ISU

As 2018 ends, few Short Track Speed Skaters can look back at a year as eventful as Choi Min Jeong’s (KOR).

The fourth leg of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating series 2018/2019 in Heerenveen is the last qualifying event for the major Championships in January and February. After some of speed skating's superstars decided to skip last week's World Cup races in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland, this weekend's competition will feature the strongest field possible. 

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series travelled the world. It went from Skate America in Everett, WA to Skate Canada in Laval, QC, on to the Grand Prix Helsinki, Finland and to NHK Trophy in Hiroshima, Japan before concluding with Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, Russia and Internationaux de France in Grenoble, to determine the top six skaters who would compete in the ISU Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, Canada. Having only the top skaters compete, makes for an extremely interesting competition filled with amazing performances and programs. Let's take a look back at some of the highlights.

Almaty’s inaugural ISU World Cup Short Track event features victories for some familiar names as well as medals for emerging talent from Hungary and the host nation.

Take a look at the many highlights of the first ever ISU World Cup Speed Skating in the Arena Lodowa in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland.

The top six Junior skaters from each discipline faced each other during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Vancouver (CAN). It was an exciting competition filled with young talent.

The Netherlands secured the Team Sprint World Cup as they came second in the last race of the season in Tomaszów Mazowiecki on Sunday. Norway won the race to claim their first Team Sprint gold medal of the season, while Marcel Bosker (NED) edged out two Russian rivals to take gold in the 10,000m.

When Samuel Girard (CAN) returned to the podium for the first time this season, he did so with a bang, winning two gold medals and a silver on the final day of action at the ISU World Cup Short Track in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Esmee Visser (NED) got back to winning ways in Tomaszów Mazowiecki on Sunday as she took gold in the 5000m and bounced back from her 12th place in the 3000m in Tomakomai two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Japan clinched the Ladies' Team Sprint gold medal despite the absence of star skater Nao Kodaira as Russia secured top spot in the overall Team Sprint ranking.

As Suzanne Schulting (NED) continued her medal haul in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Sunday, Petra Jaszapati's (HUN) first individual World Cup victory was more of an upset. The 500m gold was perhaps most surprising for the 19-year-old herself.

Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres of France soared to victory in the Pairs event as competition wrapped up at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Vancouver (CAN) on Saturday.

Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA) struck gold as the Ice Dance event concluded at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Saturday in Vancouver (CAN).

Anastasia Mishina/Aleksandr Galliamov came out on top in what was an all Russian Junior Grand Prix Pairs Final

Alena Kostornaia led the Russian Junior Ladies to a podium sweep at the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final on Saturday in Vancouver (CAN). 

Newcomer Rika Kihira of Japan stormed to the gold medal in the Ladies event at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Vancouver (CAN) on Saturday.