World champs Sakamoto, Knierim/Frazier headline Skate America, where teenager Malinin eyes breakthrough
The first Grand Prix of the post-Olympic figure skating season is here, with competition set for the Boston area beginning Friday (21 October). Preview the action, stars to watch - and how to tune in.
Figure Skating
Welcome back, figure skating fans.
The International Skating Union’s Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series kicks off this week with its first stop of the 2022-23 season at the Boston Skating Club in Norwood, Massachusetts, USA, from Friday to Sunday (21-23 October).
Reigning world champions Sakamoto Kaori (women’s singles) and the team of Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier (pair skating) are set to feature, while 17-year-old American Ilia Malinin will compete in a fully international senior Grand Prix for the first time.
Here are five things to know ahead of the first post-Olympic Grand Prix – and how you can tune in to watch.
Men: Malinin makes his debut
Heads are already turning for Malinin, the reigning world junior champion who made history last month at a low-level international event when he became the first skater in history to land a quadruple Axel in competition.
So, will he do the quad Axel again at Skate America?
“There will be a lot of people watching,” a wide-eyed Malinin told reporters last week on a video call, though he stopped short of committing to doing the jump in Norwood. “It gets me excited, but it’s also nerve-wracking. But that’s something I have to get used to: Performing in front of a lot of people.”
Malinin received high praise from three-time Olympic medallist and reigning men’s world champ Uno Shoma at the Japan Open earlier this month, where the two competed side-by-side.
“[He] can be the new bar for me,” Uno said of Malinin. “He’s made me want to get better so I don’t get left behind. I’m so grateful to have found someone like him.”
Malinin is the son of Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, both Olympic skaters in their own careers. He is coached by his parents in Virginia, but also spends time working with Rafael Arutunian, the former coach of 2022 Olympic champion Nathan Chen, in California.
Speaking of Chen, Malinin steps in at a time in U.S. skating in which Nathan and his Olympic teammates Vincent Zhou and Jason Brown have each stepped away – though none have fully retired from the sport.
Established international skaters Cha Junhwan (South Korea), who is fresh off a win at Finlandia Trophy, and Daniel Grassl (Italy), also feature in the men’s field, along with fan favourite Donovan Carrillo of Mexico.
Miura Kao, a 17-year-old from Japan, is competing in his first senior Grand Prix outside of his home nation. He’s the reigning junior champ in Japan, and was fourth at senior nationals last season behind Hanyu Yuzuru, Uno, and Kagiyama Yuma, the Olympic silver medallist.
Also to watch is Shimada Koshiro, also of Japan, who replaced Kagiyama in the men’s line-up when the teenager withdrew from the Grand Prix Series due to a leg injury.
Women: Sakamoto aims to pick up where she left off
It’s safe to call this one “Sakamoto against the field,” as the reigning world champ is the heavy favourite and looks to win her first Grand Prix gold at an event other than Japan’s NHK Trophy.
She’s a two-time silver medallist at Skate America, and is set to skate to two new programs this season. Her Janet Jackson-themed short was choreographed by Rohene Ward, while Marie-France Dubreuil did Sia’s “Elastic Heart” with her.
Who can challenge Sakamoto? South Korea’s Lee Hae-in is coming off a bronze medal finish at the Nepela Challenger Series event to start the season, having placed seventh at Worlds earlier this year after missing out on Beijing 2022.
Sakamoto’s countrywoman, Matsuike Rino, is the 2021 junior champion in Japan.
The host nation has three skaters competing – each with different intrigue around them: Amber Glenn and her triple Axel; Sochi 2014 Olympic team bronze medallist, Gracie Gold, a two-time Skate America medallist (2014 and 2015); and 15-year-old Isabeau Levito, who is making her senior Grand Prix debut.
Like teammate Malinin, Levito is the reigning world junior champion, while also capturing gold at the aforementioned Nepela Memorial a few weeks ago.
Gold spoke to Olympics.com earlier this month, revealing she'd like to qualify for the World Championships later this season - attempting to do so for the first time since 2016, when she finished fourth.
Pair skating: Knierim/Frazier enter new territory
Where do you go once you’re already on top of the world? Back to work, clearly, both for Sakamoto and the duo of Knierim and Frazier, who took advantage of a Russia-less pairs field to win the 2022 world title in Montpellier.
The veteran pair, who teamed up in the spring of 2020, are – again, like Sakamoto – far and away favoured in their respective discipline. They were the first American pair to win gold at Worlds in over 40 years – since 1979.
Knierim/Frazier’s former U.S. teammate Deanna Stellato-Dudek switched allegiances to Canada in 2019 and she and partner Maxime Deschamps won gold at Nebelhorn Trophy to start the season.
Stellato-Dudek, 39, is a former world junior medallist in singles, having captured silver in the year 2000. She spent 15 years away from the sport – from 2001 to 2016 – and looks poised to nab a first-ever Grand Prix medal, which would also be a first for Deschamps.
Ice dance: Chock/Bates return; Takahashi continue dance foray
With reigning Olympic and world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron sitting the season out, there has been a close eye on who will continue in ice dance – and who has their sights set on Milano Cortina 2026.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates are one of those teams, the American duo back for a 13th season side-by-side following a fourth-place finish in Beijing and their third world medal (bronze).
They are two-time Skate America champions (2014 and 2015) seeking their 15th Grand Prix podium, and will compete alongside fellow Montreal-based training mates Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, also of the U.S.
Japan’s Muramoto Kana and Takahashi Daisuke are back for a third season together, the team having just fallen shy in attempting to qualify for the Olympics last year. They finished 16th at Worlds.
Takahashi is a former world champion singles skater (2010), having claimed bronze at Vancouver 2010.
Schedule of times for Skate America 2022
While many Grand Prix events are held over two days, Skate America is set for three, with the pair teams and men set to kick things off Friday evening (21 Oct.).
Friday 21 October
- 7:24pm (local – US ET) Pairs short program
- 8:49pm Men’s short program
Saturday 22 October
- 2:41pm Ice dance short dance
- 4:18pm Women’s short program
- 7:15pm Pairs free skate
- 9:01pm Men’s free skate
Sunday 23 October
- 1:08pm Ice dance free dance
- 2:59pm Women’s free skate
- 7:15pm Gala
How to watch Skate America 2022
American fans can find their home Grand Prix on NBC, USA Network and E! – while it’s also streaming on Peacock.
In some countries and territories, fans can watch Grand Prix events livestreamed on the ISU YouTube account. For a full list of TV broadcasters showing the event on television, check the ISU website.