RIGA, LATVIA - SEPTEMBER 09: (L-R) Ava Rae Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov of Canada, Cayla Smith and Andy Deng of the United States and Ashlyn Schmitz and Tristan Taylor of Canada pose in the Junior pairs medal ceremony during the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating at Volvo Sporta Centrs on September 09, 2022 in Riga, Latvia. (Photo by Joosep Martinson - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
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Team USA Brings Home Pairs Gold in Latvia

Team USA had a successful trip to Latvia at the third stop along the International Skating Union Junior Grand Prix Series 2022. Eight Team USA athletes competed in Riga, Latvia, and brought home two medals.
 
In the Junior pairs competition, Cayla Smith and Andy Deng won gold with a combined score of 137.23, punching their ticket to the Junior Grand Prix Final in December. Their "Angel Et Demon" free skate featured a strong double twist lift and a group 5 toe and step in lift, both receiving positive grades of execution from all judges and helping them earn 84.74 points. Their short program to "Summer of 42" by Michael Legend featured two Level 4 elements and earned 52.49 points.
 
Canada earned the silver and bronze medals, with Ava Rae Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov second with 124.73 points and Ashly Schmitz and Tristan Taylor third with 113.40 points.
 
In the women's event, Soho Lee captured the silver medal at her first JGP event with 185.92 total points. Her Nutcracker free skate opened with a strong triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination and featured two Level 4 elements to score 121.86 points. In her 64.06-point short program to "Dreamcatcher," Lee earned all positive grades of execution and earned Level 4 on two spins.
 
Hannah Herrera placed 9th overall with a total score of 145.30, completing a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination with positive grades of execution to start off her "A Los Amigos" free skate.
 
Korea's Jia Shin topped the podium with 194.68 points and Japan's Ami Kakai earned bronze with 185.62 points.
 
Robert Yampolsky and Kirk Haugeto both made their JGP debut in Latvia in the men's event. Yamploksy finished fourth with a combined score of 196.67. After finishing sixth in the short with 65.06 points, he executed three Level 4 elements with his "Age of Heroes'' free skate to place him in second. Haugeto finished 17th with a combined score of 142.17 points.
 
Italy's Nikolaj Memola took home the gold with a total score of 225.76. Japan's Rio Nakata captured silver with 200.17, and Rakhat Bralin of Kazakhstan earned bronze with 199.38 points.
 
In ice dance, Vanessa Pham and Jonathan Rogers finished fourth with an international best 148.24 total points. Their 89.88-point free dance to "Scheherezade" featured four Level 4 elements.
 
Germany's Darya Grimm and Michail Savitskiy earned the gold medal with 161.42 total points. Canada's Sandrine Gauthier and Quentin Thieren captured silver with 156.92, and Ukraine's Mariia Pinchuk and Mykyta Pogorielov took the bronze with 150.28 total points.
 
The next Junior Grand Prix event will take place in Armenia on Sept. 21-24. Top athletes from the seven-competition series will qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final in December.
 
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