2025 Cup of China

The 2025 Cup of China is a figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). Organized and hosted by the Chinese Skating Association (simplified Chinese: 中国滑冰协会; traditional Chinese: 中國滑冰協會), it was the second event of the 2025–26 Grand Prix of Figure Skating: a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held from 24 to 26 October at the Chongqing Huaxi Culture and Sports Center in Chongqing. Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earned points based on their results, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline at the end of the season will be invited to then compete at the 2025–26 Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan. Shun Sato of Japan won the men's event, Amber Glenn of the United States won the women's event, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia won the pairs event, and Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States won the ice dance event.

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating is a series of seven events sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU) and held during the autumn: six qualifying events and the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. This allows skaters to perfect their programs earlier in the season, as well as compete against the skaters whom they would later encounter at the World Championships. Skaters earn points based on their results in their respective competitions and after the six qualifying events, the top skaters or teams in each discipline are invited to compete at the Grand Prix Final.^[1] The Cup of China debuted as a Grand Prix event in 2003 as a replacement for the Bofrost Cup on Ice.^[2] The Cup of China has been interrupted three times in its history: in 2018 when the Chinese Skating Association elected to forgo hosting any international skating events in order to prepare its venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics,^[3] and then in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4][5]

The 2025 Cup of China was the second event of the 2025–26 Grand Prix of Figure Skating series,^[6] and was held from 24 to 26 October at the Chongqing Huaxi Culture and Sports Center in Chongqing.^[7]

The International Skating Union published the initial list of entrants on 6 June 2025.^[8]

Men and women competing in single skating performed their short programs on Friday, 24 October.^[7] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds,^[20] the short program had to include the following elements:

For men: one double or triple Axel; one triple or quadruple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, two triple jumps, or a quadruple jump and a double jump or triple jump; one flying spin; one camel spin or sit spin with a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and a step sequence using the full ice surface.^[21]

For women: one double or triple Axel; one triple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, or two triple jumps; one flying spin; one layback spin, sideways leaning spin, camel spin, or sit spin without a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and one step sequence using the full ice surface.^[21]

Men and women performed their free skates on Saturday, 25 October.^[7] The free skate could last no more than 4 minutes,^[20] and had to include the following: seven jump elements, of which one had to be an Axel-type jump; three spins, of which one had to be a spin combination, one a flying spin, and one a spin with only one position; a step sequence; and a choreographic sequence.^[22]

Couples competing in pair skating performed their short programs on Friday, 24 October.^[7] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds,^[20] the short program had to include the following elements: one pair lift, one double or triple twist lift, one double or triple throw jump, one double or triple solo jump, one solo spin combination with a change of foot, one death spiral, and a step sequence using the full ice surface.^[23]

Couples performed their free skates on Saturday, 25 October.^[7] The free skate could last no more than 4 minutes,^[20] and had to include the following: three pair lifts, of which one has to be a twist lift; two different throw jumps; one solo jump; one jump combination or sequence; one pair spin combination; one death spiral; and a choreographic sequence.^[24]

Couples competing in ice dance performed their rhythm dances on Friday, 24 October.^[7] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 50 seconds,^[20] the theme of the rhythm dance this season was "music, dance styles, and feeling of the 1990s".^[25] Examples of applicable dance styles and music included, but were not limited to: pop, Latin, house, techno, hip-hop, and grunge. The rhythm dance had to include the following elements: one pattern dance step sequence, one choreographic rhythm sequence, one dance lift, one set of sequential twizzles, and one step sequence.^[25]

Couples then performed their free dances on Saturday, 25 October.^[7] The free dance could last no longer than 4 minutes,^[20] and had to include the following: three dance lifts, one dance spin, one set of synchronized twizzles, one step sequence in hold, one step sequence while on one skate and not touching, and three choreographic elements.^[25]

All of the technical elements in any figure skating performance – such as jumps and spins – were assigned a predetermined base value and then scored by a panel of nine judges on a scale from –5 to 5 based on their quality of execution.^[26] Every Grade of Execution (GOE) from –5 to 5 is assigned a value (a percentage of the element's base value) as shown on the Scale of Values (SOV).^[27] For example, a triple Axel was worth a base value of 8.00 points, and a GOE of 3 was worth 2.40 points, so a triple Axel with a GOE of 3 earned 10.40 points.^[28] The judging panel's GOE for each element was determined by calculating the trimmed mean (the average after discarding the highest and lowest scores). The panel's scores for all elements were added together to generate a total elements score.^[27] At the same time, the judges evaluated each performance based on three program components – skating skills, presentation, and composition – and assigned a score from 0.25 to 10 in 0.25-point increments.^[29] The judging panel's final score for each program component was also determined by calculating the trimmed mean. Those scores were then multiplied by the factor shown on the following chart; the results were added together to generate a total program component score.^[30]

Deductions were applied for certain violations like time infractions, stops and restarts, or falls.^[32] The total element score and total program component score were added together, minus any deductions, to generate a final performance score for each skater or team.^[33]

Shun Sato of Japan won the men's event; his free skate was "faultless" and included a quadruple Lutz and two quadruple toe loops.^[35] Daniel Grassl of Italy finished in second place with a free skate performance that included a quadruple Lutz, a quadruple loop, a quadruple Salchow, and two triple Axels.^[36] Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan finished in third place. "I am satisfied with my skate, even though I was a bit nervous. There were some small mistakes, but I didn't really feel them myself," Shaidorov stated.^[37]

Amber Glenn and Alysa Liu, both of the United States, won the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the women's event. Glenn, who won the 2024 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, successfully performed a triple Axel in both the short program and free skate. "I’m just really happy with the overall results and showing the consistency that I’ve been working on with my team in practice every day," Glenn stated afterward.^[39] Liu, who won the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships, had been in first place after the short program, but stumbled on a triple Lutz, allowing Glenn to surpass her.^[39] Rinka Watanabe of Japan finished in third place despite falling on her opening triple jump combination.^[35]

Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia scored a new personal best in their short program, finishing first in both segments, despite a fall on the final jump of their triple Salchow-double Axel-double Axel jump sequence. "I’m glad we fought for this gold medal and didn’t give up after the mistake on the jump," Berulava stated afterward.^[41] Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China, gold medalists at the 2022 Winter Olympics, returned to competition after a three-year retirement. They placed third in the short program after Sui fell on her opening jump,^[42] and ultimately finished third after the free skate. "I wasn’t nervous today. It’s true, we haven’t competed for a long time, but I really enjoyed that," Sui stated afterward.^[41]

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States, three-time World Championship gold medalists, won the ice dance event in their Grand Prix debut, while Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, also of the United States, finished in second place. "It felt really good to perform our flamenco for the first time here," Chock stated afterward. "We feel like this was a great start to our season and we're excited to get back home and bring more work before Skate America."^[44] Caroline Green and Michael Parsons of the United States, who had been in seventh place after the rhythm dance, withdrew from the competition after sustaining an injury.^[45]

• "Special Regulations & Technical Rules – Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance 2024" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 June 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.

• Official website