#4ContsFigure

Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) recaptured the ISU Four Continents Pairs title they first won in 2023, the year in which they also became World Champions. Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN), the reigning World Champions, rebounded from a disappointing Short Program Friday at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025 to take silver in Seoul (KOR). Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (CAN) claimed bronze.

Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) return to take gold

Five years ago, the new Japanese pairs team of Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara debuted at the ISU Four Continents Championships at the Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul (KOR). They finished eighth. 

Back at that same venue, they have clinched the Four Continents title for a second time, having first won it two years ago.

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN): ISU Four Continents gold medalists in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

“We couldn’t even picture that we would be in this position we are in now,” Kihara said. 

The pair have now reached the top as ISU World Champions, in 2023, and Four Continents Champions but coming to Seoul and recapturing that Four Continents title here was special. 

The silver and bronze medals claimed by the Canadian teams of Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps and Lia Pereira/Trennt Michaud also spoke of perseverance and courage.  

Overnight leaders Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara put in a season’s best performance of their dynamic routine to “Adios” that included triple jumps and throws as well as difficult lifts. Miura only stepped out of the throw triple flip. They scored 142.59 points and totaled 217.32 points for their win. 

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN): perform their victorious Free Skate at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

“We had to overcome many challenges,” Kihara said. “So to be here today and win the gold medal, we are elated that we were able to accomplish this. This medal represents how far we've come the past five years.

“Today's performance was not our absolute best but we were able to set a new season's best of 142 points. To be on the 140s was great.”

The perfectionists had to mention a little other glitch – they faced the wrong side in their final pose. “Our coach Meagan Duhamel told us we have to give it all in the choreo sequence, really perform. That’s what we did. And in the end, we are supposed to meet the eyes of the judges, but instead we saw the eyes of Meagan and Bruno (Marcotte, coach). We were facing the wrong way,” Miura explained, laughing. 

Gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU 

Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps rebounded from a sub-par Short Program that had left them in fourth place. 

The World Champions turned in their best performance of their beautiful “Ocean” program this season so far, nailing the triple toe-single Axel-double Axel sequence, triple Salchow and triple throws. The Canadian Champions collected a season’s best of 141.26 points and pulled up to second place with a total score of 210.92 points to complete their set of medals at the ISU Four Continents Championships following their bronze in 2023 and gold in 2024.

“I think we really needed some competition to have some type of breakthrough,” Stellato-Dudek said. 

“The short here was not great but that's been going relatively decently all year but the long has been not going well at all, all year. So we needed some kind of a breakthrough and we feel like we've got it here. At least, we know that it's possible and we can take that with us to Boston (to the World Championships). 

“This one (comeback) was, I think personally, one of the most rewarding because this felt the hardest. It's like a really big personal victory.”

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps (CAN), who climbed into the medal positions and took silver at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

Pereira/Michaud followed up on their Short Program with a strong Free Skate to “Tango Jalousie” that earned them another season’s best score of 128.61 points, just below their personal best. They accumulated 198.40 points – which is a personal best – to win their first ISU Championship medal as a team. 

“For us, this medal is also very special. It's our third Four Continents together. So third place and three bronze medals (for Short Program, Free Skating and overall) feels very special,” Pereira said.

“I was also here at this event five years ago with my former partner. So, thinking about that and really how quick time has changed, I'm really proud of this medal,” Michaud noted. “This medal means a little bit extra because of that. It wasn't that long ago that I wasn’t even skating with Lia.”

Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (CAN), who claimed the bronze medal at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

Ellie Kam/Danny O’Shea (USA) slipped from second to fourth place after some errors (196.94 points) while their teammates and US Champions  Alisa Efimova/Misha Mitrofanov remained in fifth place, setting a personal best of 192.07 points. Anastasia Golubeva/Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (AUS) came sixth with 178.76 points. 

What and when 

The schedule of the ISU Four Continents Championships 2025 is as follows:

• Thursday, February 20: Pairs Short Program, Rhythm Dance, Men’s Short Program
• Friday, February 21: Pairs Free Skating & Women’s Short Program  
• Saturday, February 22: Free Dance & Men’s Free Skating
• Sunday, February 23: Women’s Free Skating & Exhibition Gala

For more information, full entry lists and results, visit the ISU event page of the ISU Four Continents Championships 2025 and the official event website of the Championships. Follow the discussion on social media using #4ContsFigure and #FigureSkating.

Where to watch the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025:

The ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news here.

Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted. 

Stay connected with the ISU: 

ISU website:                 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025 

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