Category Archives: FEATURES

Meet Nikolaj Memola, Junior Grand Prix Final champion and history maker

When answering these questions – on December 8th, in Torino – Italy’s Nikolaj Memola hadn’t yet won the Junior Grand Prix Final gold on home ground. He was second after the short program – a…

Shoma Uno wins gold in Torino, coach Stéphane Lambiel is on cloud nine: “Shoma is not a big name from today, but for a long time already”

“What?! Shoma said he didn’t know my programs?”, amused Stéphane Lambiel stops at the door of the press conference room in Torino, hearing his name in a response by student Shoma Uno. The Japanese has…

Sota Yamamoto, 2022 Grand Prix Final silver medalist: “Once again I can aspire to be close to Shoma and increase my level further”

December 12, 2014: Japan’s Shoma Uno and Sota Yamamoto, 16 and 14 at the time, win gold and silver at the Junior Grand Prix Final held in Barcelona, Spain. The two teenagers sit in the…

On dreams, goals and confidence. Notes on the women’s event at Lombardia Trophy

What might have been seen as an upsetting start of the season for the World champion – Kaori Sakamoto finished second in Bergamo, behind Rinka Watanabe – was, in fact, layered in Kaori’s conviction that…

Inside competitive mind. Top skaters share their thoughts at the beginning of the season

Interviews, short stories, photos featuring Kaori Sakamoto, Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri, Adam Siao Him Fa, Matteo Rizzo, Ekaterina Kurakova, Amber Glenn, Wakaba Higuchi, Nikolaj Memola, Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius in Bergamo. Plus: the…