ISU Junior Grand Prix in Great Britain

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]

Great Britain hosted the 2000 Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final – the culminating event of the Junior Grand Prix series – in Ayr, Scotland. Ma Xiaodong of China won the men's event, Ann Patrice McDonough of the United States won the women's event, Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China won the pairs event, and Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States won the ice dance event.^[4]

Great Britain hosted its first Junior Grand Prix competition in 2007 – the John Curry Memorial – in Sheffield, England. Tatsuki Machida and Yuki Nishino, both of Japan, won the men's and women's events, respectively. Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov of Russia won the pairs event, and Maria Monko and Ilia Tkachenko, also of Russia, won the ice dance event.^[5] The competition was named in honor of John Curry, a British skater who was the 1976 Winter Olympic gold medalist, 1976 World Championship gold medalist, 1976 European Championship gold medalist, and a five-time British national champion.^[6][7] He was the first man to win European, World, and Olympic gold medals in the same season.^[8][9] Great Britain hosted the John Curry Memorial twice more, also in Sheffield, in 2008 and 2010.^[10][11]