⛸️ Kim Yu-sung Senior GP Debut Short Program 4th! This Week's Figure Skating News 🎉 - 2026.10.24 | Figure Skating

Hello, fans! 🙌 Today is full of Grand Prix opening news. We've picked out the stories every figure skating fan should not miss! ⛸️

🇫🇷 Kim Yu-sung Places 4th in Senior GP Debut Short Program!

Rising women's singles skater Kim Yu-sung placed 4th in the short program at her senior Grand Prix debut ^[1]. At the first event in Angers, France, she scored 39.55 in technical points and 30.17 in program components, with a 1-point deduction, for a total of 68.72 points ^[1]. This is her personal best short program score, surpassing her 67.77 from the August Challenger Series Cranberry Cup by 0.95 points ^[1] 👏

Kim, who was a junior until last season, won both of her pre-debut Challenger Series events and carried that momentum into her senior debut . Aoki Yuna of Japan led with 76.31, Anastasiya Gubanova of Georgia was second with 72.63, and Nakai Ami of Japan was third with 70.66 ^[1]. With only a 1.94-point gap to third place, a medal is well within reach! 🥉

Let's look at her performance. She landed the opening triple Axel without falling, but a quarter landing call cost her 1.26 points in GOE ^[1]. The triple flip-triple toe loop combination was called under-rotated, and her change-foot combination spin reached the top Level 4 . Her later triple Lutz, which earns bonus points, drew an edge-use caution, but she finished calmly with a flying camel spin and a layback spin . Yoon Seo-jin, who competed at the same event, finished 10th with 57.50 points ^[1].

The free skate takes place early on the 25th (Korean time)! We're already excited to see Kim's second performance set to the medley from the musical 'Fosse' ✨

👯 Twins Kim Yu-jae and Kim Yu-sung Team Up with a World-Class Choreographer

New details have emerged about the program the twin skaters are preparing for their senior debut ^[3]. The two worked with world-renowned choreographer Caitlin Weaver ^[3]. A former Canadian ice dance competitor, Weaver is one of the top active choreographers, having coached Amber Glenn, the Grand Prix Final champion, and Chiba Mone, this year's world championship silver medalist ^[3]. The twins are Weaver's first Korean students ^[3].

Elder sister Kim Yu-jae has an elegant, delicate program set to Freida, while younger sister Kim Yu-sung has a high-energy program to the lively rhythm of 'I Got Cha' ^[3]. A funny anecdote: Weaver went to teach Yu-jae on the first day but ended up mixing up the sisters 😂 ^[3]

🔥 Tuktamysheva Lands a Triple Axel at 29

Elizabet Tuktamysheva, Russia's former world champion in women's figure skating, landed a triple Axel about a year after retiring ^[2]. After announcing her retirement in November 2025, she attempted a double Axel and a triple Axel in an Instagram video, landing the triple cleanly on her third try ^[2]. Since the triple Axel is considered a major hurdle in women's singles, fans responded enthusiastically ^[2].

Fans in Japan voiced hopes for a comeback ^[2]. Her impressive record, including the 2015 world championship title and 2021 world championship silver medal, was also back in the spotlight ^[2].

🌍 2026/27 Grand Prix de France Opens This Weekend!

Check out the introduction video for the French event released by ISU ^[4]. The competition in Angers starts this weekend, and the message is clear: every performance matters 🔥 ^[4]

That's all for today's figure skating news! Let's look forward to more jaw-dropping jumps in Kim's free skate 🙏 We'll be back with more fun updates soon! 💙