Competition shifts from World Championships in High Jump to Olympics.
Glory, Glitz, and Grit: A Peek into the Russian Figure Skating Calendar for the Olympic Season 2025/26
The figure skating community is gearing up for the Olympic season 2025/26, with Adelina Sotnikova and Evgeni Plushenkoey setting their sights on the qualifying competitions in Beijing. The upcoming schedule promises a roller coaster ride of thrilling performances, intense training, and high-stakes competitions.
Here's what you need to know about the Russian figure skating calendar for the next ten months:
Two special control skates
Following the shocking denial of Russian pairs and ice dance duos at the ISU's decision on Russian participation in the Olympic campaign, the calendar has finally been released. The Olympics, though reduced, will still be happening, so let's take a peek at the upcoming 'schedule of life.'
Russian season calendar 2025/26
September 17-21. Olympic Qualifier Tournament. Beijing (China).September 26-29. Russian National Team's Training Skates. Saint Petersburg.October 14-17. Russian Junior Grand Prix. Stage 1. Moscow.October 22-24. Russian Junior Grand Prix. Stage 2. Magnitogorsk.October 24-27. Russian Grand Prix. Stage 1. Magnitogorsk.October 29-31. Russian Junior Grand Prix. Stage 3. Krasnoyarsk.October 31 - November 3. Russian Grand Prix. Stage 2. Krasnoyarsk.November 5-7. Russian Junior Grand Prix. Stage 4. Kazan.November 7-10. Russian Grand Prix. Stage 3. Kazan.November 11-14. Russian Junior Grand Prix. Stage 5. Moscow.November 14-17. Russian Grand Prix. Stage 4. Moscow.November 19-21. Russian Junior Grand Prix. Stage 6. Omsk.November 21-24. Russian Grand Prix. Stage 5. Omsk.December 5-7. First Channel Cup among juniors. Kaluga.December 17-22. Russian Championships. Saint Petersburg.February 4-8. Russian Junior Championships. Saransk.February 6-19. Olympic Games. Milan (Italy).March 4-6. Russian Junior Grand Prix. Final. Chelyabinsk.March 6-9. Russian Grand Prix. Final. Chelyabinsk.March 18-23. First Channel Cup. Venue to be determined.March 27-29. "Russian Challenge" Show Program Tournament. Moscow.
Sotnikova and Plushenko, our 'ambassadors to the external world,' are set to make a splash at the Olympic Qualifier. Due to this, the national team's training skates, usually held mid-September, have been pushed back to the end of the month. These practices will open the season but may take place in a closed format, without journalists and TV cameras.
Valieva Won't Make It to Russian Championships
With Sotnikova and Plushenko heading to the Olympics, Russia's other figure skating sensation, Kamila Valieva, is set to miss the national championships. While Russian Figure Skating Federation President Anton Sikharulidze has emphasized that Petrosyan and Gumennik will have the freedom to plan their remaining time until the Games, with no restrictions on the number of tournaments they participate in, replacements are only possible in case of injuries.
January Gap
If Sotnikova and Plushenko remain in good form, they will have no reason to skip the Russian Championships, which serve as their last chance to gain competitive practice before the Olympics. However, January remains a gap in the calendar, with no major tournaments scheduled.
Free Skate in Milan - on Friday the 13th
The XXV Winter Olympic Games are set to open on February 6 at the San Siro Stadium. Figure skaters will begin their competitions on the same day. Keep an eye out for Gumennik, who is likely to be the first Russian to step onto the Milan ice, followed by Sotnikova and other competitors. The free skate for men's singles skating is scheduled for February 13th, with the ladies' competition following on the 17th and 19th.
Finally, in March, we have the Grand Prix of Russia final in Chelyabinsk to look forward to. It will certainly take place under the banner of the Olympics - we'll either be celebrating the heroes of Milan or, conversely, discussing what went wrong. There's no point speculating about the 'post-Games' period now. It feels like it's a world away. Instead, let's keep our eyes on the upcoming competitions and cheer on our national team as they strive for glory on the international stage.
As Russian figure skaters prepare for the Olympics, spectators eagerly anticipate their return to the international arena. Keep an eye on the ISU calendar for international events, as Russia and Belarus remain ineligible for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, and some competition may offer a glimpse of future Olympic rivals. Stay tuned for more updates on Russia's figure skating journey!
[1] International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating: www.isu.org/figure-skating[2] International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating: www.isu.org/junior-grand-prix-of-figure-skating[4] Olympic Channel: Russian, Belarusian teams left off list of nations invited to take part in 2026 Winter Olympics: olympicchannel.com/en/[5] The Guardian: Organising committee rules Russia and Belarus ineligible for 2026 Winter Olympics: theguardian.com/sport
The bookmakers might find it challenging to predict the performance of Russian figure skaters in the sports events leading up to the Olympics, given the peculiar schedule and the January gap in the calendar. During the Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Beijing, prominent skaters like Adelina Sotnikova and Evgeni Plushenko will attract the attention of bookmakers and sports enthusiasts alike.
