The ISU Skating Awards is an annual awards ceremony organized by the International Skating Union (ISU) to recognize outstanding achievements in Figure Skating.[1] The awards are presented in a variety of categories: Most Entertaining Program, Most Valuable Skater, Special Achievement, Lifetime Achievement, Best Coach, Best Choreographer, Best Costume, Best Newcomer.[1]

ISU Skating Awards
LocationZürich
CountrySwitzerland
Presented byInternational Skating Union
First awarded2020
Websitewww.isu.org/figure-skating/isu-skating-awards/

A long list of candidates is selected by a Selection Commission which is submitted to a public and media vote. The public vote counts for 2/3 while the media vote counts for 1/3.

Following the public / media vote, three nominees in each category are announced and finally the Award winners are decided by an expert international jury in six categories.[2] The winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Special Achievement Award are decided by a Selection Commission and not submitted to the public / media vote.

The Awards Ceremony was held online for the first three edition. However, the 2023 ceremony was a standalone event in Zürich, Switzerland for an on-ice live show in partnership with Art on Ice and live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube channel.

As the 2020/2021 editions were exclusively live streamed, and the 2022 edition postponed, the 2023 ISU Skating Awards took place at the Hallenstadion in Zürich in partnership with Art on Ice.[3]

History edit

The ISU Skating Awards was first announced in 2020. It was created to recognize the outstanding achievements of Figure Skaters from around the world.

The inaugural ISU Skating Awards was initially planned to be held in Montreal, Canada, in conjunction with the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020[4] which were subsequently cancelled due to the global pandemic.[5] It was therefore held online and hosted by Tanith White and Charlie White.[5] The following categories have been presented throughout the years[6]

  • Most Valuable Skater
  • Most Entertaining Program
  • Best Newcomer
  • Best Costume
  • Best Coach
  • Best Choreographer
  • Lifetime Achievement
  • Special Achievement (since 2023)

The ISU Skating Awards has continued to grow in popularity in subsequent years.

Winners edit

The following lists detail ISU Skating Awards winners to date.

2020 edit

Award Winner(s)[7] Other nominees[7]
Most Valuable Skater   Yuzuru Hanyu   Nathan Chen
  Gabriella Papadakis / Guillaume Cizeron
Most Entertaining Program   Gabriella Papadakis / Guillaume Cizeron   Evgenia Medvedeva
  Kévin Aymoz
Best Newcomer   Alena Kostornaia   Alexandra Trusova
  Young You
Best Costume   Madison Chock / Evan Bates   Yuzuru Hanyu
  Anna Shcherbakova
Best Coach   Eteri Tutberidze   Rafael Arutyunyan
  Brian Orser
Best Choreographer   Shae-Lynn Bourne   Marie-France Dubreuil
  Lori Nichol
Lifetime Achievement   Kurt Browning

2021 edit

Award Winner(s)[8] Other nominees[8]
Lifetime Achievement   Tamara Moskvina
  Alexei Mishin
  Jayne Torvill / Christopher Dean

2022 edit

  • Awards postponed[3]

2023 edit

Award Winner(s)[9] Other nominees[9]
Most Valuable Skater   Nathan Chen   Gabriella Papadakis / Guillaume Cizeron
  Anna Shcherbakova
Most Entertaining Program   Gabriella Papadakis / Guillaume Cizeron   Donovan Carrillo
  Yuzuru Hanyu
Best Newcomer   Isabeau Levito   Niina Petrõkina
  Rinka Watanabe
Best Costume   Madison Chock / Evan Bates   Yuzuru Hanyu
  Loena Hendrickx
Best Coach   Patrice Lauzon   Rafael Arutyunyan
  Stéphane Lambiel
Best Choreographer   Shae-Lynn Bourne   Benoît Richaud
  Marie-France Dubreuil
Special Achievement   Ilia Malinin
Lifetime Achievement   Katarina Witt

2024 edit

Award Winner(s)[10] Other nominees[10]
Most Valuable Skater   Ilia Malinin   Kaori Sakamoto
  Shoma Uno
Most Entertaining Program   Adam Siao Him Fa   Kevin Aymoz
  Lilah Fear / Lewis Gibson
Best Newcomer   Hana Yoshida   Nina Pinzarrone
  Kimmy Repond
Best Costume   Loena Hendrickx   Madison Chock / Evan Bates
  Lee Hae-in
Best Coach   Mie Hamada   Stéphane Lambiel
  Sonoko Nakano
Best Choreographer   Benoît Richaud   Shae-Lynn Bourne
  Stéphane Lambiel
Special Achievement   Deanna Stellato-Dudek
Lifetime Achievement   Brian Orser

Wins per country (2020–2024) edit

Country Wins
  United States 6
  Canada 6
  Russia 4
  France 4
  Japan 3
  Germany 1
  United Kingdom 1
  Belgium 1

Jurors edit

The ISU Skating Awards jury is made up of six jurors each of whom is a former Figure Skating Champion.[5]

Year Jurors
2020 Eric Radford (CAN)[5]

Lu Chen (CHN)[5]

Surya Bonaly (FRA)[5]

Miki Ando (JPN)[5]

Tatyana Navka (RUS)[5]

Todd Eldredge (USA)[5]

2021 -
2022 -
2023 Eric Radford (CAN)[2]

Kiira Korpi (FIN)[2]

Surya Bonaly (FRA)[2]

Miki Ando (JPN)[2]

Christopher Dean (GBR)[2]

Todd Eldredge (USA)[2]

2024 Miki Ando (JPN)[11]

Brian Boitano (USA)[11]

Surya Bonaly (FRA)[11]

Lu Chen (CHN)[11]

Laura Lepisto (FIN)[11]

Andrew Poje (CAN)[11]

Special Guests edit

Each year the ISU Skating Awards features a special performance from a star guest.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "ISU Skating Awards to be launched in 2020". www.insidethegames.biz. 2019-10-28. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Team USA Wins Big at ISU Skating Awards". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. 2023-02-05. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  3. ^ a b "ISU Skating Awards". www.isu.org. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  4. ^ "Eli Rose, Cirque Éloize and Momento Sounds to perform at the ISU Skating Awards". Skate Canada. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "What we learned from the first ISU Skating Awards". Olympics. 12 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Eli Rose, Cirque Éloize and Momento Sounds to perform at the ISU Skating Awards". Skate Canada. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  7. ^ a b "Hall of Fame 2020". International Skating Union. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  8. ^ a b "Hall of Fame 2021". International Skating Union. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  9. ^ a b "Hall of Fame 2023". International Skating Union. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  10. ^ a b "Hall of Fame 2024". International Skating Union. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "ISU Skating Awards How". www.isu.org. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  12. ^ "Aloe Blacc to perform his new single at the ISU Skating Awards - International Skating Union". isu.org. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  13. ^ Skating Union, International. "ISU Lifetime Achievement Award recipients revealed". International Skating Union. p. 3.