The 2025/26 Challenger Series continues with an event in Osaka, Japan from the 4th-7th of September.
Here’s a rundown of who you can expect to see competing at this event and some information about them.
Women
| Skater | Country | Notable Results 24/25 | Notable Results 25/26 | Nationals | Program Information | Notable Jumps | World Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Chernyshova | Australia | Bosphorus Cup 2024 - 14th (103.85) | 2nd | SP: Blue Lights / FS: U Plavy Zora | 3S+2A | 159th | |
| Madeline Schizas | Canada | Worlds 2025 - 1th (190.79) | 1st | SP: Stumbled Beginnings/Nina's Dream / FS: Butterfly Lover's Concerto | 3Lz+3T | 14th | |
| Eliska Brezinova | Czech Republic | Tirnavia Ice Cup 2024 - 2nd (150.30) | 2nd | SP: I See Red / FS: In This Shirt | 3T+2A+2A | 71st | |
| Mone Chiba | Japan | Worlds 2025 - 5th (215.24) | 4th | SP: Last Dance / FS: Romeo and Juliet | 3Lz+2A | 5th | |
| Wakaba Higuchi | Japan | Grand Prix de France 2024 - 2nd (206.08) | 3rd | SP: My Way / FS: Wonder Woman | 3Lz+2A+2T | 19th | |
| Saki Miyake | Japan | SP: Phantom of the Opera / FS: Maria di Nazareth (soundtrack) | 3Lo+2A+2T | ||||
| Kaori Sakamoto | Japan | NHK Trophy 2024 - 1st (231.88) | 1st | SP: Time To Say Goodbye / FS: Edith Piaf medley | 3F+3T | 1st | |
| Rinka Watanabe | Japan | Challenge Cup 2025 - 1st (213.36) | 7th | SP: El Tango de Roxanne / FS: JIN | 3Lo+3T / 3A | 15th | |
| Mako Yamashita | Japan | Challenge Cup 2025 - 3rd (198.46) | 6th | SP: The Lark Ascending / FS: La vie en rose | 3Lz+3T | 95th | |
| Hana Yoshida | Japan | Asian Winter Games 2025 - 3rd (205.20) | 11th | SP: Kill Bill / FS: Hana's Odyssey From Sea to Sky/The Siren and the Sailor | 3Lz+3T / 3A | 8th | |
| Haein Lee | Republic of Korea | Worlds 2025 - 9th (194.36) | 6th | SP: My Way / FS: Carmen Suite 1. | 3Lz+3T | 23rd | |
| Ahsun Yun | Republic of Korea | Finlandia Trophy 2024 - 5th (187.68) | 5th | SP: East of Eden / FS: I Dreamed a Dream | 3Lz+3T | 42nd | |
| Sonja Hilmer | USA | Santa Claus Cup 2024 - 3rd (158.93) | Cranberry Cup 2025 - 4th (165.83) | 9th | SP: Strange Meadow Lark/Take Five/I Get A Kick Out Of You / FS: Isha's Song | 3S+1T+2A | 75th |
| Bradie Tennell | USA | Maria Olszewska Memorial 2025 - 1st (220.29) | 4th | SP: No Time To Die / FS: The Mission (soundtrsck) | 3Lo+2A | 16th |
Pairs
| Team | Country | Notable Results 24/25 | Notable Results 25/26 | Nationals | Program Information | World Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anastasiia Metelkina / Luka Berulava | Georgia | WTT 2025 - 3rd (213.63) | SP: Bolero / FS: Le discours d'Arthur/Keeping Me Alive | 4th | ||
| Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara | Japan | WTT 2025 - 1st (226.05) | 1st | SP: Paint It Black / FS: Gladiator (soundtrack) | 5th | |
| Yuna Nagaoka / Sumitada Moriguchi | Japan | 4CC 2025 - 7th (174.76) | 2nd | SP: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road / FS: Tree of Life Suite | 25th | |
| Daria Danilova / Michel Tsiba | Netherlands | NHK Trophy 2024 - 5th (178.37) | SP: Take Back The Power / FS: Stairway to Heaven | 14th | ||
| Isabella Gamez / Aleksandr Korovin | Philippines | John Nicks 2024 - 9th (157.04) | Asian Open Trophy 2025 - 3rd (143.49) | SP: November / FS: Malaguena | 38th | |
| Valentina Plazas / Maximiliano Fernandez | USA | SP: Never Enough / FS: The Lion King (soundtrack) | 31st |
Men
| Skater | Country | Notable Results 24/25 | Notable Results 25/26 | Nationals | Program Information | Notable Jumps | World Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleksa Rakic | Canada | Skate Canada 2024 - 7th (222.49) | SP: Punga / FS: Holocene/The Gallows/The Grotto | 3Lz+2A+2A | 52nd | ||
| Tao MacRae | Great Britain | JGP Bangkok 2024 - 9th (169.11, J) | Robin Cousins Cup 2025 - 6th (154.88) | 3rd | SP: Gosse de Paris / FS: The White Stripes medley | 3S+2A+2T | 146th |
| Haru Kakiuchi | Japan | JGP Bangkok 2024 - 4th (209.50, J) | 17th (S), 6th (J) | SP: Love The Hell out of You / FS: I Giorni/The American Four Seasons | 3Lz+3T | 78th | |
| Kao Miura | Japan | Skate America 2024 - 3rd (278.67) | 8th | SP: Sunset On M./Strum I - Fear / FS: The Last Samurai (soundtrack) | 4T+3T | 8th | |
| Shunsuke Nakamura | Japan | Junior Worlds 2025 - 6th (225.69) | 11th | SP: Yesterday / FS: The Last Samurai (soundtrack) | 3A+3T | 37th | |
| Kazuki Tomono | Japan | 4CC 2025 - 4th (242.08) | 5th | SP: That's It (I'm Crazy) / FS: Halston | 3A+1Eu+3S | 20th | |
| Tatsuya Tsuboi | Japan | NHK Trophy 2024 - 3rd (251.52) | 3rd | SP: Anniversary / FS: Ruggero Leoncavallo medley | 4S+3T | 32nd | |
| Sota Yamamoto | Japan | Nebelhorn Trophy 2024 - 1st (262.72) | 10th | SP: Yesterday / FS: Hallelujah | 4T+3T | 15th | |
| Junhwan Cha | Republic of Korea | Asian Winter Games 2025 - 1st (281.69) | Asian Winter Games 2025 - 1st (281.69) | 1st | SP: Rain, In Your Black Eyes / FS: Moulin Rouge (soundtrack) | 3A+2A | 18th |
| Jaekeun Lee | Republic of Korea | JGP Riga Cup 2024 - 2nd (220.26, J) | Cranberry Cup 2025 - 10th (198.50) | 6th | SP: Il Postino (soundtrack) / FS: Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninov) | 3Lz+2A+2A | 56th |
| Sihyeong Lee | Republic of Korea | Asian Open Trophy 2024 - 1st (234.08) | 3rd | SP: Phantom of the Opera / FS: Le Bolero | 3Lo+2A+2A | 95th | |
| Goku Endo | USA | Denis Ten Memorial 2025 - 7th (203.03) | 14th | SP: Kaneda's Theme / FS: Golden Butterflies/Where's My Love | 3Lz+2A+2A | 99th | |
| Tomoki Hiwatashi | USA | NHK Trophy 2024 - 8th (226.38) | Cranberry Cup 2025 - 9th (201.66) | 6th | SP: Free Bird / FS: Creep | 3Lz+1Eu+3F | 55th |
| Jimmy Ma | USA | 4CC 2025 - 3rd (245.01) | Cranberry Cup 2025 - 7th (207.53) | 5th | SP: Firebird Suite/Witchdoctor / FS: Turandot | 4T+3T | 29th |
Ice Dance
| Team | Country | Notable Results 24/25 | Notable Results 25/26 | Nationals | Program Information | World Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alicia Fabbri / Paul Ayer | Canada | Tallinn Trophy 2024 - 4th (185.05) | 3rd | RD: Bombastic/Oh Carolina/Rock This Party / FD: Leave a Light On | 32nd | |
| Lily Hensen / Nathan Lickers | Canada | Tallinn Trophy 2024 - 9th (165.40) | Lake Placid 2025 - 7th (164.04) | 5th | RD: La Bomba/Maria/Livin' La Vida Loca / FD: Blues for Klook | |
| Marie-Jade Lauriault / Romain le Gac | Canada | Lake Placid 2024 - 1st (191.19) | Lake Placid 2025 - 2nd (187.08) | 4th | RD: Thunder/Cream / FD: Philippe Chany medley/Cleopatra's Song of the Nile/Edony/Alf Layla Wa Layla | 19th |
| Daniela Ivanitskiy / Matthew Sperry | Finland | Egna Dance Trophy 2025 - 12th (130.76) | 3rd | RD: Right Said Fred medley / FD: Volver | ||
| Utana Yoshida / Masaya Morita | Japan | Asian Winter Games 2025 - 1st (173.31) | 1st | RD: Stomp to my Beat/Butterfly / FD: Violin Fantasy | 45th | |
| Hannah Lim / Ye Quan | Republic of Korea | Warsaw Cup 2024 - 3rd (185.62) | Lake Placid 2025 - 3rd (180.56) | 1st | RD: Men In Black / FD: Adagio for Strings | 18th |
| Leah Neset / Artem Markelov | USA | Lake Placid 2024 - 4th (183.75) | 1st (J) | RD: Be My Lover/Say My Name/Everybody/Spice Up Your Life / FD: Napoleon (soundtrack) | 20th | |
| Emilea Zingas / Vadym Kolesnik | USA | Warsaw Cup 2024 - 2nd (196.07) | 4th | RD: Poison/Something In Your Eyes / FD: Romeo and Juliet | 10th |
