Lombardia Trophy 2025: U.S. Stars Shine in Bergamo

From September 11-14, 2025, the IceLab Arena in Bergamo, Italy, transforms into a dazzling stage for the 2025 Lombardia Trophy, the fourth stop of the 2025-26 ISU Challenger Series. This thrilling figure skating competition brings together some of the sport’s brightest talents, with eight U.S. athletes, including World champions Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu, launching their competitive seasons with flair. Expect breathtaking quads, mesmerizing spins, and fierce competition as skaters vie for glory. Here’s everything you need to know about this weekend’s showdown and the Team USA stars ready to light up the ice.

What is the Lombardia Trophy?

Held at the IceLab Arena in Bergamo, the Lombardia Trophy is a premier international figure skating event sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). As the fourth of 11 stops in the 2025-26 Challenger Series, it features senior-level competitions in men’s singles, women’s singles, and ice dance, alongside a separate international pairs event not part of the Challenger Series. Running from September 11-14, 2025, the event allows skaters to earn ISU World Standing Points, Minimum Total Technical Scores, and prize money, all vital for preparing for Grand Prix and ISU Championship events. This is outlined in Golden Skate, May 16, 2025, and U.S. Figure Skating, September 12, 2024.

The Challenger Series, launched by the ISU in 2014, offers senior-level skaters international platforms to refine their skills and build momentum. With U.S. athletes competing at all 11 events this season, the Lombardia Trophy is a crucial early test for Team USA’s ambitions. U.S. Figure Skating, September 12, 2024.

Team USA’s Stellar Lineup

Eight U.S. skaters are set to captivate Bergamo, blending veteran expertise with youthful energy. Leading the charge are World champions Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu, both kicking off their 2025-26 seasons with high expectations. Here’s who’s representing Team USA:

• Women:
  • Alysa Liu: A reigning world champion, Liu is renowned for her artistry and technical brilliance. She’ll face tough competition from skaters like 2024 World bronze medalist Kim Chaeyeon and Japan’s Rion Sumiyoshi. Olympics, September 9, 2025.
  • Sarah Everhardt: Fresh off a fourth-place finish at last year’s U.S. Nationals and a victory at the Cranberry Cup, Everhardt is poised to impress with her dynamic programs. Scoreography, October 6, 2024.

• Men:
  • Ilia Malinin: Nicknamed the “Quad God,” Malinin’s gravity-defying jumps have redefined men’s skating. He’ll compete against Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama, two-time European champion Adam Siao Him Fa, and Italy’s Nikolaj Memola in a stacked field. Olympics, September 9, 2025.
  • Maxim Naumov: A rising star, Naumov aims to make his mark against top international talent. So You Want to Watch FS, September 8, 2025.

• Ice Dance:
  • Eva Pate and Logan Bye: This duo brings elegance and precision, ready to shine in a competitive ice dance field. So You Want to Watch FS, September 8, 2025.
  • Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski: Known for their chemistry, they’re set to challenge top teams, including 2025 World Junior champions Noemi Tali and Noah Lafornara. So You Want to Watch FS, September 8, 2025.

The U.S. skaters join a star-studded roster featuring Japan’s Kao Miura and Shun Sato in men’s singles, Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann and Rino Matsuike in women’s singles, and top pairs like Sara Conti/Niccolò Macii and Lucrezia Beccari/Matteo Guarise in the non-Challenger pairs event. So You Want to Watch FS, September 8, 2025.

Schedule and Viewing Information

The Lombardia Trophy runs from September 11-14, 2025, with all times in Central European Summer Time (UTC+2). The competition includes short programs and free skates for men’s and women’s singles, rhythm and free dances for ice dance, and a separate pairs event. Fans can find the detailed schedule and live results on the ISU results page. The action streams live on Ice Stars TV, with Italian viewers able to watch on RaiPlay Sport 2. Olympics, September 9, 2025.

Key Highlights:

• The men’s event is a showstopper, with Malinin, Kagiyama, and Siao Him Fa creating what fans call an “Olympic preview.” A Golden Skate forum post raved, “Holy cow, the men’s field. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an early event this stacked.” Golden Skate, May 16, 2025.
• The women’s competition features Liu against Kim Chaeyeon and Sumiyoshi, promising a clash of artistry and technical skill. So You Want to Watch FS, September 8, 2025.
• Ice dance spotlights rising stars like Tali/Lafornara, with U.S. teams Pate/Bye and Wolfkostin/Tsarevski ready to make their mark. Olympics, September 9, 2025.

Why the Lombardia Trophy Matters

The Lombardia Trophy is a vital proving ground for skaters preparing for the 2025-26 Grand Prix season and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. It awards ISU World Standing Points, which influence skater rankings, and helps athletes meet Minimum Total Technical Scores for major championships. Golden Skate, May 16, 2025. For Team USA, it’s a chance to set the tone for a season of dominance across all 11 Challenger Series events.

Last season, U.S. skater Amber Glenn claimed gold at Lombardia with a personal-best short program featuring a triple axel, setting a high standard for this year’s competitors. Scoreography, October 6, 2024. Malinin and Liu, supported by Everhardt, Naumov, and the ice dance teams, aim to carry that momentum forward.

What to Watch For

The men’s field is generating major excitement, with Malinin’s quad-heavy programs facing off against Kagiyama’s elegance and Siao Him Fa’s consistency. The women’s event promises a thrilling battle, with Liu’s artistry clashing with Kim Chaeyeon’s technical prowess. In ice dance, Pate/Bye and Wolfkostin/Tsarevski will look to assert themselves, while the pairs event adds extra flair with Italy’s top teams.

With Bergamo’s IceLab Arena as the backdrop, the Lombardia Trophy 2025 is set to deliver unforgettable performances. Whether you’re cheering for Malinin’s quads, Liu’s lyrical brilliance, or Team USA’s rising stars, this weekend is a must-watch chapter in the figure skating season. Tune in and witness the future of the sport take flight.

Source: article on usfigureskatingfanzone.com, published September 9, 2025.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer