Inside Skating

Moon floating over the lake, is that you, Mone Chiba? And these are skating skills made in heaven. We felt the air, the peace, the tranquility, the softness, a light that is discreet yet strong and joyful. Watching Mone, we felt happy. ❤️

Well done, Anastasia Mishina & Aleksandr Galliamov - a beautiful story, a beautiful program. And well done, Tamara Moskvina, for yet another beautiful piece of choreography.

We couldn't be more pleased with the podium of the women's event: thrilling performances, thrilling stories, loads of emotions, and we felt them all. The exquisiteness of Mone's skating, Alexandra's comeback to rewrite her story, Haein showing her best version. We are privileged.

Anastasiia Gubanova skating to the laughters of children, this piece works so well for her. New found confidence, new found maturity, Anastasiia now skates for herself, and you see that, you feel that. And why do we feel this is an ode to peace, to joy?

She left the skating world with bitter disappoinment, and now she comes back to change that, and rewrite her story. Thank you, Alexandra Ignatova.

We are in AWE with Alexandra Ignatova - formerly known as Alexandra Trusova, formerly known as the rocket, formerly known as the quad queen. She is all of the above still, and even more. Emotional, as everyone else, with her comeback.

We're rooting so hard for Lara Naki Gutmann this season - she has become such a mature, wise skater, knowing her strenghts, trusting them, using them. Those doubles will hurt her, but this free skate is a choreographic masterpiece, and she's become a part of it.

Bolero may be a warhorse in skating but Mako Yamashita made it hers, she have it all. Flip and Loop aside, this is the rennaissance of Mako Yamashita. Kudos to Akiko Suzuki for the choreography.

A sunflower.

The triple Axel has become such an ace in Haein Lee's sleeves - and this free skate is exquisite from top to finish. And we have never seen her so, so invested in a performance before - a highlight of this edition of #COC2026, no doubt.

Rinka Watanabe not having her feet underneath her in the first part of the FS, but we love this program for her. We love Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto no. 3 in skating in general - and we're always thrilled to see it chosen to accompany a skater's journey throughout the season.

Beautiful arms in the air: #MakoYamashita as photographed by @veritphoto .

First set of medals in Shenzen. The Taschlers, a tad unlucky not to medal, but Olivia & Tim's rhythm dance (yes, RD) deserves all the medals in the world 👍🏻.

Theatrical Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson playing their fortes in this free dance this season. In parts though, the diamonds felt a bit rough around the edges, that's the way we saw it, at least.

Call us impressed with Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin's free dance, their journey, her journey in the skating world, as told through this program, their constant and visible progress throughout the seasons. They are a new team, they are a big team.

We love this free dance for Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler, had goosebumps watching it - and they really gave it all in Shenzen.

Peculiar choices of music are Loicia Demougeot and Theo le Mercier's thing. And very interesting choreography too, done by Jean-Luc Baker.

Olivia Smart and Tim Dieck are the masters of innovation in today's world of ice dancing. This free dance is atmospheric - but, to us, at the moment at least, it lacks the power, the impact of last seasons' Dune(s).

Emily and Ian skating to Queen as if their lives depended on it - impressive performance in Shenzen.