American figure skater Ilia Malinin has been incorporating gymnastics into his skating routines, showcasing his ability to effortlessly execute quadruple jumps and even incorporate a backflip into his program. The backflip, once banned in competition due to safety concerns, has recently been removed from the restricted list by the International Skating Union, allowing skaters like Malinin to showcase this daring move.
Malinin, known for being the first skater to land the 4 1/2-revolution quad axel in competition, expressed his intention to continue including the backflip in his routines and even hinted at enhancing it with additional elements in the future. At a recent competition, Malinin impressed the audience by landing the backflip during his free skate, along with executing five quadruple jumps to secure victory over his Japanese competitors.
Skate America, the opening event of the Grand Prix season, is set to feature top skaters vying for success ahead of the upcoming world championships and the 2026 Winter Olympics. Notably, Russian and Belarusian athletes remain banned from competing due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In the women's competition, skaters like Kaori Sakamoto of Japan and Alysa Liu of the U.S. are aiming for success in their respective Grand Prix events. Ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates are eyeing their first gold medals at the upcoming Milano-Cortina Olympics, facing tough competition from pairs like Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada.
Reigning world pairs champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps will kick off their Grand Prix season at Skate Canada, facing strong competition from pairs like Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan. U.S. pairs champions Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea will also be competing at Skate America.
As the figure skating season unfolds, fans can expect thrilling performances and fierce competition as skaters from around the world showcase their skills and vie for top honors on the ice.
