Skating stars Malinin, Sakamoto begin quest for Olympic gold in France | The Express Tribune
Key Takeaways
- The ISU Grand Prix de France in Angers is the season opener for the elite figure skating series leading up to the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
- US skater Ilia Malinin, a favorite for Olympic gold, headlines the men's field and will face rival Adam Siao Him Fa.
- Japan's Kaori Sakamoto leads the women's competition, facing rivals from the 2024 World Championships, including Isabeau Levito and Kim Chae-yeon.
- Russian and Belarusian skaters are banned from ISU events but will be permitted to compete neutrally at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- The Grand Prix series consists of six stops, with top performers qualifying for the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan, in December.
The elite ISU Grand Prix series begins this week in Angers, France, with American figure skater Ilia Malinin and Japan's Kaori Sakamoto headlining the competition as they build momentum toward the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. Malinin, favored to succeed retired Nathan Chen in the Olympic men's podium, faces local favorite Adam Siao Him Fa, whom he has not beaten since 2023. Sakamoto, a former world champion, will compete against rivals like Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito, setting the stage for intense rivalries throughout the six-stop series. Notably, Russian and Belarusian skaters remain banned from ISU events due to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though their athletes will be allowed to compete neutrally at the 2026 Olympics. The schedule runs from October 17th to 19th, featuring short programs and initial free skates for various disciplines.
