ISU Junior Grand Prix in China

ISU Junior Grand Prix in China
StatusActive
GenreISU Junior Grand Prix
FrequencyOccasional
Country China
Inaugurated1998
Previous event2023
Organized byChinese Figure Skating Association

The ISU Junior Grand Prix in China is an international figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the Chinese Figure Skating Association (Chinese: 中国花样滑冰协会). It is held periodically as an event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP), a series of international competitions exclusively for junior-level skaters. Medals may be awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earn points based on their results at the qualifying competitions each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are invited to then compete at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

History

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) was established by the International Skating Union (ISU) in 1997 and consists of a series of seven international figure skating competitions exclusively for junior-level skaters. The locations of the Junior Grand Prix events change every year. While all seven competitions feature the men's, women's, and ice dance events, only four competitions each season feature the pairs event. Skaters earn points based on their results each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are then invited to compete at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.[1]

Skaters are eligible to compete on the junior-level circuit if they are at least 13 years old before 1 July, and if they have not yet turned 19 (for single skaters), 21 (for ice dancers and female pair skaters), or 23 (for male pair skaters). Competitors are chosen by their respective skating federations rather than by the ISU. The number of entries allotted to each ISU member nation in each discipline is determined by their results at the prior World Junior Figure Skating Championships.[2]

China hosted its first Junior Grand Prix competition in 1998. Guo Zhengxin of China won the men's event, Yoshie Onda of Japan won the women's event, Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China won the pairs event, and Flavia Ottaviani and Massimo Scali of Italy won the ice dance event.[3]

China has twice hosted the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, the culminating event of the Junior Grand Prix series. The 2010 Junior Grand Prix Final was held at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing. Richard Dornbush of the United States won the men's event, Adelina Sotnikova of Russia won the women's event, Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran of Japan won the pairs event, and Ksenia Monko and Kirill Khaliavin of Russia won the ice dance event.[4] China was scheduled to host the 2020 Junior Grand Prix Final, again in Beijing, but the ISU cancelled all scheduled Junior Grand Prix events for the 2020–21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing increased travel and entry requirements between countries and potentially excessive sanitary and health care costs for those hosting competitions.[5] China was able to host the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing. Rio Nakata and Mao Shimada, both of Japan, won the men's and women's event, respectively; while Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia won the pairs event, and Leah Neset and Artem Markelov of the United States won the ice dance event.[6]

The seventh event of the 2024–25 Junior Grand Prix Series was originally to be held in Épinal, France, but the French Federation of Ice Sports withdrew, and their spot was re-allocated to the Chinese Figure Skating Association, who held the event in Wuxi.[7]

Medalists

The 2024 Grand Prix in China champions: Rio Nakata of Japan (men's singles) and Ami Nakai of Japan (women's singles)
Not pictured: Elliana Peal and Ethan Peal of the United States (ice dance)

Men's singles

Men's event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1998 Beijing Guo Zhengxin Gao Song Yu Wang [3]
2000 Harbin Ma Xiaodong Johnny Weir Ma Yingdi [8]
2002 Beijing Mikhail Magerovski Rui Yi Wu Jialiang [9]
2004 Harbin Jamal Othman Kazumi Kishimoto [10]
2010 Final Beijing Richard Dornbush Yan Han Andrei Rogozine [4]
2020 Final Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2023 Final Rio Nakata Kim Hyun-gyeom Adam Hagara [6]
2024 Wuxi Tian Tonghe Yanhao Li [11]

Women's singles

Women's event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1998 Beijing Yoshie Onda Gwenaëlle Jullien Wang Huan [3]
2000 Harbin Yukari Nakano Marianne Dubuc Stephanie Zhang [8]
2002 Beijing Miki Ando Beatrisa Liang Yebin Mok [9]
2004 Harbin Nana Takeda Yuna Kim Jessica Dubé [10]
2010 Final Beijing Adelina Sotnikova Elizaveta Tuktamysheva Li Zijun [4]
2020 Final Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2023 Final Mao Shimada Shin Ji-a Rena Uezono [6]
2024 Wuxi Ami Nakai Kim Yu-seong Wang Yihan [11]

Pairs

Pairs event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1998 Beijing
[3]
2000 Harbin [8]
2002 Beijing
[9]
2004 Harbin
  • Elena Efaieva
  • Alexei Menshikov
[10]
2010 Final Beijing [4]
2020 Final Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2023 Final
  • Ava Kemp
  • Yohnatan Elizarov
  • Jazmine Desrochers
  • Kieran Thrasher
[6]
2024 Wuxi No pairs competition [11]

Ice dance

Ice dance event medalists
Year Location Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
1998 Beijing
  • Nelly Gourvest
  • Cédric Pernet
[3]
2000 Harbin
  • Catherine Perreault
  • Charles Perreault
[8]
2002 Beijing [9]
2004 Harbin [10]
2010 Final Beijing [4]
2020 Final Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2023 Final [6]
2024 Wuxi
  • Elliana Peal
  • Ethan Peal
  • Ambre Perrier Gianesini
  • Samuel Blanc Klaperman
  • Chloe Nguyen
  • Brendan Giang
[11]

References

  1. ^ "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2024/25 – Announcement". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "1998/1999 ISU Junior Grand Prix, 7th event". The Figure Skating Corner. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e "2010 Jr Grand Prix Final". Skating Scores. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e "ISU Junior Grand Prix Series 2020/21 cancelled". International Skating Union. 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e "2023 Jr Grand Prix Final". Skating Scores. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Communication No. 2634". International Skating Union. 13 May 2024. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Harbin, China". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 December 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  9. ^ a b c d "2002 JGP China". Tracings. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d "2004 JGP Harbin". Tracings. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d "2024 JGP China". Skating Scores. Retrieved 1 June 2025.