Tanaka aims for top junior podiums

Each season, Japan is putting out several new young skaters that have success at the junior level. Many of them then go on and do well at the senior scene such as the 2002 World Junior Champion Daisuke Takahashi, 2005 World Junior Champion Nobunari Oda, 2006 World Junior Champion Takahiko Kozuka, and most recently, 2010 World Junior Champion Yuzuru Hanyu. Current World Junior silver medallist Keiji Tanaka wants to follow in their footsteps.

Tanaka didn’t qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final in the past season as he finished third and sixth in his events, however, he proved at Junior Worlds that he is the current top junior man from Japan. He skated well in the qualifying round, the short, and free program to claim…

Newcomer Jin takes gold at Asian Trophy

The Asian Figure Skating Trophy is an International Skating Union (ISU) and Asian Skating Union sanctioned event for novice, junior, and senior skaters. It was organized by the Hong Kong Skating Union and took place in Dongguan near Guangzhou in China.

While the event may not normally feature big names, it is no less entertaining and where discoveries can be made: Such may be the case this year with 13-year-old Boyang Jin of China who won the Junior Men’s event by a landslide with 177.17 points. His score would have placed him second in the senior Men’s competition.

China has a real new little gem in Jin, whose name translates to “gold” in Chinese. Jin stands at just 1.50 meters (4 feet and 9 inches) and is delicately…

Denney and Coughlin plan impressive debut season

At the end of last season, it seemed as if the world of figure skating in the United States was falling apart—at least in terms of tested international level partnerships. Half of the senior pairs podium were kaput, and the bronze and pewter medalists in ice dance had also called it quits. But then, much like a square dance, new partnerships began to form causing quite a stir among the skating Internet community.

After failing to make the World Team for the 2011 Championships in Moscow, former American gold medalists Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett dissolved their on again-off again partnership. While Barrett announced his intent to retire from the sport, Denney was determined to continue to compete.

Meanwhile, shortly after debuting at the 2011 World Figure Skating Championships, current U.S. champions Caitlin Yankowskas and…

2010 U.S. Champion Rachael Flatt Announces New Coaching Staff, Training Sites

(8/19/11) - 2010 Olympian Rachael Flatt announced today she will begin training with Justin Dillon, Lynn Smith and Sergei Ponomarenko at three ice rinks in the Palo Alto, Calif., area.

Zhiganshina and Gazsi turn disappointment into strength

Sometimes disappointment is very hard to deal with, but in the end, it can make you stronger. This is certainly true for German ice dancers Nelli Zhiganshina, 24, and Alexander Gazsi, 26.

The 2007 German Champions almost quit when they lost to Carolina and Daniel Hermann at the 2009 German Nationals in what was a highly disputed decision. The dancers and many observers, including the German press, felt that the result was unfair and the German Skating Federation didn’t support Zhiganshina and Gazsi anymore as they were ineligible for the Olympic Games.

Zhiganshina and Gazsi took a break and started to work with circus acrobats in Moscow to prepare for a potential show career before they decided to give it…

2011 Glacier Falls Summer Classic

The Glacier Falls Summer Classic took place this past week at Anaheim Ice in Anaheim, Calif., with more than 100 entries competing in the final U.S. Figure Skating monitoring competition of the summer season. Skaters traveled from all over the country, as well as Italy, Japan, Israel, and the Philippines, to take advantage of feedback from national and international level judges and technical specialists. Golden Skate’s Elvin Walker attended the competition for two days, and caught up with several of the entries.

Allison Timlen, 10th place 2011 U.S. Nationals junior ladies

Fifteen year-old Allison Timlen has been getting a lot of mileage on her programs this summer. Glacier Falls was her third competition in as many months—she competed in the Chesapeake Open in June and at Liberty in July. 

“I want the skating officials to see my programs as…

Davis and White Win SKATING Magazine 2011 Readers’ Choice Skating of the Year Award

(8/1/11) - U.S. Figure Skating and SKATING magazine announced today that World ice dancing champions Meryl Davis & Charlie White have won the 2011 Readers' Choice Award for Skater of the Year (Michelle Kwan Trophy).