ISU announces cancellation of world junior figure skating championships
The championships, set for 1-7 March 2021 in Harbin, China, are the latest figure skating event to be delayed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Figure Skating
The International Skating Union (ISU) has announced the cancellation of the world junior figure skating championships, scheduled for 1-7 March 2021 in the Chinese city of Harbin.
The move comes after the entirety of the Junior Grand Prix Series was called off for the first half of the season.
The ISU also said it continues to search for a solution for its postponed senior-level Grand Prix Final, initially set for December in China, with hopes to hold it in 2021. Two out of its six senior Grand Prix events have been cancelled due to COVID-19 safety concerns, in Canada and France.
Without a Grand Prix Series, it's unclear which skaters would have competed at the event.
The 2020 medallists Kamila Valieva (picture above) of Russia, her compatriot Daria Usacheva and American Alysa Liu most likely would have been in attendance.
Youth Olympic Games champion Kagiyama Yuma of Japan is skating the senior event at NHK Trophy this coming weekend.
Reigning men's world champ and YOG silver medallist Andrei Mozalev of Russia competed last weekend in seniors at Rostelecom Cup, as did the pairs champions Polina Panfilova and Dmitry Rylov, also of Russia. The duo also won gold at Lausanne 2020.
Thirteen-year-old Sofia Akatyeva has made waves inside of Russia, the teen landing two quads and a triple Axel recently in one program.
You Young, the YOG champion from the Republic of Korea, will skate at NHK Trophy this weekend, as well.