2016 Junior Grand Prix Final: Ladies & Men Preview
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The first half of the 2016-17 season will soon draw to a close with the Grand Prix Final in Marseille, France, but for all of you looking forward to seeing your favorite skaters on the Grand Prix battle against each other one more time - there’s another competition happening at the same time and place! The Junior Grand Prix Final will feature some of the top junior skaters in the world, some of whom have already made history in their own right this season. Here’s a look at the singles competitors at the JGPF! (We will not be covering junior pairs and ice dance.)
LADIES
For the third season in a row, the ladies’ Grand Prix Finalists are entirely composed of skaters from two countries - three from Russia, and three from Japan. Japan and Russia have dominated the junior ladies’ ranks in recent years; in this season alone, their skaters won 20 out of 21 medals on the Junior Grand Prix Series. Unfortunately, the reigning Junior Grand Prix Final Champion, Polina Tsurskaya of Russia, withdrew from this year’s competition due to injury, and was replaced by Russian teammate Elizaveta Nugumanova. Nevertheless, the Russian contingent is still extremely strong. Led by Anastasiia Gubanova, who currently holds the world’s highest junior ladies’ free skate score, and Alina Zagitova, who gives backloading a new name, they will be challenged by an equally strong Japanese team - Rika Kihira (who has a triple axel in her arsenal), newly-crowned Japanese Junior National Champion Kaori Sakamoto, and 2016 Junior World Champion Marin Honda. Every skater in this field has a chance to make the podium, and a single mistake could spell doom.
ANASTASIIA GUBANOVA
Representing: Russia
Age: 13 (14 by JGPF)
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 65.43, FS 129.14, total 194.57
ISU Season’s best (jr): 194.57
Notable titles: 2016 JGP Czech Champion, 2016 JGP Germany Champion
Programs: SP - The Swan; FS - Romeo & Juliet
Making her Junior Grand Prix debut this season, Anastasiia proved that the Russian ladies’ field is truly bottomless by winning both of her events, entering the Final as the top qualifier. At her second Junior Grand Prix event in Germany, she posted the highest-ever junior ladies’ free skate score to date. Her strengths lie in her musicality and expressiveness, with an elegant, balletic style beyond her years, especially apparent in her short program to “The Swan”. However, even though her programs are impressive in their difficult technical content, her jump technique is somewhat shaky and she is not always the most consistent skater. Clean programs at the JGPF will likely place her on the podium - perhaps even on the top step - but in this deep field, she cannot afford to make mistakes.
RIKA KIHIRA
Representing: Japan
Age: 14
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 66.78, FS 128.31, total 194.24
ISU Season’s best (jr): 194.24
Notable titles: 2016 JGP Slovenia Champion, 2016 JGP Czech Silver Medalist
Programs: SP - Tzigane; FS - Rhapsody in Blue
Japan’s new jumping wunderkind who debuted as a junior this season, Rika exploded onto the Junior Grand Prix by making history at her second event in Slovenia, where she became the first female skater to land eight clean triples in her free skate, including a triple axel. She is the seventh lady in history to land a triple axel jump in competition, and she has also landed triple axel-triple toeloop combinations in practice. However, the triple axel is not yet an entirely consistent jump for her, and could make or break the rest of her program. Suffering from an injury, Rika had lackluster performances a few weeks ago at Japanese Junior Nationals, where she finished in a shocking 11th place and failed to qualify for the senior Japanese Nationals. She’ll have a chance for redemption at the Junior Grand Prix Final - if she is sufficiently recovered and can regain some of the consistency we saw on the Junior Grand Prix, she has a good shot at the podium, but a lot will depend on the current state of her jumps.
Rika is coached by Mie Hamada and Yamato Tamura, along with 2016 Junior World Champion Marin Honda and 2-time Japanese National Champion Satoko Miyahara (among many others).
KAORI SAKAMOTO
Representing: Japan
Age: 16
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 65.66, FS 122.15, total 187.81
ISU Season’s best (jr): 187.81
Notable titles: 2016 JGP Japan Champion, 2016 JGP France Silver Medalist, 2016 Japanese Junior National Champion
Programs: SP - The Artist; FS - The Color Purple
At 16, Kaori is the oldest skater in this field, but this season was the first time she qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final. Although she had success on the junior scene in the past - she finished a respectable 6th at 2015 Junior Worlds - this season is her real breakout season. Her impressive win at JGP Japan with two clean programs seemed to give her new confidence, and a few weeks ago she scored a decisive first place finish at Japanese Junior Nationals, securing herself a place on Japan’s Junior World team. Kaori is a powerful and energetic skater known for her huge, airy jumps. With her improved consistency and artistry, she is a real threat for the Junior Grand Prix Final podium as long as she can repeat the performances that won her gold medals at competitions earlier this season.
ALINA ZAGITOVA
Representing: Russia
Age: 14
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 68.09, FS 126.30, total 194.37
ISU Season’s best (jr): 194.37
Notable titles: 2016 JGP France Champion, 2016 JGP Slovenia Bronze Medalist
Programs: SP - Samson and Delilah; FS - Don Quixote
Another newcomer to the Junior Grand Prix, Alina blew away the field at her first event in France, where she placed all of her jumping passes in the second half of both programs, receiving a 10% base value bonus. This strategy paid off well at her first Junior Grand Prix, where she set one of the highest junior ladies’ scores so far this season, but backfired at her second event, where mistakes in the free skate dropped her to third place behind Rika Kihira and Marin Honda. Alina has a very high potential base value, but she will need to avoid major mistakes in order to earn a place on the Junior Grand Prix Final podium.
Alina is coached by Eteri Tutberidze, along with 2015 Junior Grand Prix Final Champion Polina Tsurskaya and 2016 World Champion Evgenia Medvedeva. Like her training mate Evgenia, Alina also performs “tanos” on many of her jumps.
MARIN HONDA
Representing: Japan
Age: 15
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 66.11, FS 128.64, total 192.98
ISU Season’s best (jr): 184.11
Notable titles: 2016 Junior World Champion, 2015 Junior Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist, 2016 Japanese Junior National Bronze Medalist
Programs: SP - Smile; FS - Romeo & Juliet
A polished and musical skater with strong skating skills, Marin is the complete package when she’s on, but her inconsistency is the biggest weakness holding her back. Debuting on the Junior Grand Prix last season, Marin had decent performances, qualifying for and finishing third at the 2015 Junior Grand Prix Final. Everything came together for her at 2016 Junior Worlds - after the surprising withdrawals of two Russian skaters, Polina Tsurskaya and Alisa Fedichkina, Marin skated two clean programs and won the Junior World title. Her popularity in Japan skyrocketed, but partly as a result of the increased media attention, Marin has had trouble dealing with the pressure of living up to her title this season. After bombing the short program at JGP Japan, she pulled up to second place overall with a personal-best free skate, but the rest of her competitions this season have been up and down - she skated two clean programs at Japanese Regionals, but made multiple errors in the free skate at Japanese Junior Nationals and finished in third place. She could finish anywhere from first to sixth at the Junior Grand Prix Final - clean programs could win her the gold medal, but mistakes could drop her far down the standings. In Marseille, Marin will need to deal with the heavy media pressure and her own nerves in order to give the performances that she’s capable of doing.
Marin’s younger sister Miyu is a child actress, and the Honda family often appear in the Japanese news because of this. Her older brother Taichi and younger sisters Miyu and Sara are also skaters. Marin is coached by Mie Hamada and Yamato Tamura, along with Rika Kihira and Satoko Miyahara.
ELIZAVETA NUGUMANOVA
Representing: Russia
Age: 14
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 62.41, FS 126.02, total 188.43
ISU Season’s best (jr): 188.43
Notable titles: 2016 JGP Russia Bronze Medalist, 2016 JGP Estonia Silver Medalist
Programs: SP - Malaguena; FS - Swan Lake (formerly Romeo & Juliet)
Despite being a last-minute replacement for Polina Tsurskaya, Elizaveta also has the talent and the technical content to stand on the Junior Grand Prix Final podium, such is the depth of the Russian ladies’ field. Elizaveta debuted as a junior this season, winning medals at both of her Junior Grand Prix events. A firey and expressive skater, Elizaveta’s biggest weaknesses are underrotations on her jumps, which she will need to avoid in order to grab a spot on the JGPF podium. She recently changed her free skate from “Romeo and Juliet” to “Swan Lake”.
MEN
Russia is famed worldwide for its incredibly deep ladies’ field, but the Russian junior men have also proven themselves to be on the rise, qualifying a total of four skaters to the Junior Grand Prix Final. With US skater Alexei Krasnozhon also representing Russia in the past, the only skater without a Russian background in the Final this year is South Korea’s Jun Hwan Cha, a rising star in his home country who has already set records on his first Junior Grand Prix season. Facing off against Jun Hwan will be Alexander Samarin, the top JGPF qualifier, Alexei Krasnozhon, who has attempted the quad loop in competition, and Dmitri Aliev, the reigning JGPF Silver Medalist who is the only qualifier from last season’s JGPF to make the Final again this year. Newcomers Roman Savosin and Ilia Skirda also have a shot at the podium. With the senior men’s field undergoing a technical revolution never before seen in the history of skating, the quad fever has spread to the junior ranks as well, and several of the young men here will attempt quads in their free skates (quads are not allowed in the junior short program). However, with high difficulty comes a high risk of mistakes, making it very difficult to predict who will walk away with a medal from the JGPF this year.
ALEXANDER SAMARIN
Representing: Russia
Age: 18
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 80.31, FS 160.93, total 234.29
ISU Season’s best (jr): 234.29
Notable titles: 2016 JGP Russia Champion, 2016 JGP Estonia Champion, 2015-16 Russian Junior National Silver Medalist
Programs: SP - Come With Me Now; FS - Maybe I, Maybe You
Now one of the oldest skaters in the junior men’s field, Alexander has steadily climbed his way up the ranks in the last year or so, winning the silver medal at Russian Junior Nationals last season and placing a career-best 4th at 2016 Junior Worlds. This season, he comfortably won both of his Junior Grand Prix events and qualified for the Final for the first time. With one of the highest junior men’s season’s best scores so far, Alexander has a shot at the Junior Grand Prix Final podium - and the title itself - as long as he can continue the relatively consistent performances that he’s produced so far on the Junior Grand Prix. He will include two quad toeloops in his free skate.
JUN HWAN CHA
Representing: South Korea
Age: 15
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 79.34, FS 160.13, total 239.47
ISU Season’s best (jr): 239.47
Notable titles: 2016 JGP Japan Champion, 2016 JGP Germany Champion
Programs: SP - A Chorus Line; FS - Il Postino
Part of the new generation of rising Korean hopes, Jun Hwan exceeded fans’ expectations this season by winning both of his JGP events during his series debut. Although he was age-eligible for junior competitions last season and was already a medalist at senior Korean Nationals, he was not selected to compete on the Junior Grand Prix due to poor performances at a domestic qualifying competition (he was ill at the time). Nevertheless, his coaching change last season to Brian Orser - the famous coach of 2010 Olympic Champion Yuna Kim, 2014 Olympic Champion Yuzuru Hanyu, and 2-time World Champion Javier Fernandez - has doubtlessly produced astonishing results, as Jun Hwan finished a respectable 7th at 2016 Junior Worlds in his first appearance at that competition, and established himself as a top contender on the Junior Grand Prix this season. At his JGP event in Japan, he set personal best scores in all segments, broke the combined total junior men’s world record, and became the first South Korean skater to land a clean quadruple jump - a salchow - in competition. He has impressively high technical content for his age, with a triple axel and quad salchow already in his repertoire. Jun Hwan is also a mature and polished skater for his age, and his combination of technical content and high component scores is more than enough to land him on the JGPF podium (including the top step) as long as he can produce solid performances. However, he sometimes suffers from underrotations on his jumps, and will need to be as clean as possible in order to win the competition.
Jun Hwan was a child actor who appeared in commercials and dramas. He also appeared on Yuna Kim’s “Kiss and Cry”, a skating reality show that aired in 2011.
ALEXEI KRASNOZHON
Representing: USA
Age: 16
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 75.10, FS 148.50, total 223.60
ISU Season’s best (jr): 223.60
Notable titles: 2016 JGP Slovenia Champion, 2016 JGP Czech Silver Medalist, 2015-16 US Junior National Bronze Medalist
Programs: SP - Etude Op.10, No.3 (Chopin); FS - Rodeo
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Alexei represented Russia in competition until 2013. He moved to Texas with his family and now skates for the United States. Making his Junior Grand Prix debut last season, Alexei posted solid results, but it wasn’t until this season that he became a contender for major junior podiums. Alexei is best known for attempting the quad loop in competition since the 2015-16 season, although he has not yet landed one cleanly in international competition. If he can repeat the performances that won him the title at JGP Slovenia, he has a chance of landing on the podium at his first Junior Grand Prix Final appearance, but like other skaters in this field, it’s difficult to predict how he might perform here.
ROMAN SAVOSIN
Representing: Russia
Age: 16
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 72.90, FS 134.74, total 207.64
ISU Season’s best (jr): 207.64
Notable titles: 2016 JGP France Champion, 2016 JGP Czech Bronze Medalist, 2015-16 Russian Junior National Bronze Medalist
Programs: SP - Bella Ciao; FS - Smuga Cienia
Third at Russian Junior Nationals last season, Roman established himself as a top junior contender this season by winning his first Junior Grand Prix event in France and qualifying for the Final for the first time. Although his season’s best score from junior competitions is fairly low, he later posted much higher scores at senior B competitions and on the Challenger Series, and could surprise for a Junior Grand Prix Final medal if he can hit clean programs. Roman is known for his quirky programs, but also his messy jump technique; nevertheless, he’s given some strong performances so far this season and should not be counted out for a medal in Marseille, depending on how the rest of the field skates.
ILIA SKIRDA
Representing: Russia
Age: 14
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 69.32, FS 138.96, total 208.28
ISU Season’s best (jr): 208.28
Notable titles: 2016 JGP France Silver Medalist, 2016 JGP Slovenia Silver Medalist
Programs: SP - Mr. Bojangles; FS - Once Upon a Time in America
The youngest skater in this field, Ilia qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final after solid performances during his Junior Grand Prix debut. Although he has the lowest technical content in this field - he does not attempt either a triple axel or a quad - consistent performances won him two silver medals on the Junior Grand Prix, and consistent performances could help him secure a decent placement at the Final as well. As it’s unlikely that he will win a medal at this competition, Ilia will mostly be looking to gain experience and produce good performances, but with the riskier programs attempted by the rest of the field, an upset is not completely out of the question.
Ilia is coached by Eteri Tutberidze, alongside 2016 World Champion Evgenia Medvedeva and 2015 Junior Grand Prix Final Champion Polina Tsurskaya.
DMITRI ALIEV
Representing: Russia
Age: 17
ISU Personal bests (jr): SP 80.74, FS 155.38, total 232.83
ISU Season’s best (jr): 232.83
Notable titles: 2015 Junior Grand Prix Final Silver Medalist, 2016 Youth Olympic Bronze Medalist, 2015-16 Russian Junior National Champion
Programs: SP - Oblivion; FS - The Man in the Iron Mask
The only Junior Grand Prix Finalist from last season to make a reappearance at this season’s competition, Dmitri’s path to the JGPF has been a somewhat rocky road. After setting personal best free skate and total scores at his first Junior Grand Prix event to win the title, he imploded in the free skate at his second event and finished 4th. Although he’s capable of winning major junior competitions when he’s on, Dmitri’s inconsistency has often gotten the better of him in the past, and it’s difficult to predict how he might perform at this competition. His strengths are his jumps - when he lands them - while his weaknesses are his stamina and tendency to pop his jumps. He will include two quad toeloops in his free skate, giving him a base value advantage over most of the field - if he can land them. The silver medalist at JGPF last season, Dmitri will need to overcome his #popstar habits in order to stand on the podium once again.
Dmitri is also known for his unique knee slide transition into his triple flip.