Recap: 2024 Junior Grand Prix Series

Photo by Yoriko Suzuki

The ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series is an annual international figure skating competition organized by the International Skating Union (ISU) for junior-level skaters. It serves as a platform for young athletes to gain international competition experience and showcase their talents. 77 teams from across the globe competed on this year’s JGP series, aiming to secure points and potentially qualify for the JGP Final, taking place in Grenoble, France from December 5-8, 2024.

Junior Grand Prix Riga (August 28-31, 2024)
Italy’s Noemi Maria Tali & Noah Lafornara took advantage of the opportunity to remain in junior due to the ISU’s age rule change which extended the woman’s age from 19 to 21. They claimed the ice dance title with a total score of 161.26, winning both the rhythm dance and free dance segments.

In a closely contested battle for second and third, the American duo Caroline& Brendan Mullen scored 156.42 to take silver, moving up from third place after the rhythm dance. Germany’s Darya Grimm& Michail Savitskiy finished just behind with 156.33 points, taking bronze despite placing second in the rhythm dance but third in the free dance.

Junior Grand Prix Czech Skate (September 4-7, 2024)
French duo Celina Fradji & Jean-Hans Fourneaux dominated the event, winning both the rhythm dance and free dance segments, with a total score of 158.66 points. They were particularly strong in their technical execution and presentation, finishing nearly 14 points ahead of the silver medalists.

The American team of Katarina Wolfkostin & Dimitry Tsarevski, who returned to junior after competing at the senior level last season, secured second place with 144.94 points. Close behind them, Layla Veillon & Alexander Brandys from Canada took third place with 144.82 points, thanks to a strong free dance performance where they finished second.

Junior Grand Prix Bangkok (September 11-14)
Italy’s Noemi Maria Tali & Noah Lafornara dominated the ice dance event, winning gold with a total score of 169.47 points. They secured first place in both the rhythm dance and free dance segments. Their victory in Thailand was a continuation of their strong performances throughout the season, further solidifying their status as top contenders in junior ice dance.

The U.S. team of Hana Maria Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin, who are a new partnership this season, took silver with a score of 160.12 points, while their fellow Americans Elliana and Ethan Peal earned bronze with 152.55 points.

This event showcased a strong field, with Canadian team Chloe Nguyen and Brendan Giang finishing fourth, and France’s Dania Mouaden and Theo Bigot rounding out the top five.

Junior Grand Prix in Ankara (September 18-21)
Germany’s Darya Grimm & Michail Savitskiy were third in the rhythm dance, but won the free dance and the gold medal with a total score of 158.20.

The leaders in the rhythm dance, Ukraine’s Iryna Pidgaina & Artem Koval, finished third in the free dance but secured the silver medal. They finished just over one point behind the leaders, scoring 157.01.

The U.S. team of Hana Maria Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin finished second in both segments, winning the bronze medal and marking their second consecutive podium finish on the JGP circuit this season, with a score of 155.96.

France’s Ambre Perrier Gianesini & Samuel Blanc Klaperman finished fourth with a score of 151.44, rounding out a competitive top four in the event.

Junior Grand Prix Solidarity Cup (September 25-28)
Katarina Wolfkostin & Dimitry Tsarevski of the U.S. claimed the gold, earning a total score of 166.88 which was nearly 22 points higher than their marks at Czech Skate.

They were followed by Canadians Sandrine Gauthier & Quentin Thieren, who secured silver with a score of 160.75. France’s Dania Mouaden & Theo Bigot completed the podium with bronze, scoring 153.19. Italy’s Laura Finelli & Massimiliano Bucciarelli finished just .67 off the podium in fourth place. This was the first JGP medal for the young French team.

Junior Grand Prix Ljubljana (October 2-5)
Winning the gold medal, Ukraine’s Iryna Pidgaina & Artem Koval finished first in both segments for a total score of 168.30.

France’s Celina Fradji & Jean-Hans Fourneaux took home the silver medal with a total score of 162.86, after narrowly finishing in third in the rhythm dance.

The U.S. siblings Caroline & Brendan Mullen claimed the bronze medal, building on their earlier season success and finishing with a total of 161.16. This marked their second Junior Grand Prix medal of the season.

Junior Grand Prix Wuxi (October 9-12)
The final JGP ice dance competition concluded with U.S. siblings Elliana & Ethan Peal capturing the gold with a score of 160.50.

The silver medal was claimed by Ambre Perrier Gianesini & Samuel Blanc Klaperman of France, who won the free dance and their first medal on the Junior Grand Prix series. The 2024 Youth Olympic Champions finished nearly six points back with a score of 154.87.

Canada’s Chloe Nguyen & Brendan Gang took home the bronze medal, with a total score of 150.97. 

Qualifiers and Substitutes for the 2024 Junior Grand Prix Final