Final Junior Grand Prix Event This Week In Istanbul, Turkey

Colorado Springs, Colo. (October 13, 2009) - Eight athletes will represent the United States at the final event of the 2009 International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix (JGP) of Figure Skating Series Oct. 14-18 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The event, which will be held at the Istanbul Ice Rink, begins Thursday, Oct. 15 with the compulsory dance and ladies and men's short programs. Official practice will take place Wednesday. Eight athletes will represent the United States at the event in three disciplines: ladies, men's and ice dancing.

The Junior Grand Prix Series, now in its 13^th season, consists of eight international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Approximately 400 athletes representing more than 35 countries are expected to participate in the series. Each athlete is eligible to score points in two of the eight scheduled events (pairs can compete in two of four designated events). The top eight point-earners in each of the disciplines qualify for the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Dec. 3-6 in Tokyo, Japan.

LADIES

Kiri Baga, the 2009 U.S. novice champion, won gold this month at her first-ever JGP event, in Dresden, Germany. Joining Baga is 2009 U.S. junior bronze medalist Christina Gao, who took home bronze in her JGP Series debut last month in Poland.

MEN

This will be Austin Kanallakan's 11^th JGP event. Kanallakan, who collected silver last month at JGP Poland, has won six medals in the JGP Series and advanced to the Junior Grand Prix Final three times, winning the silver in 2006. Kanallakan will be joined by Joshua Farris, who is making his second JGP appearance this season. The reigning U.S. novice champion took fourth last month at JGP Lake Placid.

ICE DANCING

Anastasia Cannuscio and Colin McManus competed at their first JGP Series event last month in Belarus, where they placed seventh. This will be the sixth JGP event for Isabella Cannuscio and Ian Lorello, who won the bronze medal last month at JGP Poland. Last year the pair placed fourth at JGP Belarus and fifth at JGP in Italy.

In addition to Istanbul, Turkey, the Junior Grand Prix Series consists of one remaining event:

• JGP Final: Tokyo, Japan - Dec. 3-6

 U.S. ENTRIES AT JGP TURKEY

 

DISCIPLINE	NAME	HOMETOWN	TRAINING TOWN
Ladies	Kiri Baga Christina Gao	Bloomington, Minn. Cincinnati, Ohio	Bloomington, Minn. Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Men	Joshua Farris Austin Kanallakan	Colorado Springs, Colo. Lake Arrowhead, Calif.	Colorado Springs, Colo. Artesia, Calif.
Ice Dancing	Anastasia Cannuscio Colin McManus	Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Saugus, Mass.	Newark, Del.
	Isabella Cannuscio Ian Lorello	Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Gambrills, Md.	Newark, Del.

- U.S. Figure Skating - 

U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union. U.S. Figure Skating is comprised of more than 700 member clubs, collegiate clubs, and school-affiliated clubs and over 900 registered Basic Skills skating schools representing approximately 170,000 members. U.S. Figure Skating is charged with the development of the sport on all levels within the United States  including athletes, officials, sanctioning of events and exhibitions, and establishing the rules and guidelines by which the sport is governed.

Tags: Junior Grand Prix, U.S. Figure Skating