With Olympics in Italy next February, no wonder so many top skaters chose to start their season on Italian soil – in Bergamo, at the Challenger Series event Lombardia Trophy. Medals were awarded in men, women and ice dance categories, with Ilia Malinin, Rion Sumiyoshi and Eva Pate & Logan Bye climbing on the top spot of the podiums.
But 2025 Lombardia Trophy was less about results and medals and more about feedback on the programs, scores, and even more about beginnings – about a symbolic start of the season in a country/place/space where everyone aspires to come back to in just a couple of months.
Take the men’s event, for example – Ilia Malinin, Yuma Kagiyama, Adam Siao Him Fa, Kao Miura, Shun Sato, Nikolaj Memola, Matteo Rizzo… This line-up right here could have been gathered at an edition of the World Championships – yet, it happened in Bergamo, this September, and some lucky fans were there to experience it all, a preview of what was to come this season.
For those who didn’t make the trip to Bergamo – or they just want to relive it all – we have photos. And we even included some from the pairs’ category (only five countries represented, so no World Standing points were awarded).
Find the official results here – and then come back to the photos. Make sure you see them all, each category has a dedicated page.
At the time of the Olympics you’ll know how everything started.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS? NO, 2025 LOMBARDIA TROPHY
Ilia Malinin opened his season with a win in Bergamo – costumes were not ready, but Ilia was definitely ready, scoring an impressive 306.65 points in the process
Second in Bergamo, dancy Yuma Kagiyama. The way we see it, with Carolina Kostner in his coaching team, Italy feels almost like a second home to Yuma
The first time Yuma Kagiyama skated his Turandot – and left us all amazed; now that’s an Olympic program
Third in Bergamo, Italy’s Nikolaj Memola – his commitment to music, programs is obvious
Japan’s Shun Sato also started his season at 2025 Lombardia Trophy
Adam Siao Him Fa’s programs this season are a full concept: Leonardo da Vinci in his short program…
…and The Creation of Adam in his free – this photo, this very moment says it all
At the beginning of the season, Kao Miura tried many of his old programs to see what best fits for the Olympic season
Sweden’s Andreas Nordeback and the trademark opening of his Depeche Mode short program
The emotion of it all: Maxim Naumov skating his short program in Bergamo
Matteo Rizzo chose once again to be accompanied by Damiano David’s voice in his short program: he skates to “Silverlines” (see the costume too)
And if you wanna know him better, there’s this Inside Skating interview with Matteo you may wanna read.
Next: Women at 2025 Lombardia Trophy