2026 Four Continents Championships Practice Reports

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I think their biggest threat comes from Nagaoka and Moriguchi from Japan. They were absolutely rock solid on every element today.

 

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Sui and Han have the most elaborately choreographed routine of the eleven teams competing. At times, it feels like they are dancers out there. The connection they share with the music and each other is such a treat to watch in person.

 

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Team KOR Run-Throughs

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[Skater Boy]

I am most curious about Sui and Han. As current olympic champions they have been given much grace and kindness even overlookng doing the wrong element. I feel for the Chinese team that earned the olympic spot. Sui and Han narrowly lost an OGM and narrowly won an OGM.It is very possible during the last couple of months they have regained their form which really was missing earlier on in the Grand Prix. In a era of great mediocrity - some very good teams but not iconic. Sometimes it is hard to remember all the players - Japan, Germany, Georgia, Italy, China, Maybe Canada, USA, Hungary ... Any of these teams could win a medal. Admittedly one would expect Japan and China to be the class of the field. But Japan never dominated this quadrennial despite being the em apped with the most complete package. And Sui and Han have not been impressive in their return hence why I think they are 4CCs to show they are to be taken seriously at the Olympics. I guess the adreniline and competitiveness keeps many competing as we see wth Deanna, Keegan, the Shibsibs, Gullaume, Sui and Han or the lure of Olympic glory. For some it ends with a nice ending and some maybe not so nice - depending on your perspective.

 

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[TallyT]

Yes, there was a typo. I fixed it.

 

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[aussie_SKATES]

We're back for Day 2 and the Women's Short Program Practice. Team CAN, Team NZL, Tem RSA, Team KAZ are on the ice.

Gabby Daleman's amazing speed and attack heading into the triple toe/triple toe and the triple lutz is really obvious when you compare her to a skater like Amira Irmatova.

While Irmatova landed a solo triple lutz, and a triple salchow/triple toe loop during her run-through, she literally crawls into the jumps.

Daleman truly has the on-ice command that comes with over a decade spent at the championship level. It is such a privilege to watch in person.

Lahti is focussing on the combination, and it is clear she wants to upgrade her triple salchow/double toe to a triple toe.

 

[aussie_SKATES]

Team China looked very strong in today's Short Program practice. Their representative at the ISU Skate To Milano, Ruiyang ZHANG, makes the triple jumps look like nothing.

Group 3 includes Starr Andrews, Ahsun Yun, Sara-Maude Dupuis, Tara Prasad Yuna Aoki and Sofia Samodelkina. Barely a minute into practice, and they are already warming up the triples.

Samodelkina's jumps are so big and powerful, and remind me of Anna Pezzetta, Kristina Czako, Julia Sebestyan, Agnes Zawadski, and Tonya Harding.

Sara-Maude is back to using the triple-toe / triple toe for her combo today.

Yuna Aoki worked mostly on her triple lutz/triple loop jump combo. Yun struggled on her combo, Andrews looked relaxed and ready, and Prasad blocked mostly.

 

[aussie_SKATES]

I am most curious about Sui and Han. As current olympic champions they have been given much grace and kindness even overlookng doing the wrong element. I feel for the Chinese team that earned the olympic spot. Sui and Han narrowly lost an OGM and narrowly won an OGM.It is very possible during the last couple of months they have regained their form which really was missing earlier on in the Grand Prix. In a era of great mediocrity - some very good teams but not iconic. Sometimes it is hard to remember all the players - Japan, Germany, Georgia, Italy, China, Maybe Canada, USA, Hungary ... Any of these teams could win a medal. Admittedly one would expect Japan and China to be the class of the field. But Japan never dominated this quadrennial despite being the em apped with the most complete package. And Sui and Han have not been impressive in their return hence why I think they are 4CCs to show they are to be taken seriously at the Olympics. I guess the adreniline and competitiveness keeps many competing as we see wth Deanna, Keegan, the Shibsibs, Gullaume, Sui and Han or the lure of Olympic glory. For some it ends with a nice ending and some maybe not so nice - depending on your perspective.

I am curious to see how this event will pan out for them, having been away for so long.

They looked very good yesterday. It's very obvious that their work with Lori Nichol will give them an artistic edge here. They look like dancers with pair tricks woven seamlessly into their routines.

 

[aussie_SKATES]

One thing which is really obvious from where I am sitting almost overhead high up in the press tribute (like last week in Sheffield as well), is which skaters are able to disguise the fact that they pre-rotate triples, or when a skater underrotates a jump but is still able to land it.

 

[aussie_SKATES]

Nakai is landing the triple axel today in practice like it is nothing. As Chris Howarth would say, it is an absolute corker.