A guide to the junior podium ceremony at the 2019 final
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Turin brought the world’s leading junior skaters together at Palavela from December 5–8, 2019. While the competitions attracted attention for their technical level and future stars, the medal ceremonies provided the clearest record of who had succeeded across the four junior disciplines.
A junior podium ceremony is the formal moment when the top three competitors or teams receive their medals, flowers, and official recognition. At the 2019 final, these celebrations followed the men’s, ladies’, pairs, and ice dance competitions. They were part of the wider event experience alongside practice sessions, competition skating, results announcements, and the exhibition gala.
For spectators using the Torino 2019 event information, the ceremony was also a practical part of planning a visit. Seating, session times, venue access, and the distinction between a competition session and a medal presentation all helped determine how much of the junior Final could be experienced inside Palavela.
How the junior medal presentation worked
The podium ceremony marked the official close of each junior event. Once the final segment had been skated and the judges’ scores had been calculated, the results were confirmed before the medal presentation began. The three highest-ranked skaters or teams then appeared in order of placement: bronze, silver, and gold.
The presentation usually included medals and flowers, with event officials taking part in the formal recognition. The winner’s national anthem and flag protocol are also traditional features of an ISU victory ceremony. These details gave the presentation a ceremonial character that differed from the immediate excitement of the kiss-and-cry area, where athletes received their scores after performing.
For young skaters, the ceremony represented more than a photo opportunity. The Junior Grand Prix Final is one of the most important competitions in the development pathway toward senior international skating. Standing on the Palavela podium placed these competitors among the leading athletes of their age group and created a lasting record of their 2019 season.
The four junior disciplines in Turin
The junior program covered men’s singles, ladies’ singles, pairs, and ice dance. Each discipline had its own ranking and podium, so there was no single combined junior medal ceremony for the entire competition. Spectators following the full event needed to track the results and ceremony timing for each separate discipline.
Singles competitors were ranked after the short program and free skating. Junior pairs and ice dancers also completed two segments, with the final standings determined by the combined scores. In pairs and ice dance, the medal went to the team rather than an individual athlete, making the ceremony a shared celebration for both members.
The range of disciplines was central to the identity of the Final. Men’s and ladies’ skating emphasized jumps, spins, skating skills, and program composition. Pairs added lifts, throws, and synchronized elements, while ice dance focused on rhythm, partnering, interpretation, and close control of the ice. The podium ceremonies reflected those different forms of achievement under one event banner.
Junior podium finishers at Palavela
The 2019 junior medalists represented several countries and included skaters who would later become prominent on the senior circuit. Yuma Kagiyama won the junior men’s title, followed by Italy’s Daniel Grassl in second place and Andrei Mozalev in third. Grassl’s silver medal was a particularly significant result for the home audience in Turin.
In the junior ladies’ event, Kamila Valieva took gold, Daria Usacheva earned silver, and Alysa Liu received bronze. Their performances showed the depth of the younger women’s field, with demanding technical content supported by strong skating presentation. The ceremony brought the three leading competitors together after a closely watched competition.
The junior pairs podium was won by Apollinariia Panfilova and Dmitry Rylov. Iuliia Artemeva and Mikhail Nazarychev finished second, while Polina Kostiukovich and Dmitrii Ialin took third. In ice dance, Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha claimed gold, Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva and Andrei Filatov won silver, and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko completed the podium with bronze.
| Junior discipline | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s singles | Yuma Kagiyama | Daniel Grassl | Andrei Mozalev |
| Ladies’ singles | Kamila Valieva | Daria Usacheva | Alysa Liu |
| Pairs | Apollinariia Panfilova / Dmitry Rylov | Iuliia Artemeva / Mikhail Nazarychev | Polina Kostiukovich / Dmitrii Ialin |
| Ice dance | Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha | Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva / Andrei Filatov | Christina Carreira / Anthony Ponomarenko |
When to watch and how to plan a visit
The junior events occupied scheduled competition sessions during the December 5–8 program. A spectator interested in a medal presentation needed to check the official timetable rather than rely only on the general event dates. Competition order, ice resurfacing, delays, and the time required for results processing could affect the precise start of a ceremony.
Ticket information and seating details were also relevant. A ticket for a junior competition session could provide access to the skating and the presentation that followed, but the exact arrangement depended on the published session plan. Visitors should use the official Torino 2019 schedule and venue information to identify whether the desired discipline was included in a particular ticketed session.
Arriving early made it easier to pass through venue entry points, find the assigned seat, and watch warm-up or earlier groups. The junior medal presentation itself was brief compared with the full competition, so arriving late or leaving immediately after the final skate could mean missing the athletes’ appearance on the podium.
Palavela was the setting for both the sporting contest and the ceremony. Its arena atmosphere connected the formal medal presentation with the energy of the crowd, the Italian host city, and the broader Grand Prix Final program. Visitors attending more than one session could also compare the junior ceremonies with the senior competitions held at the same venue.
What spectators could expect during the ceremony
The presentation began after the standings had been finalized and announced. Athletes or teams were called forward to the presentation area, generally in medal order. The bronze medalists appeared first, followed by the silver medalists and then the winners, allowing the gold-medal position to provide the final visual focus.
Officials, medal presenters, and event staff helped keep the procedure organized. Photographers and broadcast cameras recorded the podium, while spectators applauded each placement. For pairs and ice dance, both members of the team stood together, received recognition together, and posed together for the official photographs.
The ceremony also created a useful distinction between results and celebration. The published score sheet explained how the ranking had been produced, including segment totals and overall points. The podium presentation transformed those numbers into a public moment involving athletes, flags, medals, and the audience.
Spectators should remember that the ceremony is governed by event procedure. Applause and photographs are welcome, but movement around the seating bowl, attempts to approach athletes, or blocking views can disrupt the presentation. Remaining in the assigned seat until the officials have completed the proceedings helps preserve the formality of the occasion.
Why the junior podium mattered
The 2019 junior Final was a preview of the next generation of international figure skating. Several medalists had already built reputations through the ISU Junior Grand Prix series, and a strong result in Turin confirmed their ability to perform under pressure at a major season-ending event.
The podium also captured different stages of athletic development. Some skaters were approaching the transition to senior competition, while others were still establishing themselves in the junior ranks. Their programs demonstrated the technical ambition, performance quality, and competitive consistency expected at the highest junior level.
For the host country, Daniel Grassl’s silver medal added a local dimension to the men’s ceremony. The home crowd could celebrate an Italian skater alongside the wider international field, reinforcing the event’s connection with Turin. The ceremonies for pairs and ice dance likewise highlighted the collaborative nature of those disciplines, where trust and timing are as important as individual skill.
The results remain useful for anyone studying the event’s history. A competition report may list scores and rankings, but the podium order provides the simplest snapshot of the junior Final: Kagiyama, Valieva, Panfilova and Rylov, and Lajoie and Lagha were the gold medalists in Turin.
Viewing the ceremony as part of the event experience
The junior medal presentation was one element of a larger program that included official practice sessions, senior and junior competitions, venue services, ticketing, and the exhibition gala. Visitors who planned their day around only the most prominent senior events could easily overlook the junior competitions, even though they offered an opportunity to see future international stars in a less familiar setting.
Practice sessions gave spectators a different view of the competitors. They showed how skaters prepared programs, tested elements, and adjusted to the Palavela ice before the pressure of competition. The ceremony then offered the public result of that preparation in a concise and highly formal format.
The exhibition gala had a different purpose again. It was designed as a celebratory show rather than a ranking competition, with skaters performing selected numbers for the audience. The junior podium ceremony, by contrast, remained tied directly to official results and the achievement of a medal in a specific discipline.
Anyone researching the 2019 Final should therefore use several types of event information together: the schedule for timing, results for placements and scores, seating details for attendance, and competitor profiles for background. Taken together, these resources explain both what happened on the ice and how the ceremony fitted into the Turin experience.
Practical reminders for following the junior results
- Check the official session schedule for the relevant junior discipline and allow time for the presentation after the final segment.
- Confirm the results through the published ISU or Torino 2019 information before referring to medalists or final rankings.
- Keep pairs and ice dance teams together in notes, photographs, and event reports because the medal is awarded to the partnership.
- Use the Palavela seating and ticket information to plan a clear view of the ice and presentation area.
- Treat the ceremony as a formal event: applaud the athletes, follow venue instructions, and remain respectful during announcements and national-flag protocol.
The junior podium ceremonies at Palavela gave the 2019 ISU Grand Prix Final a clear record of its emerging champions. Review the Torino 2019 schedules, results, venue details, and competitor information to retrace each presentation and explore the wider figure-skating event in Turin.