Breakout Junior star of the 2025-26 JGP season?

[ElSoteroLoco]

I really hope Genrikh Gartung moves up to seniors and goes to the olympics for Germany! He already has a solid Triple Axel, Quad lutz and Quad Flip, and attempted to do 3 quads in his WJC. He already has enough to compete strongly in the seniors. Nikita Starostin has stalled or I don't know what his reasons, but, he barely can do a triple axel. Also, Tamir Kuperman of Israel. Attempted 3 quads at WJC, also a solid Triple Axel...same situation as Genrik... Mark Gorodnitsky I don't know what is also his issues but he hasn't improved on the tech content at all. Genrikh and Tamir may not be at the same level PCS as the top seniors, but, they have the stronger tech content overall better than the top senior in their country respectfully.

 

[4everchan]

I don't think Nikita and Mark or a guy like Jason Brown have stalled because they didn't manage to acquire quads... everyone has their own trajectories in this sport and for some, it means no quads. Of course, it's exciting to see young juniors with the big jumps for Germany and Israel and we can celebrate that. Just my opinion.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

I really hope Genrikh Gartung moves up to seniors and goes to the olympics for Germany! He already has a solid Triple Axel, Quad lutz and Quad Flip, and attempted to do 3 quads in his WJC. He already has enough to compete strongly in the seniors. Nikita Starostin has stalled or I don't know what his reasons, but, he barely can do a triple axel..

Genrikh already said he'd be doing a split season. He'll start his season at the first JGP and plans to do some Challengers after the JGP series. Whether or not he will go to the Olympic qualifying competition depends on how the other German men skate at German Senior Test Skates, as Genrikh already showed his senior programs at Junior Test Skates. Also, while Nikita is far from consistent, he recently added a 4S to his arsenal, and it looks quite good, at least in training, so he's clearly trying very hard to improve.

 

[Minz]

@Skating91 I honestly don't think Titova needs quads to be successful on the international stage. Clean triples and combos should be more than enough, and the bonus points from one quad won't make up for a lack of that.

 

[cheerknithanson]

I know he competed last year at the JGP and won one medal....but I'm hoping Patrick Blackwell.

 

[Skating91]

@Skating91 I honestly don't think Titova needs quads to be successful on the international stage. Clean triples and combos should be more than enough, and the bonus points from one quad won't make up for a lack of that.

That is true for success in terms of finishing in the top 5 or so in a JGP stage (however given her background they will really hold back her PCS), but I think she has a fairly inflated ego she wants to win. It's a major move to move countries, give up the Russian passport.

For sure she will get to the 2030 Olympics (unless someone better moves to Armenia in the meantime), so it will be a success in that respect.

 

[Skating91]

I think Bath is great I really liked her last year at GPF it was the first time I saw the current international juniors. I was impressed by a lot of them. You're a little harsh on Titova I think she always had potential to be a great non-ultra-c skater with really high artistry like Sinitsyna or Frolova. Her quads did struggle though. Her music/program selection is diabolical too. Coach's fault. Kalugina is great too of course some of her jumps were bewildering last season.

What Bath is achieving when you consider she's from a country where there might be 10 or less serious skaters in the entire population, it's a miracle. What would she be doing if she was born in Russia receiving elite coaching every step of the way.

Kalugina is scary good. I could tell how worried the establishment were about her at World's with the commentary and scoring. The commentator sounded frustrated about her effortlessly jumping quads!

 

[crystalspin]

Veronika Kim from Kazakhstan was a standout for me at worlds, I think she could have a breakout season.
Hana Bath from Australia was fantastic and I could see her having a great season, such a powerful dynamic skater.
Leandra Tzimpoukakis from Switzerland with her powerful jumps could start to jump up the ranks.
Arina Kalugina from Azerbaijan her skating was so empty but the jumps will probably take her there if she gets them under control.
Ava Kemp/Yonathan Elizarov from Canada, I feel like they already look so much more mature and I could see them taking 1st at all the comps this year.

 

[Elyse]

Titova was underrotating her jumps a couple years ago in Russia, the only real hope to continue her career was to go to a weak fed where there is no competition. I think she will struggle and there's little prospect for a rotated quad. She had grown a lot since she jumped quads, and they were never rotated back then.

Arina Kalugina will definitely be the breakout star. She showed her potential in that free skate at World's where they really held her back and Ted wasn't exactly a fan he was strangely negative , but she is definitely one to watch. If she starts landing those jumps clean only Shimada will beat her.

I'm hoping Titova has some level of success, but I'm also not very optimistic. I wonder what her coaching situation is. Is she training in ARM? I can't imagine her reaching her Plushenko level in ARM. But we'll find out this week.

And YES to Kalugina! She won't beat Mao, like you said, but she can do some serious damage this season.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

I see that some people are predicting Elina Goidina to medal at the jgp this week! Could she be the breakout star? I'm not familiar with the Korean skater that people are predicting could medal alongside her; she could breakout too! IIRC, Korean junior girls haven't been as dominant recently.

 

[Skating91]

I'm hoping Titova has some level of success, but I'm also not very optimistic. I wonder what her coaching situation is. Is she training in ARM? I can't imagine her reaching her Plushenko level in ARM. But we'll find out this week.

Already has been removed from the opening JGP stage, I'm pretty sure she was abruptly removed at the last moment several times last year as well, then when Titova finally made an appearance at World's it was underwhelming, albeit some what underscored. Picked her apart and really lowballed for PCS.

And YES to Kalugina! She won't beat Mao, like you said, but she can do some serious damage this season.

Mao is only around for this season, and then Kalugina can dominate if she lands these quads clean which she will.

I hope Ted is a little more positive towards Kalugina as well this season! Quad combo to open and then strong combos in the second half of the program, but seemed non plussed and a little annoyed by it all , bringing up the mistakes in the program. Maybe I'm just being sensitive. So odd when sometimes we get a skater who scores 20 or 30 in a short program and he's so effusive with praise. ! She's only 14 too and first major competition I was blown away by it. Second highest TES only behind Shimada.

 

[Skating91]

I see that some people are predicting Elina Goidina to medal at the jgp this week! Could she be the breakout star? I'm not familiar with the Korean skater that people are predicting could medal alongside her; she could breakout too! IIRC, Korean junior girls haven't been as dominant recently.

I like Goidina, but she skates small. She has a tough time twisting the jumps as well, but still does well. However she skates for a small fed with few skaters, so can have a long career at international level just scoring consistently around the 180 mark I suppose.

I do wonder how having Sergei Rozanov in her corner behind the boards will impact her score this season.

 

[Skating91]

I do wonder how having Sergei Rozanov in her corner behind the boards will impact her score this season.

Did Rozanov cost her bronze this evening? It was the tiniest of margins. Thoughts?

 

[FlossieH]

Did Rozanov cost her bronze this evening? It was the tiniest of margins. Thoughts?

No. The jump errors cost Goidina the bronze this evening. Her tech score was 5 marks below Dibbern's plus she had two marks deducted for the falls. That is a loss of 7 marks. If she had landed those jumps (even with messy landings) she would have been on the podium.

 

[lariko]

Goidina skated well, but with 2 falls, and Dibbern popping (i think) 3A, it would have been strange if she made podium. She made it last year with Rozanov no problem and Vaclavic went through into final.

I liked Smith in free. Imo, she has a great potential if everything goes well.

Fingers crossed Gartung keeps his feet better than Goidina and podiums tomorrow.

 

[Elyse]

Did Rozanov cost her bronze this evening? It was the tiniest of margins. Thoughts?

I think it was her two falls that cost her the bronze today, but that's just my opinion...

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Shuxian Jin may have only gotten 52 points in this week's short program, but she's a little star!
I feel so bad for Stephania Gladki! I wonder what she needs to do to get higher than 59 or 60 in a short program? There aren't any obvious mistakes that I can see except the take-off on the 2A.

 

[Skating91]

Shuxian Jin may have only gotten 52 points in this week's short program, but she's a little star!
I feel so bad for Stephania Gladki! I wonder what she needs to do to get higher than 59 or 60 in a short program? There aren't any obvious mistakes that I can see except the take-off on the 2A.

They like to lowball Gladki this season. And they really go after her landings while looking the other way with other skaters. Odd!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

NIkita Starostin is a very appealing skater with sensitivity to the music and engaging artistry, along with a beautiful smile. I think he has been a favorite of the judges in the past due to his wonderful aesthetic qualities, despite his tech inconsistencies, especially with the 3-axel. His lack of a quad arsenal does not mean he has 'stalled'. It just highlights the sport's emphasis on acquiring advanced jump difficulty to succeed at the top. All athletes at the level Starostin has achieved should be respected. Fans should recognize how difficult figure skating is to master. Improving is an ongoing process for every skater.

Some fans may forget, but even the very accomplished Stephane Lambiel rarely skated completely clean programs. Triple axels were very difficult for Lambiel, despite the fact he could land quads. Of course, fans admire Lambiel for his mesmerizing artistry, his choreographic talent, and his current coaching successes. Every skater has weaknesses to work on. It's nice to hear that Starostin has worked hard to acquire a quad. He realizes the necessity to perfect a quad in order to remain competitive, especially with younger talent coming up in Germany.

Genrikh Gartung is an exciting young skater with great promise. Hopefully, Gartung's abilities might eventually lead to acquiring more than one spot for German men at Worlds. Yet, Gartung is currently more skilled technically than he is artistically. Again, another example of the sport's emphasis on advanced jumps over artistic excellence. Not that exceptional artistry isn't rewarded. We can see that it is for skaters like Jason Brown, Deniss Vasiljevs, Anthony Paradis, and Nikita Starostin. But consistent quads are what garner top level success...

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Why oh why did Hana Bath and Elizabeth Dibbern have to get such a tough week?!? Baku is stacked!!