Exciting debut for Figure Skating at JGP Baku (AZE)

FIGURE SKATING

Exciting debut for Figure Skating at JGP Baku (AZE)

27 Sep 2025

Figure Skating celebrated an exciting debut in Azerbaijan as the very first ISU Junior Grand Prix event was held in Baku in the presence of ISU President Jae Youl Kim. At the fifth ISU Junior Grand Prix of the season, the crowd saw excellent performances and a battle on the ice not only for the medals but also for precious points towards the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final. The 2024 ISU World Junior Champion Minkyu Seo (KOR) won his second gold this season and qualified for the Final. Yuseong Kim (KOR) found redemption to take home the title. Ice Dancers Ambre Perrier Gianesini/Samuel Blanc Klaperman (FRA) celebrated their first victory on the ISU Junior circuit to qualify for the Final.

Relive all the action and catch the winners’ interviews on the ISU YouTube channel.

Yuseong Kim (KOR) strikes gold, finds redemption

A few weeks ago, Korea’s Yuseong Kim finished fifth at the ISU JGP Riga, her first event. Standing in fourth place following the Short Program in Baku as she under-rotated her triple flip-triple toe combination, Kim had nothing to lose and went all out in the Free Skating. Performing to the epic “Titanic” soundtrack, the Korean risked a triple Axel and even though it was not clean, she rallied after that to pull off seven triples and jumped on to the top of the podium. She scored 185.99 points. It was the second victory on the circuit for the 16-year-old that now has to wait and see if she will qualify again for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final.

Yuseong Kim (KOR) performs at the ISU JGP Baku (AZE)

“I didn’t manage the pressure well in the first round, so I wanted to skate clean this time,” Kim shared. “I was very happy with my clean program.”

JGP Ankara Champion Mayuko Oka (JPN) claimed the silver medal with 184.22 points, which will be enough to get her into the Junior Final in her first international junior year. Sophia Shifrin (ISR) put out two personal best performances to win the Short Program and claim the bronze overall (176.95 points). It was the first medal for Shifrin and for an Israeli female single skater on the junior circuit. JGP Finalist Yihan Wang (CHN) dropped out of the medals and finished fourth.

Minkyu Seo (KOR) remains on golden track

The 2024 ISU World Junior Champion Minkyu Seo of Korea remained on the golden track this season and skated to his second JGP victory with 23 points to spare. Seo took the lead with a perfect Short Program to “Czardas”, setting a new seasons best. The 16-year-old went for the first time for a quad Salchow in the Free Skating to “Exogenesis Symphony” by Muse. He missed it, but the rest of his performance was excellent, including two triple Axels. Seo collected 236.45 points and advanced to the ISU Junior Final.

Minkyu Seo (KOR) performs at the ISU JGP Baku (AZE) as ISU President Jae Yul Kim is watching

“The quad Sal was good in Korea, but not here,” the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist said. “I will land the quad Sal in the next competition,“ he promised.

Silver medalist Denis Krouglov of Belgium was a surprise. He did not even place in the top ten since starting to compete on the ISU Junior Grand Prix two years ago but now came out to deliver two personal best performances (213.47 points). Krouglov is the first Belgian male skater to make the podium at the JGP since Kevin van der Perren in 2001. The bronze went to newcomer Caleb Farrington (USA), who produced a clean quad toe in his JGP debut (210.66 points). JGP Bangkok silver medalist Patrick Blackwell (USA) slipped from second to fourth place and his chances to make the Final are slim now.

First title for Ambre Perrier Gianesini/Samuel Blanc Klaperman (FRA)

Top favorites Ambre Perrier Gianesini/Samuel Blanc Klaperman of France left no doubt that they were the Ice Dance leaders in Baku. They picked up a personal best in the Rhythm Dance for a strong lead and built on it with a wonderful performance of their “Tarzan” Free Dance. The JGP Varese silver medalists scored a seasons best in the Free Dance and danced to their first JGP gold medal and right into the JGP Final for the first time (162.21 points).

Ambre Perrier Gianesini/Samuel Blanc Klaperman (FRA) perform at the ISU JGP Baku (AZE)

“The idea to skate to this (Tarzan theme) came from our coach (Olivier Schoenfelder) and we didn’t really like it or we couldn’t see where it could go,” Blanc Klaperman revealed. “Then we spoke again about it and we thought it could be a great idea.”

“The music is incredible, we really love it,” Perrier Gianesini agreed.

Italy’s Zoe Bianchi/Daniel Basile took home the silver medal in what was their debut on the ISU JGP as a team (149.64 points). Summer Homick/Nicholas Buelow (CAN) earned their second consecutive bronze medal on the circuit with 142.38 points but most likely will not qualify for the Junior Final.

A total of 87 young athletes from 37 countries competed in Baku.

What will happen next week?

Next week, the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit returns to Gdansk (POL). At the sixth and penultimate competition of the series, more and more Skaters are looking at securing a spot in the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final:

JGP Varese Champion Taigo Nishino (JPN) is aiming at the podium and the Junior Final.
Nishino is up against JGP Varese silver medalist Habin Choi (KOR) and JGP Riga bronze medalist Genrikh Gartung (GER)
JGP Varese Champion Sumiko Kanazawa (JPN) is eager to earn another medal and the ticket to the Final in her home country. JGP Ankara silver medalist Yujae Kim (KOR) and JGP Ankara bronze medalist Sophie Joline von Felten (USA) are also fighting for a spot on the podium and in the Final.
Gdansk is the last event with Pair Skating and to qualify for the Final. ISU JGP Final medalists Jazmine Desrochers/Kieran Thrasher (CAN), JGP Riga silver medalists Xuanqi Zhang/Wenqiang Feng (CHN) and 2024 ISU World Junior bronze medalists Naomi Williams/Lachlan Lewer (USA) lead the field.
Expect an exciting Ice Dance competition when JGP Riga Champions Leila Veyllon/Alexander Brandys (CAN) meet JGP Ankara Champions Iryina Pidgaina/Artem Koval (UKR).