FIGURE SKATING
Twisting in Tokyo: ISU World Champions Chock/Bates (USA), Sakamoto (JPN) lead NHK Trophy lineup
06 Nov 2024
The suspense is growing as the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series 2024/25 enters NHK Trophy in Tokyo (JPN), the fourth of six events, this week. Reigning ISU World Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) and Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) as well as ISU World silver medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) and Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) lead the lineup. More and more Skaters are aiming at securing their spot in the ISU Grand Prix Final in Grenoble (FRA) while others start into the series.
The Top Contenders
Three-time and reigning ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) comes with a gold medal from Skate Canada two weeks ago and wants nothing less than another gold on home ice. The Japanese women even hope to repeat a podium sweep like at the ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada, with 2024 ISU Four Continents Champion Mone Chiba and Yuna Aoki competing. However, there are more challengers for the podium including 2023 Skate America bronze medalist Niina Petrokina (EST), 2022 World bronze medalist Alysa Liu (USA), who continues her comeback, and 2023 NHK Trophy silver medalist Lindsay Thorngren (USA). Others to watch include Bradie Tennell (USA), who is on the comeback trail as well, and Ekaterina Kurakova (POL).
“The NHK Trophy is a very special competition for me,” Sakamoto said. “Since it is held in Japan, I am more nervous than at other competitions. Nevertheless, this is the competition I am looking forward to the most.”
Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) skates to gold in Halifax, Canada © ISU
The 2024 ISU World silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) competes in his first Grand Prix of the season and is looking to defend his NHK Trophy title and take a first step towards the Final. Competition should come from teammate Kao Miura. The 19-year-old took bronze at Skate America and must step up in order to reach the Final. Andrew Torgashev (USA) claimed bronze at last week’s ISU Grand Prix de France and was a last minute addition to the roster after Stephen Gogolev (CAN) withdrew. The ever-popular Jason Brown (USA) hopes to improve on his eighth-place finish at Skate Canada. With three-time ISU European medalist Matteo Rizzo and the 2022 ISU European silver medalist Daniel Grassl two top Italian men want to challenge for the podium and it will be interesting to see what they do. Grassl won the recent ISU Challenger Nepela Memorial. Rizzo claimed first place at the ISU Challenger Budapest Trophy.
Bronze medalist in Angers, France: Andrew Torgashev (USA) © ISU
After winning gold at the ISU Grand Prix Skate America, the 2023 ISU World Pair Skating Champions Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) want to book their ticket to Grenoble with another win in Tokyo. They are up against 2024 Skate America silver medalists Ellie Kam/Danny O’Shea (USA) who have a very good shot at qualifying for their first ISU Grand Prix Final. The 2024 ISU World Junior Champions Anastasiia Metelkina/Luka Berulava (GEO) as well as 2023 ISU European bronze medalists Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel (GER) also fight for a spot on the podium.
World Junior Champions Anastasiia Metelkina/Luka Berulava (GEO) © ISU
Reigning ISU World Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) lead the Ice Dance field and after settling for silver at Skate America, the husband-and-wife team want to win their second event. The challenge should come from their teammates Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko. Quite a few teams hope to get on to the podium in Tokyo, including 2024 ISU European bronze medalists Allison Reed/Saulius Ambrulevicius (LTU), who finished fourth last week at the ISU Grand Prix de France, the 2022 ISU Four Continents Champions Caroline Green/Michael Parsons, and Loicia Demougeot/Theo Le Mercier (FRA).
“We’re so grateful to be competing in another NHK Trophy,” Chock said. “We always cherish our time here in Japan and are really looking forward to performing and competing. We’ve made some adjustments to our Rhythm Dance, some little tweaks and changes to the music, and we’re really excited to debut that. We feel like the flow of the program is really fun and exciting and shows a lot of dance and character.”
Bates added: “We also made some tweaks to the costumes and the Free Dance too, so another thing that we’re excited to show this week.
“I’m expecting a full audience, some of the most enthusiastic skating fans anywhere in the world. Tokyo and Yoyogi Stadium in particular have got a lot of fond memories, so it's great. We're really excited.”
Evan Bates and Madison Chock (USA): silver medalists on home ice in Allen, USA © ISU
A total of 60 Skaters/Couples representing 16 countries will compete at the Yoyogi National Stadium. For full entries, schedules & results, see the ISU Grand Prix series page, the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy event page and the official NHK Trophy website.
Check out the ISU Grand Prix Standings to find out who is on their way to qualify for the Final:
Men Women Pair Skating Ice Dance
What & When
The schedule of the NHK Trophy is as follows
Friday, Nov 8: Rhythm Dance, Pairs, Men’s & Women’s Short Programs
Saturday, Nov 9: Free Dance, Pairs, Men’s & Women’s Free Skating
Sunday, Nov 10: Exhibition Gala
Follow the ISU Grand Prix events:
The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event are available below:
- 18 - 20 Oct 2024 Skate America in Allen, TX (USA)
- 25 - 27 Oct 2024 Skate Canada International in Halifax (CAN)
- 01 - 03 Nov 2024 Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA)
- 08 - 10 Nov 2024 NHK Trophy in Tokyo (JPN)
- 15- 17 Nov 2024 Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki (FIN)
- 22 - 24 Nov 2024 Cup of China in Chongqing (CHN)
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final:
- 05 - 08 Dec 2024 Grenoble (FRA)
About ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series started in 1995 (previously known a s the ISU Champions Series) and consists of six invitational international senior events and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The top six of the past World Championships are seeded. Competitors collect points in their events towards the qualification for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Only the top six Skaters / Couples in each discipline can qualify for the Final.
