⛸️ Yu Young Tops U-Universiade Short Program! Choi Ha-bin's Quad Axel Goal and More: This Week in Figure Skating 🎉 - 2026.10.16 | Figure Skating

Hello, fans!

Cha Jun-hwan's news has been buzzing for a while, so this time we've gathered more stories from around the rink ⛸️

🇰🇷 Yu Young Tops the U-Universiade Selection Short Program!

Yu Young (Kyung Hee University) finished first in the short program at the 2027 Changchun Winter Universiade team selection with 65.01 points ^[1]. She landed her opening double Axel cleanly and earned 1.43 GOE on the triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination ^[2]. Her flying camel spin was Level 4 ^[2]. A 1.21-point deduction on the late triple flip, with an edge call and quarter landing, was a bit disappointing 😢 ^[2]

Lee Hae-in (60.04 points) is second, 4.97 points behind ^[2]. She attempted the triple Axel, a new high-difficulty element for this season, but was called under-rotated ^[3].

In men's singles, Kim Hyun-gyeom leads with 77.67 points, followed by Lee Jae-geun and Cha Young-hyun ^[3]. Final standings will be decided by combining free skate scores on the 16th, so tomorrow's results are already on our minds! 👀

🔥 Choi Ha-bin Aims for a Korean First: Quadruple Axel

The 17-year-old rising star Choi Ha-bin has been called a 'jump prodigy' since she started landing 4-revolution jumps at 13 ^[9]. Early last year she mastered the quad Lutz in just one week, and this season she became the first Korean to land a quad Lutz-triple toe loop combination, with a base value of 15.70 ^[9]. She also won her second-round competition by landing three quads in one program, securing a spot at the Junior Grand Prix Final ^[4]

Now her goal is the quad Axel! It's the most difficult jump in the sport, and the American Malinin is the only skater who has landed it ^[9]. Her plan to debut it in senior competition next year is already making us excited 💪

💔 Valieva Misses Her Comeback Race

Kamila Valieva, the central figure in the doping case that left Kim Yuna visibly outraged, was reported on the 14th to be competing at the Russian Grand Prix in her hometown of Kazan on the 17th ^[6]. However, on the 16th, it was officially confirmed that she would not compete due to illness ^[5]. On social media, she said, "Let's definitely meet again at another Russian Grand Prix stage" ^[5]. This was supposed to be her first official return after completing her four-year suspension, so the disappointment is real. Her path back to international competition is also blocked, as the ISU cancelled the individual neutral athlete status it granted her in August, in September ^[5].

💭 Ignatova's Funny-Sad Comeback Story

Alexandra Ignatova, the silver medalist in women's singles at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, returned to the ice one year after giving birth ^[7]. She regained the quad Lutz while breastfeeding, and her coaches reportedly didn't believe it at first ^[7]. But she joked that her triple Axel "disappeared along with my chest" 😂 ^[7]

🎬 Cha Jun-hwan Heads to a TV Sitcom?

Cha Jun-hwan will appear in Tving's sitcom 'Palace Land' ^[8]. It marks his acting comeback in 18 years since '그저 바라보다가' in 2009, and he plays rookie cast member Sung Dae-han ^[8]. Tving says it will be released next year ^[8]. Also, remember that Cha has not officially announced his retirement ^[8]

Fans, it's been a week full of reasons to cheer, whether on the ice or on screen. See you next time with more news! 🩵