Lombardia Trophy 2026: U.S. Skaters Head to Bergamo

Taira Shinohara © Pinterest 

The 2026–27 figure skating season is moving deeper into its early international phase, with the Lombardia Trophybringing senior competition to Bergamo, Italy, from September 17–20.

The event is the fourth stop of the 2026–27 ISU Challenger Series and will feature senior men’s, women’s and ice dance competitions. An international pairs event is also scheduled at the same venue, although it is separate from the Challenger Series.

Eight athletes from the United States are set to compete, including two men and three ice dance teams.

Eight Americans Take the Ice

The U.S. men’s field in Bergamo includes Daniel Martynov and Taira Shinohara.

They will be joined by three American ice dance teams:

• Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville
• Amy Cui and Jonathan Rogers
• Caroline Mullen and Brendan Mullen

The three U.S. ice dance teams give American fans plenty to follow throughout the weekend, while Martynov and Shinohara will face an international field in the men’s event.

The competition is taking place at ICELAB Arena in Bergamo, which will welcome athletes from 20 nations and four continents across the event.

Why the Challenger Series Matters

The ISU Challenger Series sits between the biggest championship events and the regular international competition calendar. Its senior events give skaters opportunities to compete internationally, collect valuable ranking points and gain experience before the Grand Prix and ISU Championships later in the season.

The 2026–27 calendar contains 13 Challenger Series events, beginning in August and continuing into February 2027. Lombardia Trophy is the fourth event on that calendar.

That makes Bergamo an important early-season checkpoint. New programs are still being tested, technical elements are being refined and skaters are beginning to establish their competitive rhythm.

Lombardia Trophy 2026 Schedule

The official competition schedule is spread across three days of skating, with the first sessions beginning on Friday.

All times below are local time in Bergamo, Italy (UTC+2).

Friday, September 18

13:30 — Women’s Short Program

The women’s competition opens the main schedule with the short program. Skaters will be looking to establish a strong first score before Saturday’s free skating.

16:15 — Men’s Short Program

The men then take the ice for their short programs, including U.S. representatives Daniel Martynov and Taira Shinohara.

Saturday, September 19

13:30 — Ice Dance Rhythm Dance

The ice dance competition begins with the rhythm dance. All three U.S. teams — Bratti/Somerville, Cui/Rogers and Mullen/Mullen — are scheduled to compete.

16:00 — Women’s Free Skating

The women return for their free programs, with the final standings decided by the combined scores from the short program and free skate.

Sunday, September 20

13:30 — Men’s Free Skating

The final men’s segment begins on Sunday afternoon. The competitors will attempt to deliver complete free programs and finish the event with their strongest possible total.

15:30 — Ice Dance Free Dance

The competition concludes with the ice dance free dance. The final scores will combine the rhythm dance and free dance results to determine the overall podium.

The published schedule is subject to change.

A Busy Start to the Season

Lombardia Trophy arrives at a particularly active point in the international skating calendar.

The Challenger Series is running alongside the Junior Grand Prix, while the senior Grand Prix season will begin in October. The Grand Prix series will eventually lead to the Grand Prix Final in December, followed by the major ISU Championships later in the season.

For the skaters in Bergamo, that makes every performance useful. A Challenger event can reveal how a new program works under competition conditions, where technical mistakes appear and what still needs to be adjusted before the biggest events arrive.

For the eight U.S. athletes, Lombardia Trophy is therefore not simply an early-season competition. It is another chance to establish themselves internationally and build momentum for the months ahead.

With three American ice dance teams, two U.S. men and a wide international field, Bergamo is set for an exciting weekend of figure skating.

Source: article on usfigureskating.org, published September 16, 2026.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer