022 Tallinn Mai Mihara Lee Hae-in Kim Ye-lim [31]
2023 Colorado Springs Lee Hae-in Kim Ye-lim Mone Chiba [32]
2024 Shanghai Mone Chiba Kim Chae-yeon Rinka Watanabe [33]
2025 Seoul Kim Chae-yeon Bradie Tennell Sarah Everhardt [34]

Pairs

Pairs event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1999 Halifax
[36]
2000 Osaka
2001 Salt Lake City [11]
2002 Jeonju [12]
2003 Beijing [13]
2004 Hamilton [14]
2005 Gangneung [15]
2006 Colorado Springs [16]
2007 [17]
2008 Goyang [18]
2009 Vancouver [19]
2010 Jeonju [20]
2011 Taipei City [21]
2012 Colorado Springs [22]
2013 Osaka [23]
2014 Taipei City [24]
2015 Seoul [25]
2016 Taipei City [26]
2017 Gangneung [27]
2018 Taipei City [28]
2019 Anaheim [29]
2020 Seoul [30]
2021 Sydney Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [2]
2022 Tallinn [31]
2023 Colorado Springs [32]
2024 Shanghai [33]
2025 Seoul [34]

Ice dance

Ice dance event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1999 Halifax [37]
2000 Osaka
2001 Salt Lake City [11]
2002 Jeonju [12]
2003 Beijing [13]
2004 Hamilton [14]
2005 Gangneung [15]
2006 Colorado Springs [16]
2007 [17]
2008 Goyang [18]
2009 Vancouver [19]
2010 Jeonju [20]
2011 Taipei City [21]
2012 Colorado Springs [22]
2013 Osaka [23]
2014 Taipei City [24]
2015 Seoul [25]
2016 Taipei City [26]
2017 Gangneung [27]
2018 Taipei City [28]
2019 Anaheim [29]
2020 Seoul [30]
2021 Sydney Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [2]
2022 Tallinn [31]
2023 Colorado Springs [32]
2024 Shanghai [33]
2025 Seoul [34]

Records

From left to right: Patrick Chan of Canada has won three Four Continents Championship titles in men's singles; Mao Asada and Fumie Suguri, both of Japan, have each won three Four Continents Championship titles in women's singles; and Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China have won six Four Continents Championship titles in pair skating.
Five teams are tied for the winning the most Four Continents Championship titles in ice dance (with three each). From left to right: Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz of Canada; Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States; Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States; Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada; and Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States
Records
Discipline Most championship titles
Skater(s) No. Years Ref.
Men's singles 3 2009;
2012;
2016 		[38]
Women's singles 3 2009;
2012;
2016 		[39]
3 2001;
2003;
2005 		[40]
Pairs 6 2012;
2014;
2016–17;
2019–20 		[41]
Ice dance 3 2004–06 [42]
3 1999;
2001;
2003 		[43]
3 2019–20;
2023 		[44]
3 2009;
2011;
2013 		[45]
3 2008;
2012;
2017 		[46]

Cumulative medal count

Main article: Four Continents Figure Skating Championships cumulative medal count
Total number of Four Continents Championship medals by nation[47]
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States283044102
2 Japan28241971
3 Canada23302477
4 China18141446
5 South Korea45211
6 Kazakhstan2103
7 Uzbekistan1001
8 North Korea0011
Totals (8 entries)104104104312

References

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