The Skating Session

Tony and Thomas break down Day 2 of the Skate to Milano Olympic Qualifier in Beijing. First look at the men’s short program: what Petr Gumennik showed in form and scoring as a neutral athlete, where Donovan Carrillo sits after a crowd‑pleasing skate, and why a six‑point logjam from fourth through eleventh sets up chaos for the free skate. Surprises from Monaco, Ukraine, Germany, and Chinese Taipei...

Tony and Thomas recap Day 1 of the Skate to Milano Olympic Qualification Event from Beijing: the rhythm dance, pairs short, and women’s short, then tee up the men. They explain how a standalone qualifier reshapes strategy, who gained real Olympic leverage, and where citizenship clocks may keep doors open a little longer. Ice dance gets a full read: four spots in play, why the PCS/ordinal spread lo...

Tony and Thomas are back with another episode of The Skating Session! We highlight many of the new program announcements, especially from team Japan after debuting short programs at Dreams on Ice. Bradie Tennell, Amber Glenn, Kevin Aymoz, Daniel Grassl, Jimmy Ma, Conti & Macii and Chock & Bates are among the many skaters discussed. We also have highly differing opinions (a rarity!) on some...

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 'Shi...

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...

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...

In Episode 10 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu share their chaotic experience securing tickets to the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships in Prague. From middle-of-the-night login attempts and error messages to frantic screen refreshes and surprise Apple Pay saves, they walk through the highs and lows of navigating Ticketportal. This special episode is a candid look at what i...

In Episode 9 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu explore the new rhythm dance requirements for the 2026 Olympic season, centered on a '90s dance party' theme. They break down the removal of compulsory patterns for seniors, the shift toward vibes-based judging, and the implications for technical merit in ice dance. They discuss the allowance of AI-generated music and debate whether i...

In Episode 8 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu unpack the announcement of eligible neutral athletes for the 2026 Winter Olympics, with a focus on Russian and Belarusian figure skaters who cleared the IOC screening process. They explore what the absence of Russian pairs and ice dance teams means for Olympic qualification, assess the chances of approved skaters like Adeliia Petrosia...

In Episode 7 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu dive into the shock return of Olympic bronze medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani, who have announced a comeback after seven years away from competition. They break down the potential impact on the domestic and international ice dance field, evaluate the strengths and challenges of returning elite athletes, and discuss what this means fo...

In Episode 6 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu wrap up their coverage of the 2025 World Team Trophy and reflect on the conclusion of the figure skating season. They offer insight on the final day’s events, including the women's free skate and the pairs free skate, and evaluate standout moments, scoring controversies, and the impact of skater fatigue. They discuss team strategies,...

In Episode 5 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu recap Day Two of the 2025 World Team Trophy, featuring the pairs short program, free dance, and men’s free skate. They reflect on standout performances, surprising scores, and the overall energy of the event as the season winds down. The episode covers athlete fatigue, evolving team dynamics, and the ebb and flow of program quality ac...

In Episode 4 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu dive into Day One of the 2025 World Team Trophy in Japan. They explore highlights, unexpected performances, and intriguing storylines emerging as top skaters like Jason Brown, Ilia Malinin, Kaori Sakamoto, and new world champion Alysa Liu take to the ice. They discuss the atmosphere of the competition, evaluate standout moments and te...

In the final episode of The Skating Session 's 2025 Worlds trilogy, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu break down the men's competition and then launch into a comprehensive discussion on what figure skating needs to fix—structurally, competitively, and aesthetically. From Ilia Malinin’s dominance and artistry gap to the rise of Mikhail Shaidorov, Yuma Kagiyama’s generational brilliance, and the redemption...

In Episode 2 of The Skating Session , Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu take a comprehensive look at the pairs and ice dance events at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships. They unpack the medal races, choreographic trends, and evolving judging standards, offering sharp, rule-informed commentary on everything from Miura/Kihara’s controversial win and Hase/Volodin’s rising dominance to the emotiona...

In the debut episode of The Skating Session , hosts Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu—Millennial superfans of the sport since the '90s—break down their experience attending the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston. They discuss the event’s logistics, fan engagement, organizational highs and lows, and innovative changes to presentation and format. Then, they dive into the women’s competition:...