U.S. Men 2024-25 news & updates

Jacob’s 2nd JGP winner’s interview, this time with Mark Hanretty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo8mm_RATTg

ETA that I didn't see Jacob's Ankara interview with Ted Barton posted in this thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_JKDBJ3eKI
He mentioned he has been working on improving his mental game and consistency when it comes to the free skate by doing more run-throughs in practice [still a work-in-progress, obviously].
 
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cailuj365 said:
Let both Jacob and Patrick stay in juniors this year and compete against each other. Technically, Patrick has senior-level TES capability (he has quad salchow and quad loop on his Instagram), but he hasn't had a lot of recent domestic and international competition experience and he's not age-eligible yet.
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I agree and have heard that Jacob intends to stay Junior this season.

I didn't see a link to Patrick Blackwell's impressive 1st place FS in Ostrava posted last month in this thread - here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFQF-HM9qpw
Patrick's JGP Czech Skate 2024 scores: 221.56 (total) 69.42 (SP) 152.14 (FS) - I would like to be able to post an improved version of his JGP short program next week here (fingers crossed).
I agree that Jacob needs to progress technically at his own pace. They can both move up to seniors next year
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Jacob's JGP Ljubljana Cup 2024 scores (3 new ISU personal bests): 229.46 (total) 85.09 (SP) 144.37 (FS) - and here's hoping that his JGP Final free skate will be the cleanest of this year :) (so I can link to it here).
 
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I’ve been a big fan of Jacob’s skating since he was a little guy with that same million watt smile and charisma. So happy to see him come into his own on the JGP. What an accomplishment with two gold medals to qualify among the top contenders for the JGPF. His coaches have taught him excellent all-around technique. He comes across so mature and well spoken in his interviews with Ted this year. Much to admire about Jacob! Congratulations!
 
Just ran across this on YouTube today from Evening With Champions. Lucas Broussard is just stunning. Shades of a budding John Curry. Paul Wylie introduced him as one of the skaters on the short list for 2026. Lucas has really grown and absolutely towers over Paul. Lucas has done an amazing job of coping with the challenges of that amount of significant growth. I have high hopes for him!

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mtnskater said:
Just ran across this on YouTube today from Evening With Champions. Lucas Broussard is just stunning. Shades of a budding John Curry. Paul Wylie introduced him as one of the skaters on the short list for 2026. Lucas has really grown and absolutely towers over Paul. Lucas has done an amazing job of coping with the challenges of that amount of significant growth. I have high hopes for him!

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtu.be youtu.be
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Lovely. I loved it.
 
I'm thrilled for Jacob making the JGP final, but I'm guessing some of his eastern junior men competitors are also thrilled, since this opens up another spot at nationals since Jacob will receive a bye. If Patrick skates well enough next weekend to make the final, this would open up another spot. The junior men's field at Easterns is ridiculously stacked.

Quoting @Sylvia 's post from the Kiss & Cry section:

Sylvia said:
Senior, Junior & the top 11 Novice Men after Austin Autumn Classic with next week's final NQS, Boston Open, to go:

JUNIOR MEN (18 are in the ISP, marked * below)

EASTERN section:
*Jacob Sanchez YOG [1 Jr B, 2 JGPs]
*Patrick Blackwell [1 Jr B, 2 JGPs]
*Aleksandr (Sasha) Fegan J3 [1 JGP]
2 *Kirk Haugeto J7 187.67 [2 Jr Bs]
4 *Zachary LoPinto 186.44 [1 Adv. Novice, 1 Jr B]
9 *Caleb Farrington J11 168.51 [1 Jr B]
10 *Jared Sedlis J10 165.92
19 Vladimir Volkov 137.58
20 Solomon Bristol 135.08
21 Luke Witkowski 129.20 (also Jr. pairs)
26 David Lu 125.05
27 Nao Ikeda 122.00
30 Jake Smith 94.07
Singles this year? Jon Maravilla J13 (Jr. Pairs; Final is in Norwood, MA this year)
Click to expand...
 
Stephanie said:
I'm thrilled for Jacob making the JGP final, but I'm guessing some of his eastern junior men competitors are also thrilled, since this opens up another spot at nationals since Jacob will receive a bye. If Patrick skates well enough next weekend to make the final, this would open up another spot. The junior men's field at Easterns is ridiculously stacked.

Quoting @Sylvia 's post from the Kiss & Cry section:
[/QUOTE
Stephanie said:
I'm thrilled for Jacob making the JGP final, but I'm guessing some of his eastern junior men competitors are also thrilled, since this opens up another spot at nationals since Jacob will receive a bye. If Patrick skates well enough next weekend to make the final, this would open up another spot. The junior men's field at Easterns is ridiculously stacked.

Quoting @Sylvia 's post from the Kiss & Cry section:
Click to expand...

Maybe I'll take a ride up to Norwood...
Click to expand...
 
Am confused: I thought there was a cap on total nationals competitors, and that a bye reduced the amount of other qualifiers. Or does this bye mean that one more skater will reach the next stage towards nationals?
 
kwanfan1818 said:
Am confused: I thought there was a cap on total nationals competitors, and that a bye reduced the amount of other qualifiers.
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That applies to the Senior events at Nationals. The 5 Senior level men (top 5 at 2024 Nationals) with guaranteed byes currently are Ilia, Jason, Camden, Maxim, Andrew.
Or does this bye mean that one more skater will reach the next stage towards nationals?
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For the Junior singles events at 2025 Nationals:
Maximum of 18 available spots (plus byes) at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships
The top four total combined junior scores from each section in the Sectional Singles Final
The top two total combined novice scores each section in the Sectional Singles Final
 
YukiNieve said:
Joonsoo is aiming at qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Good for him! I will cheer for him hard if he comes to Wichita.
figureskatersonline.com

Medals and Med School: Joonsoo Kim - Figure Skaters Online

After graduating from college, Joonsoo Kim retired from the sport, but he decided to come back to skating while applying to medical schools.
figureskatersonline.com
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Unfortunately, Joonsoo Kim now is listed on USFS' International Assignments page today as WD from this weekend's Tayside Trophy :( - hopefully he will be fine for the Pacific Coast Sectional Singles Final next month.

U.S. men competing in Dundee, Scotland: Yaroslav Paniot & Will Annis in Senior; Caleb Farrington (international debut), Kirk Haugeto & Zachary LoPinto in Junior.

2 photos of Patrick Blackwell's backflip in practice in Wuxi: https://x.com/yanablumka/status/1844047023382909194
He’s scheduled to compete his SP at 9:24 am Eastern time tomorrow.
 
Sylvia said:
Unfortunately, Joonsoo Kim now is listed on USFS' International Assignments page today as WD from this weekend's Tayside Trophy :( - hopefully he will be fine for the Pacific Coast Sectional Singles Final next month.
Click to expand...
While his name was removed from the PDF by organizer, he was listed on USFS site until yesterday, so I was hopeful.:cry: Hope he makes it to the Sectional!
 
FSO article on Patrick Blackwell by Kat Cornetta (Oct. 11):
figureskatersonline.com

Patrick Blackwell: 'My goals for this year have already been realized' - Figure Skaters Online

By Kat Cornetta, Team FSO contributing writer Photos by Robin Ritoss Last off-season, Patrick Blackwell set a handful of goals that he wanted to achieve for the season ahead. “One of my main goals was to get a Junior Grand Prix assignment,” said Blackwell. “I also wanted to score 220 points...
figureskatersonline.com
ETA - his injury must have happened after he competed well at the Middle Atlantics NQS last September because he was not listed as WD in the Eastern Sectional results:
... Blackwell didn’t have a strong hold on how this season would go due to breaking his collarbone late last season. The injury kept him off the ice for two months, and kept him from seriously training for two weeks beyond that.
“It was two-and-a-half months until I was training and jumping again,” said Blackwell.
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I really don’t believe I jinxed him by posting this before he skated his SP. :slinkaway ;)
 
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Beck Strommer started a GoFundMe today.
Beck's own words on his GoFundMe page and his @beck_s_sk8s Instastory are eloquent and moving. 😭
Some of the gist: "... We have always understood that skating is a privilege and not a necessity. With this in mind, we never have asked for financial support from anyone else, regardless of how much financial strain we've been under ..." But only two weeks after his parents moved to Asheville, NC, they were displaced from their home by Hurricane Helene. They are currently living more than three hours away from Asheville, and it could be several weeks or more before they can return to their home. (Beck trains in California.)

www.gofundme.com

Donate to Donate to support Beck Strommer’s skating journey, organized by Lynda Strommer

Hello Everyone! My name is Beck Strommer. I am a Team USA Athlete for… Lynda Strommer needs your support for Donate to support Beck Strommer’s skating journey
www.gofundme.com www.gofundme.com

We here at FSU have been talking a lot lately about funding issues for numerous skaters, and I wanted to spread the word for Beck's sake somewhere. This thread seems like the most suitable place to me.
Beck is one of my favorites -- not only a beautiful skater, but also a super-nice guy. ❤️
 
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ice coverage said:
Beck Strommer started a GoFundMe today.
Beck's own words on his GoFundMe page and his @beck_s_sk8s Instastory are eloquent and moving. 😭
Some of the gist: "... We have always understood that skating is a privilege and not a necessity. With this in mind, we never have asked for financial support from anyone else, regardless of how much financial strain we've been under ..." But only two weeks after his parents moved to Asheville, NC, they were displaced from their home by Hurricane Helene. They are currently living more than three hours away from Asheville, and it could be several weeks or more before they can return to their home. (Beck trains in California.)

www.gofundme.com

Donate to Donate to support Beck Strommer’s skating journey, organized by Lynda Strommer

Hello Everyone! My name is Beck Strommer. I am a Team USA Athlete for… Lynda Strommer needs your support for Donate to support Beck Strommer’s skating journey
www.gofundme.com www.gofundme.com

We here at FSU have been talking a lot lately about funding issues for numerous skaters, and I wanted to spread the word for Beck's sake somewhere. This thread seems like the most suitable place to me.
Beck is one of my favorites -- not only a beautiful skater, but also a super-nice guy. ❤️
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing. I've enjoyed Beck's skating and made a donation.
 
Stephanie said:
Is anyone else a bit baffled that Daniel Martynov, who skated pretty poorly at both of his challengers so far this season, is getting a third challenger and thus a free pass to nationals?
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That is definitely a choice from the USFS. If they wanted to give him a 3rd Challenger to improve his SB, they could have given him Golden Spin and made him compete at Sectionals.

The Tallinn Trophy assignments also gives Jimmy Ma a bye to Nationals, which I'm fine with given he did have a respectable enough 236+ score at Cranberry. And, of course, Jacob already has a bye due to qualifying for the JGPF - but this would seem to indicate he does intend to compete senior at Nationals.

Right now, we're looking at the following with Byes to Nationals -
2024 Nationals - Malinin, Brown, Pulkinen, Torgashev, Naumov
JGPF Qualifier - Sanchez (if he's competing senior domestically)
3 Challengers - Ma, Martynov

Travel Bye MAYBE? - Hiwatashi - NHK is Nov 8-10, Mids competitions run Nov 20-23 with the Men's SP on Nov 22nd & the FS on Nov 23rd. Technically, the competition days are more than 10 days apart, even though practices would be earlier in the week. I'll be really interested to see if Tomoki is on the entry list for Mids. His Cranberry score was not good at all and I'd be making him compete at Sectionals if I was making choices (but, I'd also do the same with Martynov, lol).

It will be interesting to see the entry lists for IceChallenge Graz and Warsaw Cup whenever they're released (IceChallenge's entry deadline was last week, so we should see those sometime soon). Any IceChallenge competitors would be eligible for a bye through Easterns or Pacific Coasts, and any Warsaw Cup competitors would be eligible for a bye through all three sectionals.

If there are more than 10 competitors eligible then there's a pecking order, but I can't recall it off the top of my head - @Sylvia or @Debbie S - can you refresh us on how that works?
 
Kirk Haugeto shared a photo of the Tayside Trophy Junior Men’s podium -- he got the bronze, Zachary LoPinto won silver and Caleb Farrington placed 5th (their total scores are listed below) -- and several other cute shots from Dundee, Scotland :):
www.instagram.com

KIRK HAUGETO ⛸️💵 on Instagram: "Thank you @usfigureskating for allowing me to represent the USA at the Tayside Trophy in Scotland. Thank you to my coaches @antonnim80 and @nina2504petrenko for your support. I never experienced my music turning off

305 likes, 13 comments - happy_kirk on October 14, 2024: "Thank you @usfigureskating for allowing me to represent the USA at the Tayside Trophy in Scotland. Thank you to my coaches @antonnim80 and @nina2504petrenko for your support. I never experienced my music turning off during my Short...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
Excerpt:
I never experienced my music turning off during my Short Program which threw me off, but I was very happy to land an under[rotated] triple axel in the Free Skate. I am looking forward to landing them clean soon. Thank you to team_raf for your help with this!
Click to expand...

ISU Season Best Total Scores list as of Oct. 14, 2024 before the Grand Prix series starts:
7Lucas BROUSSARDUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024246.48S
14Jimmy MAUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024236.77S
20Jacob SANCHEZUSAISU JGP Ljubljana Cup 202404/10/2024229.46J
23Camden PULKINENUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024226.97S
25Andrew TORGASHEVUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024224.94S
27Patrick BLACKWELLUSAISU JGP Czech Skate 202406/09/2024221.56J
43Daniel MARTYNOVUSAISU CS Lombardia Trophy 202415/09/2024207.01S
44Yaroslav PANIOTUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024206.59S
46Goku ENDOUSAISU CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge 202405/10/2024203.03S
53Maxim NAUMOVUSAISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 202420/09/2024199.30S
55Michael XIEUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024198.73S
58Taira SHINOHARAUSAISU JGP Bangkok 202414/09/2024197.53J
60Liam KAPEIKISUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024196.64S
68Tomoki HIWATASHIUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024190.56S
70Aleksandr FEGANUSAISU JGP Riga Cup 202431/08/2024190.07J

Tayside Trophy Senior/Junior B scores:
Will Annis 185.65 (4th); Yaroslav Paniot 144.07 (not sure what happened in his FS after he opened with a clean 4F) - ETA that Coach Simon Briggs replied to Jackie Wong’s X post as follows: https://x.com/s1briggs/status/1845804327010488624
Being at the event I think he was maybe injured. I am only speaking from what I saw but he just walked through those last few jumps. It wasn’t mistakes and no attempt, just simply marked them.
Click to expand...
Junior Men:
2 Zachary LOPINTO USA 176.87 1 3
3 Kirk HAUGETO USA 168.61 5 2
5 Caleb FARRINGTON USA 161.58 4 5

This week!
Trophy Metropole Nice Cote d'Azur in Nice, France
CS (Oct. 18-20): Kapeikis, Klein, Kovar
Junior (compete on Oct. 16-17): Nicholas Brooks, Lorenzo Elano, Vaclav Vasquez

GP Skate America: Malinin, Naumov, Broussard
 
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Just want to point out that Broussard, Torgashev & Ma are currently sitting 1-2-3 on the GP Alternates List, so I'm thinking the USFS is hoping for a 2nd GP for at least 2 of them and that's why we haven't seem either with a 2nd Challenger yet (Torgy, of course, already has a bye to Nats).
 
Debbie S said:
Sorry, no idea about the pecking order for byes....I thought it was a max of 12, with a min of 6 qualifying through Sectionals...guess not? 🤷‍♀️
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(y) Agree that maximum for Nats senior singles byes would be twelve, with a minimum of six qualifying via sectionals.

As for pecking order:
"If the number of athletes with three international assignments from the approved international competition list exceeds the number of available byes to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the athletes with three international assignments will be ranked and awarded byes in the following order until there are no byes available. The remaining athletes will compete in the U.S. Figure Skating November Finals to qualify for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.​
- Highest-to-lowest best total score in the approved list of international competitions for Grand Prix competitors​
- Highest-to-lowest best total score in the approved list of international competitions for Junior Grand Prix competitors​
- Highest-to-lowest best total score in the approved list of international competitions for other international competitors"​


Nothing is spelled out in the document above regarding those with scheduling byes, but maybe their international scores would be included in the same pecking order (ETA: if one ever must come into play) as for those with three assignments?
 
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I was surprised to see Jacob poised to compete as a senior in Tallinn Trophy, which could indicate that the move to seniors may happen sooner. I know at this stage as a junior and the skater is doing well, they tend to want to move up to seniors.

But is it really the right move for him? One senior man, for example, really regrets his move up to senior when he could have stayed a few more years in junior. In hindsight, he said he should never have rushed especially since he was not aging out of juniors when he leveled up.

I just don't want Jacob to regret moving up prematurely when he could hone his skills further and enjoy more success as a junior. I've watched Jacob since he was in juvenile, and really want him to succeed because the boy is so good.
 
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marshallpond said:
I was surprised to see Jacob poised to compete as a senior in Tallinn Trophy, which could indicate that the move to seniors may happen sooner. I know at this stage as a junior and the skater is doing well, they tend to want to move up to seniors.

But is it really the right move for him? Annis, for example, really regrets his move up to senior when he could have stayed a few more years in junior. In hindsight, he said he should never have rushed especially since he was not aging out of juniors when he leveled up.

I just don't want Jacob to regret moving up prematurely when he could hone his skills further and enjoy more success as a junior. I've watched Jacob since he was in juvenile, and really want him to succeed because the boy is so good.
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Doing a senior competition might be to just get his feet wet, and maybe to get his minimums. I hope he does junior nationals , because he can probably win it. He turns 18 in 6 months, so I can understand him wanting to be full senior 2025-2026 season.
If he does senior nationals, maybe Worlds in Boston is just too great to not try.
 
Sylvia said:
ISU Season Best Total Scores list as of Oct. 14, 2024 before the Grand Prix series starts:
7Lucas BROUSSARDUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024246.48S
14Jimmy MAUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024236.77S
20Jacob SANCHEZUSAISU JGP Ljubljana Cup 202404/10/2024229.46J
23Camden PULKINENUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024226.97S
25Andrew TORGASHEVUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024224.94S
27Patrick BLACKWELLUSAISU JGP Czech Skate 202406/09/2024221.56J
43Daniel MARTYNOVUSAISU CS Lombardia Trophy 202415/09/2024207.01S
44Yaroslav PANIOTUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024206.59S
46Goku ENDOUSAISU CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge 202405/10/2024203.03S
53Maxim NAUMOVUSAISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy 202420/09/2024199.30S
55Michael XIEUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024198.73S
58Taira SHINOHARAUSAISU JGP Bangkok 202414/09/2024197.53J
60Liam KAPEIKISUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024196.64S
68Tomoki HIWATASHIUSAISU CS Cranberry Cup International 202411/08/2024190.56S
70Aleksandr FEGANUSAISU JGP Riga Cup 202431/08/2024190.07J
Click to expand...
Uhm... I think you missed a line when you copied & pasted...
1Ilia MALININUSAISU CS Lombardia Trophy 202415/09/2024312.55S

marshallpond said:
I was surprised to see Jacob poised to compete as a senior in Tallinn Trophy, which could indicate that the move to seniors may happen sooner. I know at this stage as a junior and the skater is doing well, they tend to want to move up to seniors.

But is it really the right move for him? Annis, for example, really regrets his move up to senior when he could have stayed a few more years in junior. In hindsight, he said he should never have rushed especially since he was not aging out of juniors when he leveled up.

I just don't want Jacob to regret moving up prematurely when he could hone his skills further and enjoy more success as a junior. I've watched Jacob since he was in juvenile, and really want him to succeed because the boy is so good.
Click to expand...
Evgeniafan said:
Doing a senior competition might be to just get his feet wet, and maybe to get his minimums. I hope he does junior nationals , because he can probably win it. He turns 18 in 6 months, so I can understand him wanting to be full senior 2025-2026 season.
If he does senior nationals, maybe Worlds in Boston is just too great to not try.
Click to expand...
The way I see it, Jacob has the 4th highest SB (not including Brown's score from Shanghai Trophy, of course) and that's competing as a junior with a few jumping pass errors in his most recent competition. His 3A is looking REALLY solid this season - far more reliable and stable than last season. It does him no harm to dip his toes in the senior ranks this fall, get the CTES mins now that will qualify him for the senior ISU Championship events and put him in a good position going into next season should he decide to move up. Our senior men's field is inconsistent and, not gonna lie, Jason's 3A wasn't looking very stable at Shanghai Trophy. It may be a longshot for him to make the Olympic team, but there's no reason to not put himself in the conversation, especially since we know that BOW matters to the USFS' International Committee.
 
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