2025-26 U.S. Men's Figure Skating

[dorispulaski]

Don't Miss U.S. Summer Competitions!


Grand Prix Assignments

Grand Prix de France Angers, France Oct. 17-19, 2025	Cup of China TBA, China Oct. 24-26, 2025	Skate Canada International Saskatoon, Canada Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2025	NHK Trophy Osaka, Japan Nov. 7-9, 2025	Skate America Lake Placid, New York Nov. 14-16, 2025	Finlandia Trophy Helsinki, Finland Nov. 21-23, 2025
Ilia Malinin	--	lia Malinin	---	--	--
--	--	--	__	Jason Brown	Jason Brown
Andrew Torgashev	--	__	Andrew Torgashev	--	-+
Maxim Naumov	--	--	--	--	--
--	--	--	Jimmy Ma		Jimmy Ma
--	Camden Pulkinen	--	--	--	-+
--	Jacob Sanchez*	--	--	--	--
--	--	Lucas Broussard	--	--	Lucas Broussard
--	--	--	--	TBD	--

*making Grand Prix Series debut


Junior Grand Prix Assignments


Challenger Assignments


International Selection Pool

Ryan Azadpour
Patrick Blackwell
Lucas Broussard
Nicholas Brooks
Jason Brown
Thomas Chen
Lorenzo Elano
Goku Endo
Caleb Farrington
Aleksandr Fegan
Henry Gao
Kirk Haugeto
Tomoki Hiwatashi
Liam Kapeikis
Lucius Kazanecki
Joonsoo Kim
Joseph Klein
Kai Kovar
Zachary LoPinto
Jimmy Ma
Ilia Malinin
Louis Mallane
Brendan Man
Daniel Martynov
Samuel Mindra
Daniil Murzin
Maxim Naumov
Evan Neuhaus
Camden Pulkinen
Marlo Rosen
Ryedin Rudedenmen
Jacob Sanchez
Emmanuel Savary
Jared Sedlis
Taira Shinohara
Beck Strommer
Alek Tankovic
Andrew Torgashev
Vaclav Vasquez
Michael Xie


2025-26 Team Envelopes

Team A1
Ilia Malinin

Team A2
Jason Brown

Team B1
Jimmy Ma
Maxim Naumov
Camden Pulkinen
Andrew Torgashev

Team B2
Lucas Broussard
Tomoki Hiwatashi

Team C1
Lorenzo Elano
Liam Kapeikis
Jacob Sanchez

Team C2
Patrick Blackwell
Aleksandr Fegan
Daniel Martynov

Team D1
Ryan Azadpour
Kirk Haugeto
Vaclav Vasquez

Team D2
Michael Jin
Louis Mallane
Brendan Man
Evan Neuhaus
Ethan Yan
David Zhao


Questions
1. How will the new ISU Rules affect US men?
2. Will Ilia repeat as World Champion?
3. What will Jason skate to?
4. Can our cacti be less prickly than in previous years?
5. How will Jacob do in senior's
6. Who will take the third spot on the Olympic team?

 

[el henry]

Jacob Sanchez works on his new LP, choreo by Rohene Ward

 

[TontoK]

Same - he needs another year to develop his skills. He is our skater of the future. He handles competition very well and seems to be figuring out how to skate well under pressure.

Just wanted to alert you to the post that our friend @el henry shared of Jacob working with Rohene Ward on his long program for the upcoming season. It should probably be right above this post.

I think this will probably be an excellent partnership. Looking forward to seeing this.

But a pet peeve: It's annoying when skaters tell us they're choreographing their programs, or otherwise implying they've decided the music, but then don't tell us what it is. I haven't figured out the strategery involved with this move.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I'm not sure I would call it a strategy. It just seems to me that in the age of the Internet and social media, skaters are selective about what they decide to reveal, when and how. It would be known by a number of people at the rink that Rohene is working with Jacob, so they got ahead of that leaking by making an announcement. Yet, apparently, Jacob's camp isn't quite ready to release the music. Holding back those details could also be related to working on music rights permissions, etc.

For sure, fans want to know more and the slow drip can be aggravating, but that's the way of things more and more in the age of social media.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Jimmy had a much better season this year and made a coaching change. We’ll see how the early season goes this fall. He’s a phenomenal entertainer and with consistency and a couple of quads he’d be right in there. I wouldn’t be surprised if Camden drops off completely. He’s not going to give up his glitzy job on Wall Street to properly train.

Who did Jimmy switch coaches to? He's training at the same rink.

 

[TontoK]

I don't know @BlissfulSynergy. If Jacob's team has gone to the expense of booking Rohene Ward to choreograph an entire long program, I'd have to assume that music rights have been secured. If not, he needs to can the whole inept bunch, because that would be unforgiveable.

The social media angle... and now, the Big Reveal!... makes more sense, although I think, personally speaking, that's a pointless thing to do as well. I like Jacob's skating quite a lot, but surely he doesn't think the figure skating world is on the edge of our seats awaiting his announcement?

I like the Brown approach. Decide early, announce early, and let the figure skating world look forward to it. I mean, I'm not the Browns biggest fan, and yet I can't wait to see their take on The Godfather. They've given me something to anticipate, and they've gotten a good bit on online buzz because their announcement. Maybe because there's been a lack of other new program news, but that also seems pretty savvy, too.

Edit to add: I sort of categorize Jacob and the Browns in the same pile. Not major stars yet, but solid up-and-comers with a probable bright future. Similar Nationals results (Jacob 7th, Browns 5th), some promising international showings, but not quite broken through entirely. Who do you think has the better strategy in this admittedly nit-picky issue of program announcement? I say the Browns.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Is there a new season's thread for U.S. men?

From his IG, Max Naumov has been training in Europe with Benoit, Mishin, Adam Siao Him Fa, Stephen Gogolev, Nika Egadze, et al. Perhaps it was a summer workshop. Has anyone heard whether Max is now being coached in Boston by Olga Ganicheva and Alexey Letov (since his father Vadim's death)?

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Ilia Malinin is hinting at his new season programs on IG, without specific details (other than, "coming August 2025").

 

[Spiralgraph]

I'm just happy Max still wants to skate, whoever his coaches are. He should skate wherever he is comfortable.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I was asking earlier if anyone knows who Max might be training with in Boston, which is likely still his base. Lots of skaters attend workshops during the summer in different locations from their home rink. I think it's quite wonderful to see Max seeking out new experiences and being embraced by many friends, colleagues, and coaches within the skating community who are eager to help him in ways they can.

 

[happycamper2554]

I was asking earlier if anyone knows who Max might be training with in Boston, which is likely still his base. Lots of skaters attend workshops during the summer in different locations from their home rink. I think it's quite wonderful to see Max seeking out new experiences and being embraced by many friends, colleagues, and coaches within the skating community who are eager to help him in ways they can.

I assume he will train in Boston with Olga Ganicheva and Aleksey Letov as his coaches. No actual concrete evidence of this but I would think that would be the move if he still wants to work with his parents' younger students.

 

[el henry]

This blogger conducted interviews with Ilia and Jason at the Summer Sizzler (along with pair competitors Alisa and Misha). Well done, with food for thought, like this from Jason.
(ETA: It appears from more careful reading she did not do the interviews solo, but has put more of the actual interviews given to the media down than I have seem previously, at least for Jason. I wouldn't know as much about the others. )


...I remember leaving those [2018] U.S. Championships and telling myself that I will never allow a jump to define me ever again. I will never allow a person or a thing, it was just such a moment of realization that, like nothing and no one will define [me] whether it’s success, failure, what I could or couldn’t achieve, it put me in the driver’s seat again.

How Team USA Figure Skaters are Preparing for the Olympic Season

Interviews with Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, Ilia Malinin, and Jason Brown at U.S. Figure Skating's Summer Sizzler

fsskatingstan.substack.com

I will let anyone who knows more about Ilia to point out any interesting new facts from him.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Ilia Malinin on Instagram: "It’s only right I show you who I’m meant to be. – A warrior’s journey to greatness begins here. 25/26 Short Program: “The Lost Crown” Music: Dies Irae - náttúra @natturabeats, Vila @thisisvila / The Lost Crown (Prince o

8,490 likes, 223 comments - ilia_quadg0d_malinin on September 1, 2025: "It’s only right I show you who I’m meant to be. – A warrior’s journey to greatness begins here. 25/26 Short Program: “The Lost Crown” Music: Dies Irae - náttúra @natturabeats, Vila @thisisvila / The Lost Crown (Prince of...

www.instagram.com

Ilia’s program announcement for his SP.

 

[el henry]

I'm sure I won't like the techno music because I am an old fuddy duddy and I have never liked 2Wei, even for my fav skaters. That's a "me" issue.

I am very impressed by the step sequence.

I would be way more impressed without the fake desert sands interrupting it. Are you kidding me? I don't think this will attract non skating fans (but what do I know) and it is beyond annoying to me as a skating fan. Has anyone done an edit so we can enjoy the skating?

 

[Arigato]

I'm sure I won't like the techno music because I am an old fuddy duddy and I have never liked 2Wei, even for my fav skaters. That's a "me" issue.

I am very impressed by the step sequence.

I would be way more impressed without the fake desert sands interrupting it. Are you kidding me? I don't think this will attract non skating fans (but what do I know) and it is beyond annoying to me as a skating fan. Has anyone done an edit so we can enjoy the skating?

Well, I'm not an old fuddy duddy and I just hit play on the video for 2WEI - Lost Crown. I'll be using the mute button again this year.

 

[TontoK]

I'm sure I won't like the techno music because I am an old fuddy duddy and I have never liked 2Wei, even for my fav skaters. That's a "me" issue.

I am very impressed by the step sequence.

I would be way more impressed without the fake desert sands interrupting it. Are you kidding me? I don't think this will attract non skating fans (but what do I know) and it is beyond annoying to me as a skating fan. Has anyone done an edit so we can enjoy the skating?

Huh. I just wrote on that thread that I kinda liked these cinematic reveals. Very dramatic.

I liked Adam's, too. They're cool.

 

[el henry]

Huh. I just wrote on that thread that I kinda liked these cinematic reveals. Very dramatic.

I liked Adam's, too. They're cool.

Well my friend, as I said, what do I know?

I am simple, and I need the sequence together. Which will happen soon enough in comps I suppose.

 

[YuBluByMe]

Heh, I like Ilia’s trailer. And he avoided overly dramatic voice-overs. Seems like the SP is going to be very good from the look of things.

 

[Ilia4A]

I love Ilia’s program trailers. They are dramatic and give us a hint about the programs without “spoiling” the whole program. I also like how they promote Ilia’s storytelling through skating style - giving us a little insight into his storylines for his programs

 

[reader3]

A peek into Ilia's FS. I see Amber Glenn shot the footage. (choreo: SLB)

Ilia Malinin on Instagram: "Embrace the storm. – My story. 25/26 Free Skate: “A Voice” Music: The Ball - Asaf Avidan @asafavidanmusic / The Smell of the Sea - Alan Mayer / Code Duello - Power-Haus @powerhaus_creative, Sergi-Dan Muresan @soundasti

16K likes, 190 comments - ilia_quadg0d_malinin on September 3, 2025: "Embrace the storm. – My story. 25/26 Free Skate: “A Voice” Music: The Ball - Asaf Avidan @asafavidanmusic / The Smell of the Sea - Alan Mayer / Code Duello - Power-Haus @powerhaus_creative, Sergi-Dan Muresan @soundastic...

www.instagram.com