Above: Sophie Joline von Felten, front row, arms extended into air, celebrates Act 1 of Boston’s victory at National Theatre On Ice.
By Taylor Dean
Sixteen-year-old Sophie Joline von Felten is only beginning her senior-level career this season, but she’s already making waves. The 2025 U.S. junior champion, who became the first U.S. woman to successfully land a quad Salchow in January, is not only refining her technical skills and adding to her quad repertoire, but she’s embracing a mindset of growth and artistry.
Von Felten’s journey to the ice began at 3 years old. Her mother, a former pairs skater, passed down her love for the sport, and Von Felten’s early passion turned into serious promise. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, she rose through the ranks and represented her birth country at two Junior Grand Prix events in 2022. After years of flying back and forth to the U.S., von Felten decided to take up permanent residence in the United States. Her father, who still lives in Lucerne, Switzerland, supports her from afar.
Von Felten made her U.S. international debut at the 2024 Cranberry Cup, where she placed sixth. Soon after, she dominated her first JGP for the U.S., taking first in Slovenia. Though slightly surprised by her win, von Felten knew she had put in the work.
This turning point paved the way for a stellar season for von Felten, who went on to win her first U.S. junior title with a quad Salchow and two triple Axels. Her 2024–25 season ended with an 18th-place finish at the 2025 World Junior Championships.
“That was a new experience since it was my first time going,” she said. “I like meeting other skaters and getting to know others from different disciplines. I also enjoyed the gala afterward.”
Heading into 2025–26, von Felten has improved her elements, and her emotional performance and artistry have captured attention. Her mother encouraged her to join The Skating Club of Boston’s Theatre On Ice junior team, Act I of Boston, to engage in performance skating and spend more time with other skaters.
Von Felten joined the Theatre On Ice team a few weeks before 2025 National Theatre On Ice. After learning the choreography in a few short hours, von Felten accompanied the team to a competition in North Shore, Massachusetts. Soon after, Act I claimed its fifth consecutive title in her second competition with the team at the 2025 National Theatre on Ice in Allen, Texas.
“It’s a completely different side of figure skating,” von Felten said. “It helps me a lot with presentation and skating skills, but I also got a lot of new friends through it.”
Von Felten hopes to use her improved presentation skills this season, with two meaningful programs that she hopes will evoke emotional responses from the audience and judges. Her free skate to Frida is a program her choreographer, Adam Solya, introduced to her as a piece that would fit her personality well.
Her short program is even more personal. Set to “I Will Never Abandon You” by Efisio Cross and “Cassiopeia” by Power-Haus, Jonathon Deering, and Ros Stephen, von Felten and her team chose these two moving pieces.
“My short program I am dedicating to the skaters in our community that we lost in the tragic plane crash,” she said. “I want to keep them in my heart while I skate this program and I want to skate for them, especially Jinna Han and Spencer Lane.”
Von Felten reminisced on special moments with her two friends, who would both spend time with her between sessions and at competitions.
“Spencer and Jinna would spend time with me at the rink, and we would have so much fun,” she said. “He was always filming my programs at competitions and giving me tips.
“We were really close friends, so I decided to make this tribute for them.”
Channeling that emotion into her skating, von Felten has also worked hard to elevate her technical elements, ensuring that each performance carries the complete package. The Boston-based skater recently added a quad flip to her repertoire, landing it at Jump On It! camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, last April.
“I want to get more consistent, try to show more character in the program, but also have better presentation,” she said. “I hope to get into the Junior Grand Prix Final this year.”
One of her coaches, Boyko Alexiev, said her new experiences should help von Felten reach her goals.
"Joline has progressed immensely this off-season, both technically and, equally as important, in her performance abilities," Alexiev said. “Theatre On Ice has given her a new perspective on skating as a performance art, which she’s incorporating into her 2025-26 season programs.”
