U.S. Junior National Team Set for Final Junior Grand Prix in United Arab Emirates

Ice dancers Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin as well as Lucius Kazanecki lead the charge for the United States at the final ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series event of the season in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 8-11.

Both secured a podium finish at their first Junior Grand Prix of the season as Aboian and Veselukhin won gold in Thailand and Kazanecki clinched bronze in Turkey. Both will also have the opportunity to lock positions at the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2025.

Aboian and Veselukhin and Kazanecki are three of seven athletes who will represent the U.S. Junior National Team this weekend as two women, one man and two ice dance teams will compete for the stars and stripes. Pairs will not be contested at this event.

Aboian and Veselukhin enter with their sights set on winning a second gold medal this season and continuing their medal streak in the Junior Grand Prix Series. The duo has medaled in each of their previous three appearances in the series.

Joining them and making their Junior Grand Prix debut are Clara Fugate and Warren Fugate. The sibling duo out of Michigan earned the pewter medal in the novice ice dance event at the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, and will be competing for the first time at the junior level internationally.

Lucius Kazanecki will be the sole entry in the men's event. Earlier this season, the 2024 U.S. junior men's champion secured his first career Junior Grand Prix medal with the bronze in Turkey.

The two U.S. women competing will both make their Junior Grand Prix debuts this week in Abu Dhabi.

Rachel Samiri and Alayna Coats opened their season by sharing the podium at the 2025 Robin Cousins Cup, earning silver and bronze, respectively.

Competition kicks off Thursday with the women's and men's short programs. Ice dance takes the ice on Friday followed by the women's free skate. On Saturday, the event concludes following the men's free skate and the free dance.

Fans can watch all the action from Junior Grand Prix United Arab Emirates, as well as the entire Junior Grand Prix Series, live on the ISU YouTube channel.

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, which started in 1997, consists of seven international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete is eligible to score points in two of the seven scheduled events (pairs can compete in two of four designated events). The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2025, taking place Dec. 4-7 in Nagoya, Japan.

For more information on the Junior Grand Prix Series, including full results, news and more, visit the Junior Grand Prix Competition Central on the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone.