The top six teams of the 2022/23 season are set to compete at the ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating (April 13-16, 2023) in Tokyo (JPN). Japan leads the qualifiers and is joined by the teams from the USA, Canada, Republic of Korea, Italy and France. The event features ten out of twelve of the medallists from the recent ISU World Figure Skating Championships, that took place in Saitama, Japan. The ISU World Team Trophy is a biennal event.
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) perform during the 2021 ISU World Team Trophy in Osaka, Japan. @ ISU
Overview of the qualified teams
Japan dominated the season collecting three World titles in Saitama (JPN) last month and tops the team standings with 9453 points. The host country can count on their newly minted World Champions Kaori Sakamoto and Pair Skaters Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara.
Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) competes at the 2021 ISU World Team Trophy in Osaka, Japan. @ ISU
The team is completed by ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Mai Mihara, Kazuki Tomono and 2022 ISU Four Continents Ice Dance silver medalists Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi. World Champion Shoma Uno had two withdraw due to injury and was replaced by Shun Sato. Sakamoto has taken the role as team captain.
The USA follow with 8721 points. The USA come with their new World Ice Dance Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates, World Pairs silver medalists Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier and World bronze medalist Ilia Malinin. The other team members are ISU Grand Prix Final silver medalist Isabeau Levito, Jason Brown and Amber Glenn. Brown was named team captain.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA) perform during the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. @ ISU
Canada collected 5978 points in the season to rank third in the standings. The team is led by 2023 ISU World Ice Dance bronze medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier, ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Deanna Stellato/Maxime Deschamps and ISU Four Continents silver medalist Keegan Messing. Gilles was nominated as team captain.
Keegan Messing (CAN) competes during the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan.@ ISU
The Republic of Korea qualified for the first time for the ISU World Team Trophy following a successful season and with 5477 points. ISU World silver medalists Junwhan Cha and Haein Lee are on the team, as well as ISU Grand Prix finalist Yelim Kim and ISU World Junior silver Ice Dance medalists Hannah Lim/Ye Quan. Cha leads his teammates as captain.
Junhwan Cha (KOR) competes during the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan.@ ISU
Italy returns to the World Team Trophy with 5260 points. World silver Ice Dance medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri, World Pairs bronze medalists Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii and 2023 European silver medalist Matteo Rizzo headline the team. Fabbri is the captain.
Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (ITA) compete during the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. @ ISU
France booked their ticket to Tokyo with 3943 points. The team features 2023 ISU European Champion Adam Siao Him Fa, Ice Dancers Evgeniia Lopareva/Geoffrey Brissaud as well as Kevin Aymoz, who leads his team as the captain.
Kevin Aymoz (FRA) performs during the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. @ ISU
Competition format and qualifying
The ISU World Team Trophy format is based on a competition consisting of the six best national teams from ISU Members with a special provision for the host ISU Member to be included. Each team will be composed of two Men, two Ladies, one Pair Skating couple and one Ice Dance couple, i.e. a total of eight skaters per team.
The team event consists of two phases of competition, the Short Program/Rhythm Dance and the Free Skating/Free Dance. Teams are awarded 12 to 1 team points (12 points for first place, 1 point for 12th place) for Men and Ladies and respectively 12 to 7 points for Pairs and Ice Dance couples in the Short Program/Rhythm Dance and in the Free Skating/Free Dance. The standings are calculated according to the sum of the team points achieved in each phase of the event. Several tie breakers are in place.
The teams qualified based on a scoring scale used for the ISU World Standing points are scored by their best two Women and Men, their best Pair and best Ice Dance couple primarily at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events and Final season 2022/23 and the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023, plus possibly the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2023, ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2023, the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2023 and ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating season 2022/23.
Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).
Schedule of the event
The schedule of the ISU World Team Trophy is as follows:
Thursday, April 13: Rhythm Dance, Women & Men’s Short Program
Friday, April 14: Pairs Short Program, Free Dance & Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, April 15: Pairs & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, April 16: Exhibition Gala
For full entries and results, please see the ISU event page. Follow the discussion on social media using #WTTFigure and #FigureSkating.
Where to watch the ISU World Team Trophy 2023:
The ISU World Team Trophy will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news here.
Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted.
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