by Matteo Morelli

The ISU Figure Skating Junior World Championships 2026 are coming back to Tallinn, Estonia, from March 3 to 8, marking the fourth time the event has been held there, with the first edition taking place in 2015.

Thirty teams will take the ice in this year’s ice dance competition, representing twenty-three countries. All medallists from last year, including the reigning champions Noemi Maria Tali and Noah Lafornara of Italy, are no longer competing as junior teams this season.

The Medal Hunt

After finishing seventh at Junior Worlds last season, USA’s Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin are enjoying an incredibly successful season, beginning with two Junior Grand Prix victories in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, which led to their qualification for the Junior Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan. They won the Final by a comfortable margin. In January, they claimed their second consecutive U.S. junior title, confirming their leadership in the junior field. They will skate their rhythm dance to “Vogue” by Madonna, which is one of the strongest programs to this music this season, and their free dance to music by Trailerhead.

France’s Ambre Perrier Gianesini and Samuel Blanc Klaperman finished tenth at Junior Worlds last year. This season, they won the Junior Grand Prix in Azerbaijan, and with a silver medal at their second event, they qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where they captured silver. They became the second French team to medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final since Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron won silver in 2012.

Ukraine’s Iryna Pidgaina and Artem Koval narrowly missed both the Junior Grand Prix Final and the Junior Worlds podium last season. This year, they have continued to demonstrate their talent, winning both of their Junior Grand Prix assignments in Turkey and Poland and earning bronze at the Junior Grand Prix Final. Their medal marked Ukraine’s first podium finish at the Junior Grand Prix Final in 26 years.

Dania Mouaden and Théo Bigot are the other French team competing at these Junior Worlds. So far this season, they have collected silver medals at both of their Junior Grand Prix assignments, qualifying for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where they finished fourth.

Canada’s Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys finished fifth at the Junior Grand Prix Final, qualifying after winning the Junior Grand Prix of Latvia and earning silver at their second assignment.

Jasmine Robertson and Chase Rohner are the other American team competing in Tallinn. They placed sixth at the Junior Grand Prix Final after winning the Junior Grand Prix of Italy and earning bronze at their other event.

Event Info

Teams have official practices beginning Tuesday, March 3. The rhythm dance kicks off on Friday, March 6, at 1:00 p.m. (EET), while the free dance takes place on Saturday, March 7, at 11:30 a.m. (EET).