2024 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships: Kagiyama Yuma seeks biggest career title
Japan boasts strong line-ups in both men's and women's, while American singles champs are sitting out the Shanghai, China, event. Reigning world pairs champs Miura/Kihara set to return. See the full preview.
Figure Skating
Can Olympic silver medallist Kagiyama Yuma capture the biggest figure skating title of his career ahead of the World Championships in March?
After a left foot injury put him out for much of the 2022-23 season, the 20-year-old has bounced back with aplomb - and a new coach in Carolina Kostner - this year, winning his fourth Grand Prix title and placing third at last month's Grand Prix Final.
He was runner-up to Uno Shoma at Japanese nationals in December, too.
But Uno is one of several top skaters set to miss the 2024 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships this weekend (1-4 Feb.) in Shanghai, along with American champ Ilia Malinin.
American Isabeau Levito is foregoing the event, as well, as is the most recent champ, Amber Glenn, who announced Saturday (27 January) she would forego it to focus on her preparation for Worlds.
But Kagiyama should have plenty of challenges, including from Japanese compatriots Sato Shun and Yamamoto Sota. Cha Junhwan, the Korean, as well as home hope Jin Boyang are also Shanghai-bound.
The women's event is up for grabs, too, with reigning world silver medallist Lee Hae-in set to factor alongside Japan's Mihara Mai and Watanabe Rinka.
Fresh off her first U.S. title, Amber Glenn is making the trek from Columbus, Ohio, and U.S. nationals, to skate, though, as are her teammates Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the reigning (and three-time) ice dance champs. Another American, Ava Marie Ziegler, who stunned for the NHK Trophy title in November, opted to skip the U.S. Championships to focus on Four Continents.
In pairs, Japan's Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi are set to skate for the first time since September after Kihara suffered from a back injury.
See a full preview of the event below, and find out where - and when - to watch it live.
Kagiyama and Kostner continue; Miura/Kihara set for return
There has been a focused effort on upping Kagiyama's artistry after he brought on Kostner, who's said she's across "everything but the jumps" for the two-time world silver medallist, who has maintained his coaching setup with his father, Kagiyama Masakazu, a two-time Olympian (1992-94).
The 22-year-old Cha is looking to find his form again ahead of Worlds, where he won a silver medal a year ago. But he's moved back to the Republic of Korea for training, leaving longtime coach Brian Orser. He was ninth at Skate Canada before withdrawing from the Grand Prix of Espoo due to a right ankle injury. He claimed his eighth consecutive national title earlier this month.
Eighteen-year-old Chiba Mone of Japan and Kim Chae-yeon of Korea could factor into the women's competition, as well, with placing second at Japanese nationals and Kim winning the silver at Skate Canada in October.
All eyes will be on Miura/Kihara after their nearly four-month absence, having last skated at the Autumn Classic prior to the Grand Prix Series, which they missed. They were second there to the Canadian team of Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, the duo which will be one of their chief challengers in Shanghai.
Also to watch are fellow Canadian Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud, as well as China's Peng Cheng and her new partner, Wang Lei, the team having captured bronze at the Cup of China. Peng is a two-time Four Continents medallist with her former partner Jin Yang.
Chock/Bates won't have it easy in Shanghai, either, the reigning world champions going head-to-head with Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier after the Canadians won a fourth national title earlier this month.
Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2024: Complete schedule
All times listed are local Shanghai times, which is China Standard Time (CST) (GMT +8).
Thursday, 1 Feb.
10:45-14:40 - Women's short program
16:00-19:55 - Men's short program
21:00-22:50 - Pairs short program
Friday, 2 Feb.
12:30-14:55 - Ice dance rhythm dance
16:50-19:45 - Women's free skate
Saturday, 3 Feb.
12:45-14:55 - Pairs free skate
15:50-19:40 - Men's free skate
Sunday, 4 Feb.
12:00-14:50 - Ice dance free dance
17:30-20:00 - Exhibition gala
Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2024: How to watch live
NBC and its family of networks will air the skating, with the action streaming on Peacock.
For the internatinoal audience, you can see the International Skating Union (ISU)'s list of broadcast partners here.