The stars of tomorrow close out their season this week at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.

When is it on?

The ISU Junior World Figure Skating Championships begin Wednesday, 4 March with the pairs short programme and conclude Saturday, 7 March with the women’s free skating.

Who is skating?

The men’s event looks likely to be a repeat of the head-to-head from last year’s Junior Worlds between defending champion Rio Nakata (JPN) and silver medallist Minkyu Seo (KOR). The Korean holds the upper hand this season after defeating the Japanese at the Junior Grand Prix Final back in December. There are several skaters who could also be potential medallists, including Jacob Sanchez (USA), Taiga Nishino (JPN), Habin Choi (KOR), Lucius Kazanecki (USA) and Denis Krouglov (BEL).

Mao Shimada (JPN) is on course for an unprecedented fourth World Junior title in a row, a feat that has never been achieved in any category. As previously witnessed, the hottest of favourites can come unstuck and Mayuko Oka (JPN), Yuseong Kim (KOR) and Mei Okada (JPN) will be among the skaters in the women’s event ready to sweep in. Watch out for Hana Bath (AUS), Sophie Joline Von Felten (USA) and Inga Gurgenidze (GEO) who all have triple Axels in their repertoires.

Rui Guo and Yiwen Zhang (CHN) took this season’s Junior Grand Prix Final and will be aiming to win a first pairs title for China since 2015. Other contenders for place on the podium are Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov (CAN) and Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher (CAN). A Canadian pair has not won this title since 1978. 2024 silver medallists Olivia Flores and Luke Wang (USA) are also back at this level after competing at senior for most of this season.

In ice dance there are four teams fighting for the three medals on offer. By virtue of their victory at last December’s Junior Grand Prix Final, Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin (USA) are fancied to win in Tallinn. They will be challenged by Ambre Perrier Gianesini and Samuel Blanc Klaperman (FRA) and Iryna Pidgaina and Artem Koval (UKR) as well as Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys (CAN). None of the teams have ever won a Junior World medal.

Everything you need to know (and some things you did not) about the skaters, the competition schedule and results can be viewed here.

When is the skating on?

Morning till afternoon in North America, lunchtime till evenings in Europe and late night till early morning in Asia. The times listed for the Junior World Championships are local and if you want to know what the time difference is between where you are and Tallinn then this link is your friend.

Where can I watch the pretty skaters?

This season’s ISU Junior World Figure Skating Championships can be viewed on the Skating ISU YouTube channel. Geographic restrictions may apply.

What are the hashtags?

#WorldJFigure #FigureSkating