ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2008
Preview
The 2008 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships will
open in Sofia, Bulgaria, on February 26. The World Junior
Figure Skating Championships exist since 1978. In 1976 and
1977, the ISU held “Junior Figure Skating Championships”.
Sofia has hosted the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships
once before in 2001. 209 skaters/couples from 50 ISU members
have been entered for the Championships.
Overview over the top contenders
Reigning World junior silver medallist Mirai Nagasu (USA)
dominated the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series and won the ISU
Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in December. The
14-year-old U.S. Champion comes to Germany with a seasonal
best of 162.09 points (achieved at the JGP Final). The challenge
should come from her teammates Caroline Zhang and Rachel Flatt.
Zhang comes back to Junior Worlds to defend her title. The
14-year-old competed on the senior Grand Prix circuit this
season, qualified for the senior Final and posted her seasonal
best of 176.48 points there. Flatt finished second to Nagasu
at the Junior Grand Prix Final and at U.S. Nationals (seasons
best 159.66 points). Junior Final bronze medallist Yuki Nishino
(JPN) debuts at the event and is looking to continue the tradition
of the strong Japanese Ladies and to step on to the podium
(seasons best 149.42 points). Jenni Vähämaa (FIN),
who was ranked fourth at Junior Worlds last year, wants to
break into the top three this time (seasons best 142.40 points).
Others to watch include Elena Glebova (EST/seasons best 145.69),
Sarah Hecken (GER/134.05), Alena Leonova (RUS/126.50), Rumi
Suizu (JPN/129.32).
ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Champion Adam Rippon (USA) is
entering his first World Junior Championships as one of the
top contenders. The 18-year-old scored a season’s best
of 203.20 points at the Junior Final. Teammate Brandon Mroz,
who was fourth at Junior Worlds in 2007 and finished second
at the Junior Final with a seasons best of 187.34 points,
is looking to challenge Rippon for the gold. But skaters from
Canada, China, Russia and Japan are aiming at the podium as
well: Kevin Reynolds (CAN) was ranked fifth one year ago in
Oberstdorf and comes with a seasons best of 186.69 to Bulgaria,
Takahito Mura (JPN) would like to medal on his third trip
to Junior Worlds (seasons best 171.27), Artem Borodulin (RUS)
is recovered from a broken ankle that kept him out of the
Junior Final (seasons best 190.67 points) and Jinlin Guan
(CHN) hopes to medal on his fourth and final Junior Worlds
after finishing sixth last year (seasonal best 184.81). Other
contenders are Michal Brezina (CZE/176.43), Russian Junior
Champion Ivan Bariev (sesaons best 172.00), Jeremy Ten (CAN/170.38)
Chao Yang (CHN/166.60), Florent Amodio (FRA/146.66) and Adrian
Schultheiss (SWE/184.94). Kevin Alves will be the first skater
to represent Brasilia at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating
Championships.
In the Pairs event, Russia dominated the Junior Final and
now hopes to win the title. Two-time and reigning World Junior
bronze medallists Ksenia Krasilnikova/Konstantin Bezmaternykh
are the top Russian team in Sofia. They come with a season’s
best of 149.44 points to Sofia. Ekaterina Sheremetieva/Mikhail
Kuznetsov were ranked third at the Junior Final (seasons best
134.02). The new team of Liubov Ilushechkina/Nodari Maisuradze,
who enter their first international competition, might be
good for a surprise as well. Jessica Rose Paetsch/Jon Nuss
(USA) are ready to challenge the Russian teams (seasons best
139.40 points). Amanda Velenosi/Mark Fernandez (CAN/seasons
best 125.71 points), Yue Zhang/Lei Wang (CHN/127.83) and Marina
Sergejeva/Ilja Glebov (EST/130.21) are other contenders.
The ice dance event focuses on an American-Russian battle
between Russia’s Maria Monko/Ilia Tkachenko, Kristina
Gorshkova/Vitali Butikov and Emily Samuelson/Evan Bates (USA).
Monko/Tkachenko won the Junior Final ahead of Samuelson/Bates
and Gorshkova/Butikov. They achieved a seasons best of 175.72
while Samuelson/Bates got 171.85 and Gorshkova/Butikov 168.84
points. Gorshkova/Butikov were ranked fourth at the 2007 World
Junior Championships, Monko/Tkachenko were fifth, and Samuelson/Bates,
who stood in second place after the Original Dance last year,
were forced to withdraw during the Free Dance due to her suffering
an injury. Vanessa Crone/Paul Poirier (CAN) want to break
into the Russian-American phalanx. They finished fourth at
the Junior Final and earned a seasons best of 169.04 on the
Junior Grand Prix circuit. Madison Hubbell/Keiffer Hubbell
(USA) won the Junior Grand Prix Final in Sofia in December
2006 and were sixth at Junior Worlds 2007, but haven’t
yet competed internationally this season. They are looking
to make a comeback in Bulgaria. Other top Junior teams are
Isabella Pajardi/Stefano Caruso (ITA/seasons best 155.36 points),
Alissa Agofonova/Dmitri Dun (UKR/151.56), Lucie Mysliveckova/Matej
Novak (CZE/148.08).
Please note that for the seasonal best total scores only
the ISU Grand Prix competitions (senior and junior) as well
as ISU Championships have been taken into consideration, not
other international competitions or National Championships.
Prize money and World standing bonus
The ISU awards a global prize money of US$ 200,000 at the
World Junior Championships to skaters/ couples placed 1st
to 12th. The prize money is awarded to winners and placed
skaters/couples as follows:
Men and Ladies Pairs and Dance (per couple)
1st place US$ 10,000 1st place US$ 15,000
2nd place US$ 7,000 2nd place US$ 10,500
3rd place US$ 5,000 3rd place US$ 7,500
4th place US$ 3,500 4th place US$ 4,500
5th place US$ 2,750 5th place US$ 4,000
6th place US$ 2,500 6th place US$ 3,750
7th place US$ 2,250 7th place US$ 3,500
8th place US$ 2,000 8th place US$ 3,000
9th place US$ 1,750 9th place US$ 2,750
10th place US$ 1,500 10th place US$ 2,250
11th place US$ 1,250 11th place US$ 1,750
12th place US$ 1,000 12th place US$ 1,500
By competing in the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships
the athletes earn points towards the World Standings as well.
The three skaters/couples per discipline having earned most
World Standing points during the 2007/2008 season will be
awarded with the World Standing Bonus. The following amounts
will be awarded to the concerned skaters/couples:
Ladies & Men Pairs & Dance (per couple)
1st: US$ 45,000 1st: US$ 67,500
2nd: US$ 27,000 2nd: US$ 40,500
3rd: US$ 18,000 3rd: US$ 27,000
The schedule of the ISU World Junior Figure Skating
Championships 2008 is as follows:
Tuesday, February 26: Compulsory Dance, Pairs Short Program
Wednesday, February 27: Men Short Program, Pairs Free Skating
Thursday, February 28: Original Dance, Men Free Skating
Friday, February 29: Ladies Short Program, Free Dance
Saturday, March 1: Ladies Free Skating
Sunday, March 2: Exhibition Gala
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