2023 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships preview: Full schedule and how to watch
Calgary, Canada, hosts the world junior championships from 27 February–5 March, with medals due to be awarded in men's and women's singles, pairs, and ice dance events. Competition begins on 1 March after two practice days.
Figure Skating
There will be new world junior champions decided in figure skating this week at the 2023 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
From 1–4 March, many of the world's best young skaters will compete at the Canada Olympic Park – a host venue of the Olympic Winter Games Calgary 1988 – with just under 180 athletes set to take to the ice at the WinSport Arena in the four regular categories: junior men's and junior women's singles, junior pairs, and junior ice dance.
All four defending champion skaters and teams moved up to the senior level for the 2022/23 season, meaning first-time winners are guaranteed in all events. The International Skating Union's ongoing suspension of skaters from Russia and Belarus also remains in place.
So who are the skaters to keep an eye on?
Junior Grand Prix Final winners look for Junior Worlds repeat, Canada eyes ice dance
All four winners from December's Junior Grand Prix Final (JGPF) will be in action, and enter the World Junior Championships as favourites. They are Nikolaj Memola (junior men, Italy), Shimada Mao (junior women, Japan), Anastasia Golubeva / Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (junior pairs, Australia), and the home hopes of Nadiia Bashynska / Peter Beaumont (junior ice dance, Canada).
Memola and Japan's Miura Kao are front-runners in the junior men's category, with both already having tasted success at senior level. Memola, who triumphed on home ice in Turin in December, followed that up by winning senior bronze at the Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, New York, in January. Miura, meanwhile, was also in Turin but competed in the senior Grand Prix Final where he placed fifth, before going on to win the Four Continents Championships. The USA's Lucas Broussard, who won silver at JGPF, is also in the mix for medals.
The junior women's category appears to be a likely repeat of JGPF, with Shimada going back up against Republic of Korea skater Shin Ji-a. Shin, who took silver at last year's world junior championships and also at JGPF, and Shimada's teammate Nakai Ami (fourth at JGPF), are the closest to Shimada in terms of season's high scores. European senior bronze medallist Kimmy Repond of Switzerland will also hope to challenge for the podium.
Just 14 pairs are entered this year, with last year's silver medallists Golubeva and Giotopoulos Moore hoping to claim Australia's first gold medal since 2017. They will face a stiff test from JGPF runners-up Sophia Baram / Daniel Tioumentsev of the United States, while Ukraine's Violetta Sierova / Ivan Khobta and Japan's Murakami Haruna / Moriguchi Sumitada are among the teams who will have an eye on bronze.
The Ontario-based Bashynska and Beaumont represent the hosts' best chance of a medal. Last year's world junior bronze medallists return in the ice dance and will enter as favourites ahead of Republic of Korea's Hannah Lim / Quan Ye, who took JGPF silver.
Schedule – 2023 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships
All times are in Mountain Standard Time (UTC/GMT -7 hours), and subject to change.
Wednesday 1 March
- 11:00–13:09: Junior pairs short program
- 14:00–14:30: Opening Ceremony
- 14:45–21:19: Junior women's singles short program
Thursday 2 March
- 12:00–17:56: Junior men's singles short program
- 19:00–21:24: Junior pairs free skating, followed by victory ceremony
Friday 3 March
- 12:00–16:45: Junior ice dance rhythm dance
- 17:45–21:23: Junior women's singles free skating, followed by victory ceremony
Saturday 4 March
- 12:00–15:04: Junior ice dance free dance, followed by victory ceremony
- 16:15–19:53: Junior men's singles free skating, followed by victory ceremony
Sunday 5 March
- 15:00–17:00: Exhibition gala
Where and how to watch 2023 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
The World Junior Championships will be broadcast on the ISU YouTube channel (including in the United States), with possible restrictions depending on your location.
Canadian fans will be able to watch the action on CBC Sports.