Eight U.S. Skaters Set to Shine at ISU Junior Grand Prix Italy 2025

The U.S. Junior National Team is poised to make waves at the third stop of the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) Series in Varese, Italy, from September 3-6, 2025. Eight talented athletes will represent the United States in men’s, women’s, and ice dance disciplines, showcasing their skills on an international stage. With no pairs event at this competition, these skaters are ready to chase medals and points toward the JGP Final in Nagoya, Japan, this December.

Women’s Competitors: Experience Meets Ambition

The U.S. women’s entries, Logan Higase-Chen and Annika Chao, bring seasoned expertise to the ice. Higase-Chen, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, makes her 2025-26 JGP debut in Varese. As the 2024 U.S. junior champion, she secured a top-10 finish at JGP Thailand last season and is aiming for a podium in her third JGP campaign (U.S. Figure Skating, 2025). Chao, hailing from Portland, Oregon, and training in Anaheim, California, is also in her third JGP season. Fresh off a silver medal at the 2025 Cranberry Cup International junior event, she’s poised for another strong showing (U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone, 2025). An X post cheered, “Annika’s Cranberry Cup performance was fire—ready for Italy!”

Men’s Competitors: Veteran and Newcomer

In the men’s event, Aleksandr Fegan and Nicholas Brooks carry the U.S. flag. Fegan, the 2023 U.S. junior men’s silver medalist from Little Falls, New Jersey, is a JGP veteran in his third season, chasing his first series medal after a near-podium fourth-place finish in Armenia in 2023 (U.S. Figure Skating, 2025). Brooks, from Phoenix, Arizona, makes his JGP debut but brings international experience, having earned silver at the 2023 Kings Cup International and bronze at the 2024 Trophy Metropole Nice Côte d’Azur (U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone, 2025). Fans on X are buzzing: “Nicholas Brooks is one to watch in Varese!”

Ice Dance: Rising Stars and Momentum

The ice dance teams, Jasmine Robertson with Chase Rohner and Annelise Stapert with Maxim Korotcov, bring fresh energy. Robertson (Nashville, Tennessee) and Rohner (Park City, Utah), who train in Novi, Michigan, made an impressive JGP debut with a bronze medal in Latvia two weeks ago, despite partnering only in January 2025 (U.S. Figure Skating, 2025). Stapert (Silver Spring, Maryland) and Korotcov (Gaithersburg, Maryland), training in Leesburg, Virginia, are coming off a fifth-place finish at JGP Turkey, eager to climb the ranks in their second consecutive event (U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone, 2025). An X user noted, “Jasmine and Chase’s chemistry is unreal for a new team!”

The Road to the JGP Final

The ISU Junior Grand Prix Series, launched in 1997, features seven events where athletes earn points toward the JGP Final, set for December 4-7, 2025, in Nagoya, Japan (ISU, 2024). Skaters compete in up to two events, with the top six in each discipline qualifying for the final (So You Want To Watch Figure Skating, 2025). Varese’s competition kicks off Thursday with the rhythm dance and men’s short program, followed by the women’s short program and free dance on Friday, and concludes with the men’s and women’s free skates on Saturday (U.S. Figure Skating, 2025). Fans can catch the action live on the ISU YouTube channel, a tradition since 2011 (ISU, 2024).

A Stage for Future Stars

With a mix of experience and fresh talent, these eight U.S. skaters are set to leave their mark in Varese. From Higase-Chen and Chao’s pursuit of women’s medals to Fegan and Brooks’ drive in the men’s event, and the ice dance teams’ rising momentum, the U.S. Junior National Team is ready to compete at the highest level.

Source: article by usfigureskating.org, published September 2, 2025.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer