2026 CS Kinoshita Group Cup

The ISU Challenger Series was introduced in 2014. It is a series of international figure skating competitions sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU) and organized by ISU member nations. The objective was to ensure consistent organization and structure within a series of international competitions linked together, providing opportunities for senior-level skaters to compete at the international level and also earn ISU World Standing points.^[1] The 2026–27 Challenger Series consists of eleven events, of which the Kinoshita Group Cup is the second. The 2026 Kinoshita Group Cup will be held at the Tokyo Tatsumi Ice Arena in Tokyo, Japan, from September 4 to 6, 2026.^[2]

On June 30, 2026, the ISU announced that figure skaters from Russia and Belarus would be allowed to compete at international competitions as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs).^[3] Each skater was required to undergo an individual assessment conducted by the ISU Council to determine whether they met the criteria for neutral status. These requirements included having not previously taken active part in the war in Ukraine, as well as having not actively and publicly supported the war. As AINs, Russian and Belarusian skaters were required to compete without items of state recognition such as their national flags or anthems.^[4]

The International Skating Union published the preliminary list of entrants on August 10, 2026.^[5][6][7][8]

Skaters are judged according to the required technical elements of their program (such as jumps and spins), as well as the overall presentation of their program, based on three program components (skating skills, presentation, and composition). Each technical element in a figure skating performance is assigned a predetermined base point value and scored by a panel of nine judges on a scale from −5 to +5 based on the quality of its execution.^[16] Each Grade of Execution (GOE) from –5 to +5 is assigned a value as indicated on the Scale of Values.^[17][15] For example, a triple Axel is worth a base value of 8.00 points, and a GOE of +3 is worth 2.40 points, so a triple Axel with a GOE of +3 earns 10.40 points.^[17] The judging panel's GOE for each element is determined by calculating the trimmed mean (the average after discarding the highest and lowest scores). The panel's scores for all elements are added together to generate a Total Elements Score.^[18] At the same time, the judges evaluate each performance based on the five aforementioned program components and assign each a score from 0.25 to 10 in 0.25-point increments. The judging panel's final score for each program component is also determined by calculating the trimmed mean. Those scores are then multiplied by the factor shown on the chart below; the results are added together to generate a total Program Component Score.^[19]

Deductions are applied for certain violations, such as time infractions, stops and restarts, or falls.^[20] The Total Elements Score and Program Component Score are then added together, minus any deductions, to generate a final performance score for each skater or team.^[21]