THE OLYMPIC SEASON IN PHOTOS. Pairs at 2021 Finlandia Trophy

Sweet, tender pose in Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov’s free skate in Espoo

You know that already: this year’s edition of Finlandia Trophy was a massive event – literally.

With previous CS event being cancelled (Nepela Memorial in Bratislava), with everything at stake during such an important season culminating with the Olympics, the interest of skaters, coaches, federations in Finlandia Trophy was really high.

Actually, due to the large number of entries, and having almost the dimensions of an ISU major championship, 2021 Finlandia Trophy started a day earlier, to accommodate all athletes wanting to take part: there were 17 entries in the pairs’ event, 26 in the men’s event, 28 in the women’s event and 17 ice dance teams at the start.

But there were other reasons to be excited as well.

2021 Finlandia Trophy in Espoo saw the international senior debut of Russia’s Kamila Valieva; it was the first international competition, in 20 months, for Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron; the debut of the season for the World pairs champions Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov; the first (out of the three-part) battle for the Spanish Olympic spot in ice dance, between Sara Hurtado & Kirill Khaliavin and Olivia Smart & Adrian Díaz. And, all in all, #FinTrophy was the beginning of the season for so many big names in the skating world: Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, Jason Brown, Mikhail Kolyada, Dmitri Aliev, Keegan Messing, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Aliona Kostornaia, Madison Chock and Evan Bates… and so on.

No doubt, the last group of skaters in each discipline would almost replicate a World Championships last group – and that says so much about the event itself.

Imagine then the interest, the anticipation and the butterflies.

Our photos in Espoo rose to the expectations as well – which is why we’re having a separate photo-gallery for each of the events. Because they’re golden, the photos, the athletes – and we want you to see as much of Finlandia Trophy as possible.

And because, after all, that’s how the Olympic Season started…

2021 Finlandia Trophy
October 7-10, 2021
Espoo, Finland

PAIRS
Gold: Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov, Russia
Silver: Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, Russia
Bronze: Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc, USA

4th: Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson, USA
5th: Vanessa James and Eric Radford, Canada
6th: Laura Barquero and Marco Zandron, Spain
7th: Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nolan Seegert, Germany
8th: Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, Canada
9th: Elizaveta Zhuk and Martin Bidar, Czech Republic
10th: Bogdana Lukashevich and Alexander Stepanov, Belarus

Pairs’ podium at 2021 Finlandia Trophy

Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov during their Esmeralda short program in Espoo. Winners of the previous edition of Finlandia Trophy, in 2019, World champions in 2021, Anastasia and Aleksandr came to Finland ready to show they’re good, they’re special.

For their free program this season, this very important (Olympic) season, Anastasia and Aleksandr chose to skate to “The Snowstorm” and “Time, Forward” by Georgy Sviridov, a program choreographed by Nikolai Morozov

Alongside their prestigious coach Tamara Moskvina in the Kiss and Cry

Candid smiles during the press conference after the pairs’ event

Beautiful, confident, elegant: Anastasia and Aleksandr repeated as champions in Espoo.

Flying Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov in Espoo, during their short program to music by Philip Glass and Ludovico Einaudi

And what a marvelous musical choice for the free skate: “Lighthouse” by Patrick Watson

A very smiling Kiss and Cry, at the end of Evgenia and Vladimir’s free skate

Faces, faces in the press conference room

Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, the winners of the silver medal in Espoo, at 2021 Finlandia Trophy

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc are skating to the music from “The White Crow” in their short program this season

Ashley and Timothy: long program to music from “W.E.” by Abel Korzeniowski

Teammate Amber Glenn watching Ashley and Timothy skating their long program in Espoo

Bronze medalists Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc with their coach, at the end of the pairs’ event in Espoo

US medalists at this year’s edition of Finlandia Trophy: Ashley and Timothy – bronze in the pairs’ event, Jason Brown winning the men’s gold. Hence the glorious smiles.

A photo like a surprise: believe it or not, there’s Jason Brown in this photo as well

Vanessa James and Eric Radford in their first Finlandia Trophy as a pair: short program to “Shiny Happy People”

For the long program, Vanessa and Eric have chosen “Falling” by Harry Styles and “Maselstrom” by Karl Hugo. They finished the event on the 5th place – and they’re definitely a beautiful, elegant pair to watch.

One of the biggest revelations this season: Laura Barquero and Marco Zandron, a brand new pair representing Spain. And their talent is here for everyone to see it. Short program to “Dawn of Faith” by Eternal Eclipse.

Long program to “Awakening” by Andy Quin, “Imagine” by John Lennon performed by Boyce Avenue, “Imagine” by John Lennon performed by David Arnold and The Royal Philharmonic Pop Orchestra. Laura and Marco’s future? Bright, no doubt about it.

7th in Espoo, another beautiful pair: Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nolan Seegert – and there you have glimpses of their long program, skated to “People Help the People” by Birdy

Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro finished on a disappointing 8th place in Espoo – but we’re never disappointed when watching them skate; there’s just something about them. And they’ll surely find their mojo back. In their short program this season they skate to “Hold on Tight”

While for the free, Kirsten and Michael came back to one of their trademark programs, “Carry You” by Ruelle

Representing Belarus, Bogdana Lukashevich and Alexander Stepanov are a very interesting pair: in their short program this season they skate to music from the movie “The Man in the Iron Mask”

The lifts in Bogdana and Alexander’s long program are daring, and surely telling when it comes to the overall theme: they’re skating to music from the movie “Pirates Of The Caribbean”

[Intro and selection of photos by Florentina Tone/photos by Askar Ibragimov, Espoo]