Above: Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski display their gold medals after their win at JGP Poland. Photo credit: Getty Images
Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski punched their ticket to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2024 in December by winning the ice dance title at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Gdansk, Poland, Sept. 25-28.
The gold marks their second podium finish in the Grand Prix Series after they earned silver at JGP Czech Republic and their third medal this season overall.
Wolfkostin and Tsarevski, who are based in Canton, Michigan, delivered two mistake-free programs en route to an overall score of 166.88 and a gold medal.
Performing to “Car Wash” by Christina Aguilera featuring Missy Elliott and “Disco Inferno” by Syzz and Nora Van Elken, they posted a rhythm dance score of 65.85, which featured a quality midline step sequence, twizzles and a Level 4 rotational lift.
In their free dance to “One Day I’ll Fly Away” and “The Show Must Go On” from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, Wolfkostin and Tsarevski earned not only an event-best score of 101.03, but the best free skate score in the Grand Prix Series this season. The team shoned throughout, earning Level 4 designations on four elements. Their highest-scoring element was their Level 3 diagonal step sequence that produced 10.43 points.
Their rinkmates in Canton, Yahli Pedersen and Benjamin Starr, placed eighth overall with a score of 133.71.
Skating in their first event together — they became partners in May 2024 — they placed eighth in the rhythm dance and seventh in the free dance.
They performed to “Blame It on the Boogie” and “Dancing Machine — Polow Remix” by Jackson Five for their rhythm dance, which generated 51.41 points. They then posted 82.30 points for their free dance to “The Labor of Creation” and “Creative Freedom is Power” by Lady Gaga and Dom Pérignon.
The new pairs team of Elizabeth Hansen and William Church placed just off the podium in fourth in their second JGP event of the season, posting an overall score of 132.44, a new international personal best. Their fourth-place result is their best result in the Series this season after taking fifth in Turkey.
The Illinois-based duo finished fifth in their short program to music “Sing, Sing, Sing,” by Fosse Orchestra, generating 46.55 points. Program highlights included a Level 3 lift and a Level 4 spin.
They earned an international personal best score of 85.79 in their free skate to “Marie's Dream” and “Nutcracker and Marie Depart for the Pine Forest” from The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to move up to fourth place. A Level 4 combination spin and a Level 4 reverse lasso lift were element highlights, both coming after the halfway mark of the routine.
Saya Carpenter and Jon Maravilla got off to a strong start in Poland, placing third in the short program with an international personal best of 50.07. The Michigan-based team, competing for the second time on the JGP circuit this season, garnered an international personal best score of 50.07 in their short program to “Revelations” by Eternal Eclipse thanks to a strong throw triple Salchow and Level 4 lift.
After finishing ninth in the free skate with a score of 79.73, Carpenter and Maravilla placed eighth overall with an international season-best score of 129.80.
Regan Moss and Jakub Galbavy also competed in their second JGP this season and posted an overall score of 122.18, finishing ninth overall.
The Minnesota-based team produced a score of 39.47 in the short program and 82.71 in the free skate, an international personal best.
Skating to “This Is Me” by Kesha for their free sate, their double Axel-double Axel-single Axel jump sequence was their highest-scoring element at 7.84 points.
Team USA’s sole singles skater at the event, Cleo Park, finished 11th overall in the women’s event with 149.88 points. The 2024 U.S. bronze medalist tallied 55.00 points in the short program and 94.88 points in the free skate.
For full results from JGP Poland, visit the 2024 Junior Grand Prix Competition Central.
