Season 2 Premiere! New ISU Logo, Vision 2030, Tech Panel Drama & Offseason Chaos

In honor of following the ISU calendar of events and July 1 being the start of the new season, Tony and Thomas bring to you The Skating Session Season 2 premiere! We discuss the last month of updates in the figure skating world - from the unveiling of the new ISU logo to the 'Extraordinary' Congress, the USFS 'Shibutani Rule' update, the TES score minimums, comeback, injury, and retirement news, jump upgrades, coaching changes - it's all here!

Amber Glenn's Today Show interview can be found here:

Figure Skater Amber Glenn Open Up About Me...

In Episode 12 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu continue their analysis of the 2025–2026 Grand Prix assignments, this time focusing on pairs and ice dance. They examine the impact of high-profile comebacks from Olympic champions Sui & Han, as well as the Shibutanis and Fournier-Beaudry & Cizeron, and what those returns mean for the current competitive hierarchy.

They walk through each Grand Prix event, noting how assignments reflect federation strategy, Olympic positioning, and emerging rivalries. The discussion covers everything from internal national battles in the U.S. and Canada to the evolving dance field now disrupted by returning legends. They also highlight logistical quirks, like the scarcity of spots in pairs and the underassignment of several championship medallist teams.

Tony and Thomas unpack what the fall matchups may foreshadow for the Olympic season. The episode closes with commentary on media narratives, judging politics, and a preview of summer content, including retrospective deep dives into the origins of the Grand Prix series.

In Episode 11 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu dive deep into the 2025–2026 Grand Prix assignments for men and women. They walk through the ISU grids event by event, analyzing key matchups, surprise omissions, and the stakes for Olympic qualification. From comeback skaters like Sui and Han to high-stakes U.S. men's rivalries and the crowded Japanese women's field, they break down what to expect across each Grand Prix stop.

They explore the implications of the ISU's assignment rules, the strategic use of TBD slots, and how federations may be angling for second spots or holding back for summer monitoring. Key themes include the unpredictability of fields, internal national battles for Olympic berths, and how consistency and fall season performances could shape the Grand Prix Final lineup.

This episode is packed with technical context, roster breakdowns, and forward-looking speculation as the 2025–2026 figure skating season begins to take shape. Follow the link below to see the assignments!

https://isu-skating.com/figure-skating/events/isu-grand-prix/