ISU Junior Grand Prix in Latvia
International figure skating competition

Junior Grand Prix in Latvia
Logo of the 2025 Riga Cup
StatusActive
GenreISU Junior Grand Prix
FrequencyOccasional
LocationRiga
CountryLatvia Latvia
Inaugurated2011
Most recent2025
Organized byLatvian Skating Association

The ISU Junior Grand Prix in Latvia – officially known as the Riga Cup – is an international figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the Latvian Skating Association (Latvian: Latvijas Slidošanas asociācija). It is held periodically as an event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP), a series of international competitions exclusively for junior-level skaters. Medals may be awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earn points based on their results at the qualifying competitions each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are invited to then compete at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

History

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) was established by the International Skating Union (ISU) in 1997 and consists of a series of seven international figure skating competitions exclusively for junior-level skaters. The locations of the Junior Grand Prix events change every year. While all seven competitions feature the men's, women's, and ice dance events, only four competitions each season feature the pairs event. Skaters earn points based on their results each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are then invited to compete at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.[1]

Skaters are eligible to compete on the junior-level circuit if they are at least 13 years old before 1 July of the respective season, but not yet 19 (for single skaters), 21 (for men and women in ice dance and women in pair skating), or 23 (for men in pair skating).[2] Competitors are chosen by their respective skating federations. The number of entries allotted to each ISU member nation in each discipline is determined by their results at the prior World Junior Figure Skating Championships.[3]

Latvia hosted its first Junior Grand Prix competition in 2011 in Riga. Ryuju Hino of Japan won the men's event, Polina Shelepen of Russia won the women's event, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China won the pairs event, and Maria Nosulia and Yevhen Kholoniuk of Ukraine won the ice dance event.[4]

The inaugural Junior Grand Prix in Latvia champions: Ryuju Hino of Japan (men's singles); Polina Shelepen of Russia (women's singles); Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China (pair skating); and Maria Nosulia and Yevhen Kholoniuk of Ukraine (ice dance)

The ISU officially cancelled all scheduled Junior Grand Prix events for the 2020–21 season, which included the 2020 Riga Cup, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing increased travel and entry requirements between countries and potentially excessive sanitary and health care costs for those hosting competitions.[5]

Medalists

The 2024 Riga Cup champions: Sena Takahashi of Japan (men's singles); Mao Shimada of Japan (women's singles); and Zhang Jiaxuan and Huang Yihang of China (pair skating).
Not pictured: Noemi Maria Tali and Noah Lafornara of Italy (ice dance)

Men's singles

Men's event medalists
Year Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
2011 Japan Ryuju Hino China Zhang He United States Timothy Dolensky [4]
2013 China Jin Boyang Russia Adian Pitkeev Japan Shoma Uno [6]
2015 Russia Dmitri Aliev Latvia Deniss Vasiļjevs United States Alexei Krasnozhon [7]
2017 Japan Mitsuki Sumoto Russia Makar Ignatov United States Tomoki Hiwatashi [8]
2019 Russia Andrei Mozalev South Korea Lee Si-hyeong Russia Daniil Samsonov [9]
2020 Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2022 Italy Nikolaj Memola Japan Rio Nakata Kazakhstan Rakhat Bralin [10]
2024 Japan Sena Takahashi South Korea Lee Jae-keun Japan Shunsuke Nakamura [11]
2025 Japan Rio Nakata Canada Grayson Long Germany Genrikh Gartung [12]

Women's singles

Women's event medalists
Year Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
2011 Russia Polina Shelepen China Li Zijun Russia Polina Agafonova [4]
2013 Russia Evgenia Medvedeva Russia Maria Sotskova United States Karen Chen [6]
2015 Russia Maria Sotskova Japan Kaori Sakamoto South Korea Choi Da-bin [7]
2017 Russia Daria Panenkova Japan Rika Kihira United States Emmy Ma [8]
2019 South Korea Lee Hae-in Russia Daria Usacheva Japan Rino Matsuike [9]
2020 Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2022 South Korea Shin Ji-a United States Soho Lee Japan Ami Nakai [10]
2024 Japan Mao Shimada Estonia Elina Goidina South Korea Ko Na-yeon [11]
2025 Japan Mei Okada South Korea Huh Ji-yu Switzerland Elisabeth Dibbern [12]

Pairs

Pairs event medalists
Year Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
2011
  • China
 [4]
2013 [6]
2015
  • Russia
 [7]
2017 [8]
2019 No pairs competition [9]
2020 Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2022
  • United States
  • Cayla Smith
  • Andy Deng
  • Canada
  • Ava Rae Kemp
  • Yohnatan Elizarov
  • Canada
 [10]
2024
  • Canada
  • Jazmine Desrochers
  • Kieran Thrasher
 [11]
2025
  • Canada
  • Ava Kemp
  • Yohnatan Elizarov
  • China
  • Zhang Xuanqi
  • Feng Wenqiang
 [12]

Ice dance

Ice dance event medalists
Year Gold Silver Bronze Ref.
2011
  • Ukraine
 [4]
2013 [6]
2015
  • France
 [7]
2017 [8]
2019 [9]
2020 Competition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2022
  • Canada
  • Sandrine Gauthier
  • Quentin Thieren
 [10]
2024
  • United States
  • Caroline Mullen
  • Brendan Mullen
 [11]
2025
  • Canada
  • Layla Veillon
  • Alexander Brandys
  • France
  • Dania Mouaden
  • Théo Bigot
  • United States
  • Jasmine Robertson
  • Chase Rohner
 [12]

References

  1. ^ "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Communication No. 2655: Single & Pair Skating". International Skating Union. 15 July 2024. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2024/25 – Announcement". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "2011 JGP Volvo Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e "ISU Junior Grand Prix Series 2020/21 cancelled". International Skating Union. 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d "2013 JGP Riga Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d "2015 JGP Latvia". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d "2017 JGP Riga Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d "2019 JGP Riga Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d "2022 JGP Riga Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d "2024 JGP Riga Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d "2025 JGP Riga Cup". Skating Scores. Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
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