ISU World No. 64 February 2018

INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER

INSIDE •

ISU NEWS

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CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEWS

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OLYMPIC PREVIEWS

NO 64 FEBRUARY 2018

ISU COUNCIL

GOOD GOVERNANCE Dear Skating Friends, We have much to look forward to in 2018. One of the first milestones will be the Olympic Winter Games in the Republic of Korea. The best Skaters are going to live their dream in Pyeong­ Chang and inspire many children and adults around the world with their amazing performances and stories. As the slogan says: “Passion.Connected”. Together with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG), the ISU has worked hard to ensure a very successful edition of the Games. You can read all previews and the latest ice skating news leading up to and during PyeongChang 2018 on the ISU website.

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The ISU website is getting more interest as the content increases. It fits this era where digital is the mainstream, social media is everywhere, and relevant content is key. Times have changed since the first ISU World magazine was published in 1996. The ISU Council decided to discontinue the magazine. The information it contains is sometimes outdated, and the number of subscribers has decreased. Moreover, all the news is available on the ISU website and ceasing theprinting of the magazine is a step towards sustainability.

Elaborating on this, I would like to focus in this last issue of the ISU World on good governance which includes respecting sustainable development with regard for the environment. Besides development and marketing, promotion & digitalization, this is an important pillar. Following a governance assessment of the Summer Olympic International Federations, the seven Winter Olympic International Federations (united in the AIOWF) decided to have the same exercise.

In the summer of 2017, the current state of governance of each Federation was evaluated with the support of an independent sports governance consultancy. The assessment consists of fifty indicators divided among the following principles: transparency, integrity, democracy, development / solidarity and control mechanisms. Based on the total moderated scores, the ISU is the second best Winter Federation and at the top - end of the middle group in comparison with the Summer Federations. However, most importantly, we have gained insight into our strengths and areas for improvement through the assessment, and the Federations can share best practices.

The consultancy concluded that the ISU is fairly consistent all - round in view of the five principles and that a wide range of information is published. The detailed plan for the Development Program and the publication of the applications to host Championships are among the best practice examples. An indicated area for improvement concerns environmental responsibility policy and measures. As pointed out in Communication No. 2124, the Sustainability/Good Governance Working Group has worked on recommendations to improve sustainability at ISU Events, the ISU Secretariat and other ISU activities. Some examples are reducing paper and plastic use, recycling and using green transport alternatives where available. The Council agreed that such efforts of the ISU and its Members should be encouraged.

I hope you enjoy reading this last ISU World magazine. It includes previews regarding the Olympic Winter Games and Championships. I also would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a fantastic and memorable 2018 Olympic experience. Let us inspire the world with our beautiful and exciting sports !

Jan Dijkema ISU President GANGNEUNG OVAL

With a capacity of 8000 seats and its 400 m track, the Gangneung Oval is situated in the Gangneung coastal cluster. The venue will host the Ladies and Men Speed Skating races, including the newest Olympic event Mass Start, from February 10 to 24.

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Designed by : moserdesign.ch Front cover photograph : © Getty Images Photography : © ISU, © Getty Images

The ISU Council met on October 15 - 17, 2017 in Lausanne (SUI) and decided to move the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Champion­ ships 2019 and allotted the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2020, the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating and ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Calendars 2018/19 have been approved along with the ISU World Cup Short Track and ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series 2018/19. All the events are published in the calendar of events on the ISU website.

Considering that the Republic of Korea has not obtained a place for the Olympic Pair Skating competition through the normal qualifying procedure and considering the available “host country place” in accordance with ISU Regulations, Rule 400, paragraph A.6 and the IOC approved Qualification System, the Republic of Korea may enter a Pair into the individual event of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games Pair Skating competition. However, this “host country place” will only be implemented if there are remaining places from the ten (10) Team event “Additional Athletes Quotas”.

Please refer to the Qualification System Figure Skating for PyeongChang 2018 as approved by the IOC that can be found on the ISU website.

The Sustainability/Good Governance Working Group made a report to the Council suggesting some basic recommendations to improve sustainability at ISU Events, the ISU Secretariat and other ISU activities, such as reducing paper and plastic use, recycling and using green transport alternatives where available. The Council agreed that such efforts to improve sustainability should be encouraged.

Finally, the ISU Council appointed an advisory Working Group in June 2017 to study conditions for including Synchronized Skating in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games program. The Working Group collected the required information and prepared the IOC Questionnaire which has been sent to the IOC. A decision from the IOC is expected during summer 2018.

The ISU Council will meet again during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Gangneung (KOR) on June 3, 9 and 10, 2018 in Sevilla (ESP), in conjunction with the ISU Congress and on October 12 - 14, 2018 in Geneva (SUI).

ISU NEWS ISU TECHNICAL COMMITTEES Speed Skating

Representatives of the ISU Speed Skating Technical Committee (SSTC) covered various official functions at the ISU Speed Skating events that have taken place so far. The SSTC held several meetings to review the ISU Rules and Regulations in order to prepare proposals for Rule changes for the upcoming ISU Congress. The SSTC initially met in conjunction with the biannual ISU Starters Courses in Hamar (NOR) on October 23 - 24, 2017, a second meeting took place in Kolomna (RUS).

A meeting with the Coaches of the national teams was successfully held on November 8, 2017 in Heerenveen (NED). Regional referee courses were organized in Changchun (CHN) and in Innsbruck (AUS). Finally, the SSTC is pleased to welcome Øysten Haugen (NOR) appointed coach and Beixing Wang (CHN) as the skater representative to the Committee.

Wang participated in development activities in Inzell as a role - model and shared her experience with the next generation of skaters.

Short Track

The Short Track Speed Skating Technical Committee (STSSTC) is actively working on new

Ice Dance Development Seminar

events for the sport and with the collaboration of the Organising Committee of the Shanghai Trophy, a new mix gender 2000 m Relay race format was successfully conducted and showed great potential. Further testing will take place during the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships next March in Montreal (CAN). At the conclusion of the four Audi ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating events, the Olympic quotas were determined. Subsequently, a record number of 22 countries have qualified for PyeongChang 2018, including Singapore. The STSSTC is also working on proposals that will be submitted to the ISU Congress which will take place next June.

Synchronized Skating

An advisory Working Group appointed by the ISU Council prepared the application for the inclusion of Synchronized Skating into the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games program.

The inclusion of Synchronized Skating in the Olympic Winter Games would be the culmination of the long journey the discipline has had since its acceptance as a full ISU discipline at the 1994 Congress in Boston. In 2019 Synchronized Skating will celebrate its 25th Anniversary as a full member of the ISU family

and the 65th Anniversary of existence since its creation. Synchronized Skating has evolved over the years through the dedication of all the Officials and athletes. The Synchronized Skating Technical Committee will continue to make the sport evolve by proposing some Rule changes at the next Congress.

Single and Pair Skating

The Single & Pair Skating Technical Committee (SPTC) members served as Referees and Technical Controllers at various ISU Events and ISU Challenger series. The Committee members studied all the Referees and Technical Controllers Reports and together with the Official Assessment Commission (OAC), an evaluation of all the judging from the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating and Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating events have taken place. A Test Event on Grade of Execution (GoE) -5 / +5 was held in Tallinn during the ISU Challenger Series event on November 22 - 25, 2017. The results of this test were very encouraging and following the remarks of the test Judges, the Vice President and the Sport Directors, the SPTC will finalize the new Scale of Value and GoE charts that will be ready before the ISU Congress. The Committee is also preparing a number of proposals for the 2018 Congress.

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Ice Dance

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The Ice Dance Technical Committee (IDTC) participated as Referees and Technical Panel Officials at a number of ISU Events and International competitions. Referee, Technical Controller and OAC Reports have been received and reviewed to establish if any improvements can be introduced. Much work has been done to prepare proposals for the ISU Congress 2018, the continued goal of the IDTC is to improve the harmonization of Regulations with other Technical Committees. In partnership with the SPTC, the IDTC also participated in the test to increase the GoE scale of -5 to +5 (instead of the existing +3 / -3). A specially appointed additional panel of judges used this proposed system allowing increased differentiation.

After using the increased GoE scale, several judges stated that they much preferred this new scale and would welcome its introduction.

ISU MEDICAL COMMISSION

After 17 years of service, Dr. Harm Kuipers (NED) retired from the ISU Medical Commission.

His knowledge in the domain of medicine, physiology and Speed Skating was invaluable.

The ISU thanks Dr. Kuipers for his contribution and dedication to the Medical Commission and the ISU over the years.

Dr. Marieke Becker, a sport medicine physician from the Netherlands has joined the Medical Commission. She has experience with the KNSB as the Sport Physician for Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating and has served on the Therapeutic Exemption Appeals Commission since 2015. The ISU welcomes Dr. Becker to the Commission.

ISU DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION The ISU Development Commission is actively following up on the outcome of the ISU Conferences held in Rotterdam and Helsinki last season. Education of coaches has become the priority followed by injury prevention, transition to ice and access to ice. Therefore, the Development Commission is focusing on the education aspect and is aiming to introduce an e-Learning Management System in the near future. Some e-learning pilot projects will be presented in the upcoming months.

Additionally, the Development Commission is

involved in the creation of virtual education by organizing learning to skate programs for Members, as well as camps for skaters and their coaches, these have been particularly appreciated by those who have limited access to ice. In both the Speed Skating and Figure Skating Branches, the concept of traveling coaches’ programs is being examined, while the Figure Skating Branch is focussing on widening the participation to ISU events and the Speed Skating Branch continues with programs that focus on transition towards Speed Skating or Short Track Speed Skating.

The transition program which was held in Salt Lake City (USA) has already produced three skaters from Colombia, Chinese Taipei and the USA who qualified for PyeongChang 2018, introducing two new nations to the Games.

The Development Commission received a number of applications from Members at the end of 2017 for their spring events. Some of the ideas and proposed concepts are very interesting and the Development Commission is particularly pleased to have received applications from a wide range of Members. During the ISU World Cup Speed Skating event in Heerenveen (NED), a Coaches’ Seminar with the participation of top speakers was available as a live stream on the ISU website. The next webinar for Figure Skating will be announced shortly.

In 2018 projects and programs from all disciplines will take place across four continents.

The ISU Development Commission invites all ISU Members to apply for projects using ISU Communication 2052 as their guideline.

ISU ATHLETES COMMISSION

The ISU Athletes Commission was created at the end of the 2016/17 season. The Commission members have been active in discussions with other International Sport Federations’ athletes on topics such as Anti-Doping, Olympic logistics, and planning for the next Olympic cycle. During the Olympic Winter Games, the Athletes Commission will begin to discuss the possibilities to connect athletes from all over the world. Additionally, the Commission members will attend the ISU Congress next June for the first time and be the voice of the athletes.

TECHNICAL DELEGATES OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES ISU Honorary Member Mr. Myong Hi Chang participated in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games Torch Relay.

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The ISU Technical Delegates (TD) made their last visit to PyeongChang in September 2017.

The purpose of the visit was to control and

ISU NEWS test the requested updated cooling and sound system in the Gangneung Ice Arena. Many discussions with the PyeongChang Organizing Committee (POCOG) took place to finalize details. Hotel capacity was however still a pending matter, therefore an additional visit in December became necessary and resulted in the confirmation that the required hotel would be ready in time for the arrival of the ISU Officials.

Ongoing and detailed correspondence have taken place with POCOG to prepare the first Figure Skating practice sessions, the TV construction and time schedule, accreditation and transportation issues. Various questions and clarifications around the entries in all ISU disciplines and the Figure Skating Team event were discussed.

Speed Skating had an exciting pre-season, with a fascinating outcome of the Olympic quota qualification process – with a record number of countries qualifying quota places, and with numerous World Records set at the pre-Christmas World Cups.

As PyeongChang 2018 approaches, the preparations are continuous and progress is being made on a daily basis. The ISU is confident that POCOG will deliver and create a successful Olympic Winter Games.

ISU SECRETARIAT

After 10 years at the ISU, Ms. Samia Belila has left the ISU. We were sad to see her go and wish her the best for the future.

However, we were also pleased to welcome Ms. Rosa Manuela Beboux as her replacement.

The ISU also welcomed back Ms. Becky Cairns as the Assistant to the Director General.

We congratulate Ms. Beboux and Ms. Cairns on their appointments.

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Ice sculpture of the ISU 125th anniversary logo

The ISU Council decided to award the ISU Gold Award of Merit to Michel Verrault (CAN), Ken Pendrey (GBR), Erik Øsmundset (NOR) and Sissy Krick (GER) for their valuable contributions to the ISU sports.

and Olympic Champions, dignitaries from the IOC and the city of Lausanne, ISU partners and members of the skating family worldwide.

The evening started with the unveiling of an ice sculpture of the ISU 125th anniversary logo.

A performance starring Swiss contortionist Nina Burri followed by several shows featuring various forms of light and videos showcasing the history of Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Short Track Speed Skating and Synchronized Skating highlighted the evening.

Mr. Jan Dijkema welcomed all the guests and shared his passion and optimism of the ISU for the foreseeable future. Although the 125th anniversary is over, the ISU continues to celebrate its sports.

ISU 125th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

MARKETING, PROMOTION AND DIGITIZATION

ISU GOLD AWARD

The ISU celebrated 125 years of existence throughout 2017. A new ISU logo was created for the occasion which was visible throughout the ISU Events. On October 13, 2017 the ISU organized a special gala dinner at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne (SUI).

The 370 guests, included a number of World

Following the ISU Member Conferences on the topics of Marketing, Promotion and Digitization, a number of projects have been launched.

In 2018 the Figure Skating televisions graphics were updated to include the presentation of Skaters’ Planned Program Content. The live score box which currently shows the Technical

Element Score has been improved and now includes the Base Value and GoE of each element as they are being performed. These new graphics provide more detailed information to the TV commentators and viewers.

The ISU has hundreds of hours of footage from ISU events on tapes, in order to make the footage accessible and exploitable, the ISU video archive is being digitized and will be available online.

The ISU is also working with POCOG in order to integrate live results from PyeongChang 2018 events into the ISU website. This is the first step of a huge project of standardization and consolidation of all ISU data. A central database containing historical data, biographies, statistics and results is planned. Once the central database is finalized, it will open a number of digital possibilities.

Finally, the ISU produced video content in order to enhance the event presentation experience for spectators attending ISU Events. The content is being used across all ISU platforms in order to create a full cross media experience.

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Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS)

PYEONGCHANG 2018 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES

For the first time, Korea will host the Olympic Winter Games and all eyes will be on PyeongChang starting February 9. Thirty spots for Men and Ladies, 20 spots for Pairs and 24 spots for Ice Dance couples are available at the Olympic Winter Games. As the International Olympic Committee has suspended the Russian National Olympic Committee, individual Russian athletes will be competing as “Olympic Athlete from Russia” (OAR) in PyeongChang.

The Figure Skating competition will kick off with the team event. Russia won the gold medal in 2014 followed by Canada and the www.isu.org

USA and these three ISU Members as the top medal contenders again. Japan has won the ISU World Team Trophy in 2016, however, the Olympic format is slightly different with only one entry per discipline. A total of ten teams qualified and the top five teams after the Short Programs will advance to the Free Skating.

The individual competition starts with the Pairs Short Program on February 14. ISU Grand Prix Final Champions Savchenko/ Massot (GER) and reigning World Champions Sui/Han (CHN) are the two leading couples expected to battle it out for the gold, but anything can happen.

A strong group of challengers is at their heels: two-time World Champions Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford (CAN), Tarasova/ Morozov (RUS), Xiaoyu Yu/Hao Zhang (CHN) as well as James/Cipres (FRA).

The Men’s event looks wide open. Reigning Olympic Champion Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) has not competed since the Rostelecom Cup in October as he suffered an injury at NHK Trophy. Two-time World Champion Javier Fernandez (ESP) is aiming for his first Olympic medal after missing out narrowly in Sochi. 2014 Olympic silver medalist Patrick Chan (CAN) is back and so is bronze medalist Denis Ten (KAZ), who battled injury this season. Add the newcomers of

FIGURE SKATING this Olympic cycle to the mix – ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Nathan Chen (USA), World silver medalist Shoma Uno (JPN), World bronze medalist Boyang Jin (CHN) as well as Grand Prix Final bronze medalist Mikhail Kolyada (RUS) and you get the picture.

The Ice Dance competition shapes up as a dual between the experienced 2010 Olympic Champions and 2014 Olympic silver medalists Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN) and two-time World Champions Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron.

The French beat their Canadian rivals at the Grand Prix Final, but the deck is going to be reshuffled in PyeongChang.

The battle for the podium will be fierce in any case with several other strong contenders in the mix: Maia Shibutani/ Alex Shibutani (USA), Kaitlyn Weaver/ Andrew Poje (CAN), Madison Hubbell/ Zachary Donohue (USA), Madison Chock/ Evan Bates (USA) and Cappellini/Lanotte (ITA).

The Figure Skating competition at the Olympic Games will conclude with the Ladies event. Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS) is looking to crown her remarkable young career with Olympic gold, but she needs to watch out for teammates Alina Zagitova and Maria Sotskova, World silver medalist Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN), 2014 Olympic bronze medalist Carolina Kostner (ITA) and Satoko Miyahara (JPN).

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 111th edition of the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2018 takes place in Moscow (RUS) on January 15 - 21.

Moscow has hosted the ISU European Figure Skating Championships only once before in 1965, but has hosted ISU World Figure Skating Championships in 2005 and 2011.

Russia tops the European Championships medal table with a total of 319 medals, including 112 gold medals, it is expecting a successful medal haul on home ice.

However, five-time and reigning European Champion Javier Fernandez (ESP) will not give up his leading position in the Men’s event easily. Russia’s up and coming Mikhail Kolyada, who took the bronze medal at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure

Skating Final 2017, looks like the biggest threat to Fernandez. Other contenders include Jorik Hendrickx (BEL), who was ranked fourth a year ago at the European Championships, 2016 European silver medalist Alexei Bychenko (ISR), Alexander Samarin (RUS), Dmitri Aliev (RUS) and Moris Kvitelashvili (GEO).

Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS) is looking for a third consecutive European title in her hometown. However, the two-time World Champion had to sit out the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final as she recovered from injury. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Champion Alina Zagitova (RUS) will debut at the European Championships and has her eyes set firmly on to the podium. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final silver medalist Maria Sotskova (RUS) could help the Russian ladies to sweep

the podium. Russia swept the Ladies podium at Europeans five times in the past since 1999. However, five-time European Champion Carolina Kostner (ITA) can prevent that sweep in Moscow.

Defending European Champions Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (RUS) as well as Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov (RUS) and 2017 European bronze medalists Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres (FRA) will battle it out for the podium. World silver medalists Aljona Savchenko/Bruno Massot (GER) will sit out the European Championships in order to continue their preparation for the upcoming Olympics.

Two-time World Champions Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) seem poised for a fourth consecutive European title, especially since winning the Grand Prix Final and setting a new record score en route.

FIGURE SKATING European Championships Venue: Moscow (RUS) Dates: January 15 - 21 2017 European Champions Ladies: Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS) Men: Javier Fernandez (ESP) Pairs: Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (RUS) Ice Dance: Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) Four Continents Championships Venue: Taipei City (TPE) Dates: January 22 - 27 2017 Four Continents Champions Ladies: Mai Mihara (JPN) Men: Nathan Chen (USA) Pairs: Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) Ice Dance: Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN) Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 Venue: PyeongChang (KOR) Dates: February 9 - 25

2014 Olympic Champions Ladies: Adelina Sotnikova (RUS) Men: Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) Pairs: Tatiana Volosozhar/Maxim Trankov (RUS) Ice Dance: Meryl Davis/Charlie White (USA) Team: Russia World Junior Championships Venue: Sofia (BUL) Dates: March 5 - 11 2017 World Junior Champions Ladies: Alina Zagitova (RUS) Men: Vincent Zhou (USA) Pairs: Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya/Harley Windsor (AUS) Ice Dance: Rachel Parsons/Michael Parsons (USA) World Championships Venue: Milan (ITA) Dates: March 19 - 25 2017 World Champions Ladies: Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS) Men: Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) Pairs: Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) Ice Dance: Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN)

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2015 World silver medalist Satoko Miyahara (JPN) headlines the Ladies field and is looking for a second Four Continents title.

The 2016 Four Continents Champion will face teammates Kaori Sakamoto and Mai Mihara, who is the defending Four Continents Champion as well as Dabin Choi (KOR), and Mariah Bell (USA).

In pairs the competition comes from Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN), Tarah Kayne/Daniel O’Shea (USA), Tae Ok Ryom/Ju Sik Kim (PRK) and the Canadian pairs.

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In the Ice Dance, North Americans have dominated since the event was introduced in 1999, with the United States and Canada taking all medals so far. Maybe this time Japan’s top team Kana Muramoto/Chris Reed or Chinese Champions Shiyue Wang/ Xinyu Liu can make history and step on to the podium. Americans Kaitlin Hawayek/ Jean - Luc Baker, Lorraine McNamara/Quinn Carpenter and Rachel Parsons/Michael Parsons, all of them World Junior Champions in the past years, as well as the Canadian competitors, who have not been announced at press time, remain the favorites, though.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Following the conclusion of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, the next generation will take center stage at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2018 March 5 to 11 in Sofia (BUL). Since the inaugural event in 1976 (at the time called ISU Junior Figure Skating Championships), Sofia has hosted the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in 2001, 2008 and 2009.

Aljona Savchenko / Bruno Massot (GER)

The battle for the podium will be tough, with multiple European medalists Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA) and Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev (RUS) as well as European bronze medalists Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin and Penny Coomes/ Nicholas Buckland (GBR) leading the charge.

FOUR CONTINENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Taipei City will host the 20th edition of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships January 22 to 27. Taipei City has www.isu.org

hosted the Four Continents Championships already in 2011, 2014 and 2016. Several top skaters will use this last chance to check on their programs before the Olympic Winter Games.

World silver medalist Shoma Uno (JPN) heads to Taipei as the top contender in the Men’s event. He can expect competition from World bronze medalist Boyang Jin (CHN), Keiji Tanaka (JPN), Olympic bronze medalist Denis Ten (KAZ), Jason Brown (USA) and Misha Ge (UZB).

The Championships will feature the top junior skaters including many ISU Junior Prix Finalists. While not all participants have been selected at press time, it is expected that many ISU Junior Grand Prix Finalists such as ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Champions Alexei Krasnozhon (USA), Alexandra Trusova (RUS), Anastasia Skoptcova/Kirill Aleshin (RUS) and medalists such as Camden Pulkinen (USA), Mitsuki Sumoto (JPN), Alena Kostornaia (RUS), Daria Pavliuchenko/Denis Khodykin (RUS) plus Junior Grand Prix Finalist Rika Kihira

FIGURE SKATING (JPN), who became the first Lady to perform a triple Axel - triple toeloop combination in competition, will compete for the medals in Sofia. 2017 World Junior Pairs silver medalists Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitri Kozlovskii and bronze medalists Yumeng Gao/Zhong Xie (CHN) and Ice Dance bronze medalists Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (USA) should be back and are considered top contenders as well.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The Figure Skating season comes to a close at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2018 in Milan (ITA). Milan will host the World Figure Skating Championships for the first time since 1951, but has hosted European Figure Skating Championships and World Junior Figure Skating Championships in between. Several Olympic Champions and medalists are expected to compete in Milan and others, who did not reach the podium in PyeongChang, will try to make up for that at the World Championships, so that exciting competitions are guaranteed.

Team Marigold Iceunity (FIN)

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING WORLD JUNIOR AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The season for the Synchronized Skating teams will culminate in the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships in Zagreb (CRO) March 16 and 17 and in the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Stockholm (SWE) April 6 and 7.

The two - time and reigning World Champions Team Paradise (RUS) are aiming for a third consecutive title and won the Shanghai Trophy in November. However, the Finnish teams Marigold Ice Unity and Team Unique as well as reigning World bronze medalists Nexxice (CAN) and multiple World bronze medalists Haydenettes (USA) are eager to challenge the Russians. Multiple World Champions Team Surprise (SWE) are hoping on the home advantage. The last

time they won the title was on home ice as well, in 2012 in Gothenburg.

The ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships are held annually from now on. Team Junost (RUS) won the title in 2017, but the strong teams from Finland are aiming to recapture the title.

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING World Junior Championships Venue: Zagreb (CRO) Dates: March 16 - 17 2017 World Junior Championships Team: Russia - Junost World Championships Venue: Stockholm (SWE) Dates: April 6 - 7 2017 World Champions Team: Russia - Paradise

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PYEONGCHANG 2018 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES

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Thirty years after the 1988 Olympic Summer Games in Seoul, the Olympic Games are back on Korean soil with the XXIII Winter Olympiad in PyeongChang. Speed Skating competition will take place at the Gangneung Olympic Oval. Apart from the traditional time - trial format, long track Speed Skating features a spectacular new event in 2018: the Mass Start.

In fact, PyeongChang 2018 will not be the first time the Mass Start has featured in Speed Skating, as it made a solitary appearance at the third edition of the

Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid back in 1932. Instead of time - trialing in pairs, all competitors start at the same time for a 16 - lap race. There are four intermediate sprints throughout the race. The top three skaters in those sprints earn points. The first three skaters to the final finish line will take gold, silver and bronze, while the rest of the standings are decided based on the intermediate sprint points.

Seung-Hoon Lee (KOR) is red - hot favorite to take the inaugural men’s Mass Start gold on home soil. The 2016 World Champion leads the World Cup ranking with two gold medals this season. The 2017 World

SPEED SKATING European Championships Venue: Kolomna (RUS) Dates: January 5 - 7

2017 World Sprint Champions Ladies: Nao Kodaira (JPN) Men: Kai Verbij (NED)

2017 European Champions Ladies Allround: Ireen Wüst (NED) Ladies Sprint: Karolina Erbanova (CZE) Men Allround: Sven Kramer (NED) Men Sprint: Kai Verbij (NED)

World Allround Championships Venue: Amsterdam (NED) Dates: March 9 - 11

Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 Venue: PyeongChang (KOR) Dates: February 9 - 25 2014 Olympic Champions Ladies 500 m: Sang-Hwa Lee (KOR) 1000 m: Hong Zhang (CHN) 1500 m: Jorien ter Mors (NED) 3000 m: Ireen Wüst (NED) 5000 m: Martina Sábliková (CZE) Team Pursuit: Netherlands Men 500 m: Michel Mulder (NED) 1000 m: Stefan Groothuis (NED) 1500 m: Zbigniew Brodka (POL) 5000 m: Sven Kramer (NED) 10000 m: Jorrit Bergsma (NED) Team Pursuit: Netherlands World Sprint Championships Venue: Changchun (CHN) Dates: March 3 - 4 www.isu.org

2017 World Allround Champions Ladies: Ireen Wüst (NED) Men: Sven Kramer (NED) World Junior Championships Venue: Salt Lake City (USA) Dates: March 9 - 11 2017 World Junior Champions Ladies: Jutta Leerdam (NED) 500 m: Daria Kachanova (RUS) 1000 m: Daria Kachanova (RUS) 1500 m: Jutta Leerdam (NED) 3000 m: Joy Beune (NED) Mass Start: Elisa Dul (NED) Team Pursuit: Netherlands Team Sprint: China Men: Chris Huizinga (NED) 500 m: Koki Kubo (JPN) 1000 m: Allan Dahl Johansson (NOR) 1500 m: Allan Dahl Johansson (NOR) 5000 m: Chris Huizinga (NED) Mass Start: Chris Huizinga (NED) Team Pursuit: Japan Team Sprint: Netherlands

Champion Joey Mantia (USA), Andrea Giovannini (ITA), Bart Swings (BEL) and Livio Wenger (SUI) are amongst the other contenders. In the Ladies’ Mass Start World Cup leader Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) is the woman to beat, but the home nation has set hopes on Bo-Reum Kim (KOR), who took last year’s world title.

There will be plenty of excitement in the traditional time trial events too. The newly built Speed Skating stadium with an 8000 seat capacity, proved to be fast at first use during the 2017 ISU World Singe Distance Championships. Calgary - based expert ice maker Mark Messer contributed to the high quality ice and Sven Kramer already set the second-fastest 10,000 m ever in 12:38.89.

Only Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN) was faster with 12:36.30 at high altitude Salt Lake City in 2015.

Kramer and Bloemen will be the main protagonists in the Olympic 10,000 and 5000 m, with reigning Olympic Champion Jorrit Bergsma (NED) as an outsider.

Bergsma did not manage to qualify for the 5000 m as he has not been at the top of his game this season yet. Kramer, who was disqualified because he took the wrong lane at the Vancouver 2010 10,000 m and had to settle for silver in Sochi, beat Bloemen in this season’s only international 10,000 m in Stavanger (NOR). The Dutchman also beat his Canadian challenger twice in the 5000 m, but Bloemen set a 5000 m world record when Kramer was absent in at the World Cup in Salt Lake City (USA).

There will be a lot of competition in all distances, men’s and ladies. The Netherlands took a staggering total of 23 medals (8 gold, 8 silver, 7 bronze) at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, but they have faced tough competition since. Still, the Netherlands is the only nation to have won the maximum number of Olympic spots in Speed Skating (17) in both the men’s and the ladies’ events.

Japan and Canada also took 17 spots in the ladies’ events. In the men’s tournament four nations join the Dutch with the maximum number of quota places; Canada, Italy, Korea and Norway.

SPEED SKATING

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TP Nana Takagi (L - R), Ayaka Kikuchi and Miho Takagi (JPN)

Nations that have been allocated quota places for all events/distances, are allowed a maximum number of ten participants in both the men’s and ladies’ competitions.

Other nations are allowed a maximum number of eight men and ladies. Apart from the Netherlands, Canada is the only other nation allowed to send the maximum of 10 men and ladies to Speed Skating in Pyeong­Chang. Although the Canadian men came two quota places short of the maximum, both the men and ladies’ did clinch tickets for all events.

Apart from the teams mentioned above team USA will also aim at silverware in PyeongChang.

With Joey Mantia and twofold Olympic 1000 m champion Shani Davis in the men’s events, and Heather Bergsma and Brittany Bowe in the Ladies’ team USA is ready for redemption after not having won any Speed Skating medal in Sochi.

Some Russian skaters still hope to be able to compete. Following the decision of the IOC to suspend the Russian National Olympic Committee, the individual Russian athletes will compete under the name “Olympic Athletes from Russia”(OAR). Who will be included in the OAR team depends on a pending decision from the CAS and the IOC.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS On January 5 - 7 the Moscow Region Speed Skating Centre in Kolomna (RUS) hosted the inaugural ISU European Speed Skating Single Distances Championships 2018. Previously there were only European Allround and European Sprint Championships. From 2017 onwards, the Allround and Sprint Championships are held only in odd years, and starting in 2018 the European Single Distances Championships will be held in even years.

The Netherlands topped the table in Kolomna, with six gold, three silver and four bronze

medals for a total of fourteen. Russia took five gold, six silver and three bronze medals to take one more medal in total. Italy was a distant third with two gold and two silver medals for a total of four.

Denis Yuskov (RUS) was the most successful male skater with gold in both the 1500 m and the Team Sprint, and silver in the 1000 m. Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) also took three medals: gold in the 1000 m and the Team Sprint and bronze in the 500 m. Jan Blokhuijsen (NED) was third in the medal table with gold in the Mass Start and in the Team Pursuit.

Lotte van Beek (NED) was the most successful lady with two gold medals, in the 1500 m and the Team Pursuit. Yekaterina Shikhova (RUS) came second on the medal table with 1000 m gold, and silver in the 1500 m and the Team Pursuit. Vanessa Herzog (AUT) was third collecting all colors with 500 m gold, 1000 m silver and Mass Start bronze.

SPEED SKATING to 2009 when Shani Davis took the honors.

Japan’s Nao Kodaira took last year’s ladies’ World Sprint title when she easily held off Heather Bergsma (USA) and Jorien ter Mors (NED). Like in the men’s competition USA are the all-time leaders in the women’s World Sprint Championships, with 13 gold, 15 silver and 8 bronze medal. Brittany Bowe (USA) grabbed the title in 2015 and 2016.

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WORLD ALLROUND CHAMPIONSHIPS The World Allround Championships in the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium will be held outdoors. It’s the first time since Rintje Ritsma (NED) and Anni Friesinger (GER) won the World Allround titles at the Városligeti Müjégpályatrack track in Budapest that this event will be held outdoors.

Vanessa Herzog (AUT)

WORLD CUP There is only one more World Cup to go in Erfurt (GER) on 19 - 21 January. The first four legs of this season were qualifying events for the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang. The fifth leg of the 2017/18 World Cup provides the skaters who qualified for PyeongChang with a last chance to see where they stand in preparation of the games. For those who did not qualify, it is an opportunity to show what they are capable of at international level.

The 2017/18 season comes to a close in Minsk with the ISU World Cup Final on March 17 - 18. The Minsk Arena featured the European Allround Championships in 2016, when Sven Kramer won the men’s title and Martina Sáblíková the ladies’.

This time around the Grand World Cup will be at stake. After four of six World Cup events, Denis Yuskov (RUS) leads the men’s www.isu.org

ranking with Kai Verbij (NED) and Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) in second and third place.

Miho Takagi (JPN) is on top in the ladies’ ranking, with Nao Kodaira (JPN) and Marrit Leenstra (NED) in second and third position.

WORLD SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIPS For those skaters who prefer combined rankings over single distance medals, the Speed Skating season will continue with the 49th ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Changchun (CHN) on March 3 - 4.

Kai Verbij (NED) won the men’s World Sprint title in Calgary last year, with Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) and Kjeld Nuis (NED) coming second and third. The United States top the men’s all-time medal table with 8 gold, 7 silver and 8 bronze medals, but the last American World Sprint title dates back

Sven Kramer (NED) will try to add a tenth title to his record list of honors in this event. The last one to beat Kramer in the World Allround Championships was Koen Verweij (NED) in 2014 and the last non - Dutch winner of the event was Ivan Skobrev (RUS) in 2011.

The ladies’s competition could be another battle between Ireen Wüst (NED) and Martina Sáblíková (CZE). Together they took ten of the last eleven World Allround titles, six for Wüst and four for Sáblíková. The next generation is getting ready though, Japan’s Miho Takagi and Dutch Antoinette de Jong as front runners.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS The Junior Speed Skating season will conclude with the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Salt Lake City (USA) which provides the champions of the future with another great chance to chase records on one of the fastest high altitude tracks in the World. Just one week before the World Championships the Junior Word Cup final will be held at the same location.

Last season Dutch skaters Chris Huizinga and Jutta Leerdam grabbed the Men’s and Ladies’ Allround gold at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships at the artificial outdoor rink of Oulunkylä Sport Park in Helsinki (FIN) on 17 - 19 February.

SHORT TRACK EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS The ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships took place in Dresden (GER) on January 12 - 14. Sjinkie Knegt (NED) and Arianna Fontana (ITA) won their third and seventh overall European titles respectively.

While Knegt triumphed in the 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and 5000 m relay to finish 55 points clear of Israel’s Vladislav Bykanov, Fontana was made to sweat. The 27 - year - old, five-time Olympic medallist was pushed all the way by teammate Martina Valcepina, with only a last - day gold in the 1000 m and a second-place finish in the 3000 m Super-Final giving Fontana her seventh title.

There is no doubt however, that it was

Shaolin Sandor Liu (HUN)

Knegt who sent the clearest warning to his PyeongChang 2018 rivals. Continuing his fine form this season - Knegt claimed one gold, five silvers and a bronze in the four ISU Audi World Cup events this season. Three-time Sochi 2014 Olympic champion Victor An (RUS) finished second in the 500 m and in the men’s 5000 m Relay.

Russian Semion Elistratov finished second in the 1500 m and third in the overall classification. The only race Knegt didn’t prevail in was the men’s 3000 m Super Final, won by Bykanov. It capped a fine performance from the Israeli, who also heads to PyeongChang in the form of his life. The Dutch Team Relay sprinted across the finish line capturing gold, followed

by Russia and Hungary.

A major upset had looked likely in the ladies’ competition after day one of the Championships. Italian Valcepina had not only taken advantage of Fontana’s fall in the opening 1500 m to triumph but had also powered her way to a 500 m gold. In front from the gun, Valcepina, twice a World Cup 500 m bronze medallist this season, powered away from Fontana in the closing stages of the 500 m. But Fontana is not a multiple champion for nothing and responded with determination on day two. First up, the Italian won the ladies 1000 m in a fevered atmosphere, thanks to the presence of home-town favorite Anna Seidel (GER), Fontana beat Suzanne Schulting (NED) in another photo-finish. Much to everyone’s delight, Seidel took 1000 m bronze.

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A second-place finish, behind Sofia Prosvirnova (RUS) in the 3000 m Super Final, was enough to see Fontana seal her seventh overall European gold medal, six points ahead of Valcepina. Prosvirnova finished with the overall bronze ahead of Schulting.

Russia took the Ladies Team Relay gold, followed by Hungary and France.

PYEONGCHANG 2018 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES Short Track is set to be one of the mustwatch sports of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. The combination of the events’ head-to-head nature and the host nation’s multiple medal chances mean tickets to the 12,000 - capacity Gangneung Ice Arena are already golden.

The Republic of Korea topped the medals table at the 2017 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Rotterdam

Hee Suk Shim of Korea and Jeong Min Choi

(NED) claiming an impressive four golds, two silvers and five bronze medals. The squad then dominated the opening Audi ISU World Cup event of the 2017/18 season, winning six of the eight gold medals on offer in Budapest (HUN). While unable to replicate such a form in the remaining three Audi ISU World Cup events leading in to PyeongChang 2018, Korean athletes still have strong medal claims in all eight Olympic events.

Hwang Dae Heon (KOR) is expected to lead the charge in the opening final, the Men’s 1500 m, on 10 February. The 18 - year - old has looked virtually unbeatable over the distance this season, winning World Cup titles in Dordrecht and Shanghai and finishing second in both Budapest and Seoul. Fifteen years his senior, Canada’s Charles Hamelin is the reigning 1500 m Olympic champion and still represents a major threat, as does former overall world

champion Sjinkie Knegt (NED).

Sandor Shaolin Liu (HUN), will pose a significant threat to the Republic of Korea’s hopes in both the Men’s 500 m (final on 22 February) and 1000 m (final on 17 February).

The 2016 500 m world champion has his younger brother, Shaoang Liu, for company in Hungary’s squad.

Wu Dajing, a four-time world champion, leads the Chinese charge having flown into form in the final two World Cup races of this season, winning the 500 m at both.

His battle with in - form Canadian Samuel Girard in the 500 m, the final individual event of the Olympic program, is one not to miss.

If Hwang manages to start a potential gold rush in the Men’s races, his fellow teenage sensation, Choi Min Jeong (KOR), is the perfect candidate to take up the reins in the Ladies’ field. Choi completed a cleansweep of gold medals at the opening

SHORT TRACK 2017/18 Audi ISU World Cup event and is expected to make it to the Ladies’ 500 m final on 13 February.

The 19 - year - old is ranked first in two of the season’s World Cup disciplines (1500 m and 3000 m relay) and second in the other two (500 m and 1000 m). And, in case that was not enough to excite the Korean fans, her compatriot Shim Suk Hee, who won gold (3000 m relay), silver (1500 m) and bronze (1000 m) at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, is ranked a spot behind Choi in the 1000 m and 1500 m standings. A home town one-two is a distinct possibility in both distances. Canada’s increasingly strong cortege of athletes will be seeking to prevent such outcomes. The 23 - year - old Kim Boutin (CAN) is the 1000 m season leader, while teammate Marianne St-Gelais, four-time silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships, leads the 500 m standings.

Italy’s PyeongChang 2018 flagbearer, Arianna Fontana, and three-time world champion, Elise Christie (GBR), represent the best of the European hopes. Fontana is a five-time Olympic medalist, with a silver in the 500 m in Sochi the closest she has come to golden glory, while Christie will want to put the disappointment of four years ago behind her. The 500 m World Record holder sustained a thigh injury at the start of this season, has hampered her preparations.

The action wraps up with the two relays, an explosion of speed, precision and occasionally spectacular collisions. Canada have dominated the Men’s 5000 m relay this season, with Korea swapping places with China at the top of a more tightly contested Ladies’ 3000 m relay field. The decibel counter is likely to be off the scale for both finals (Ladies’ on 20 February, Men’s on 22 February).

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS The sport’s brightest young stars will get their moment in the spotlight after the Olympic Winter Games come to an end, with the ISU World Junior Championships taking place March 2 - 4 in Tomaszow Mazowiecki (POL).

The Championships are a breeding ground for emerging talent, with Hungary’s Shaoang Liu starring at the 2017 edition. Both he and

SHORT TRACK European Championships Venue: Dresden (GER) Dates: January 12 - 14 2017 European Champions Ladies: Arianna Fontana (ITA) 500 m: Rianne de Vries (NED) 1000 m: Sofia Prosvirnova (RUS) 1500 m: Arianna Fontana (ITA) Team Relay: Italy

Men: Semen Elistratov (RUS) 500 m: Sjinkie Knegt (NED) 1000 m: Shaolin Sandor Liu (HUN) 1500 m: Semen Elistratov (RUS) Team Relay: Netherlands Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 Venue: PyeongChang (KOR) Dates: February 9 - 25 2014 Olympic Champions Ladies: 500 m: Jianrou Li (CHN) 1000 m: Seung-Hi Park (KOR) 1500 m: Yang Zhou (CHN) Team Relay: Republic of Korea

the Republic of Korea’s Lee Yu Bin won three of their four respective individual races en route to taking the overall Men’s and Ladies’ titles last year.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The 2018 ISU World Championships will offer Short Track’s finest a chance to either add a final flourish to a spectacular season or to expel the disappointment of a failed Olympic campaign with some much-needed glory.

Taking place from March 16 - 18 in Montreal’s Maurice-Richard Arena, the home crowd will be hoping to welcome a phalanx of Olympic heroes. Canada’s Marianne St-Gelais, Kim Boutin, Charles Hamelin and Samuel Girard are prime candidates, having all enjoyed successful World Cup seasons.

It may also be the final chance for the

Men: 500 m: Victor An (RUS) 1000 m: Victor An (RUS) 1500 m: Charles Hamelin (CAN) Team Relay: Russia World Junior Championships Venue: Tomaszow Mazoviecki (POL) Dates: March 2 - 4 2017 World Junior Champions Ladies: Lee Yu Bin (KOR) Team Relay: China Men: Shaoang Liu (HUN) Team Relay: Republic of Korea World Championships Venue: Montreal (CAN) Dates: March 16 - 18 2017 World Champions Ladies: Elise Christie (GBR) 500 m: Kexin Fan (CHN) 1000 m: Elise Christie (GBR) 1500 m: Elise Christie (GBR) Team Relay: China Men Overall: Seo Yi Ra (KOR) 500 m: Sjinkie Knegt (NED) 1000 m: Seo Yi Ra (KOR) 1500 m: Da Woon Sin (KOR) Team Relay: Netherlands

Canadian fans to show their appreciation for 33 - year - old Hamelin, for whom PyeongChang 2018 will be a fourth Olympic Games, and 27 - year - old St-Gelais, a 14 - time world championship medal-winner.

With the Canadian Men’s 5000 m relay team having won two golds and a bronze in four Audi ISU World Cup events this season, and the Ladies’ 3000 m relay team having twice been on the podium, the Championships are guaranteed a grandstand finish.

The Republic of Korea, the Netherlands and an Elise Christie - inspired Great Britain are liable to provide the home team with their stiffest competition across the Championships. Skaters representing the three nations won 10 gold medals between them at last year’s World Championships in Rotterdam.

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PAST MASTER

YUNA KIM (KOR): BORN 1990 Olympic Winter Games Gold: 2010 Silver: 2014 ISU World Figure Skating Championships Gold: 2009 and 2013 Silver: 2010 and 2011 Bronze: 2007 and 2008 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Gold: 2009 Yuna Kim started skating at the age of six and went on to become the first Figure Skater from the Republic of Korea to win an ISU Championships when she won the 2006 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

She also is the first Korean Figure Skater to medal at the Olympic Winter Games in 2010.

Following the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, where she won silver, Kim announced her retirement but stayed very involved in sport. She was the athlete Ambassador at the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games. She was a bid Ambassador and is currently an Honorary Ambassador for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. Kim was the first athlete to receive the Olympic Flame on Korean soil with the Korean sports minister Jong-Hwan Do.