ISU Junior Grand Prix in the Czech Republic

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) was established by the International Skating Union (ISU) in 1997 and consists of a series of seven international figure skating competitions exclusively for junior-level skaters. The locations of the Junior Grand Prix events change every year. While all seven competitions feature the men's, women's, and ice dance events, only four competitions each season feature the pairs event. Skaters earn points based on their results each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are then invited to compete at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.^[1]

Skaters are eligible to compete on the junior-level circuit if they are at least 13 years old before 1 July of the respective season, but not yet 19 (for single skaters), 21 (for men and women in ice dance and women in pair skating), or 23 (for men in pair skating).^[2] Competitors are chosen by their respective skating federations. The number of entries allotted to each ISU member nation in each discipline is determined by their results at the prior World Junior Figure Skating Championships.^[3]

The Czech Republic hosted its first Junior Grand Prix competition – also known as the Czech Skate – in 1999 in Ostrava. Fedor Andreev and Marianne Dubuc, both of Canada, won the men's and women's events, respectively. Julia Shapiro and Alexei Sokolov of Russia won the pairs event, and Kristina Kobaladze and Oleg Voyko of Ukraine won the ice dance event.^[4]

The Czech Republic hosted the 2005 Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final – the culminating event of the Junior Grand Prix series – in Ostrava. Takahiko Kozuka of Japan won the men's event, Yuna Kim of South Korea won the women's event, Valeria Simakova and Anton Tokarev of Russia won the pairs event, and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada won the ice dance event.^[5]

The ISU officially cancelled all scheduled Junior Grand Prix events for the 2020–21 season, which included the 2020 Czech Skate, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing increased travel and entry requirements between countries and potentially excessive sanitary and health care costs for those hosting competitions.^[6]