Everything You Need to Know | Challenger Series Kinoshita Group Cup

Eleven U.S. athletes will travel to Osaka, Japan, for the third stop of the ISU Challenger Series and the first held outside the U.S. this season.

Here's everything you need to know about this weekend's competition and the National Team athletes competing:

Event: Challenger Series Kinoshita Group Cup
When: Sept. 5-7, 2025
Where: Osaka, Japan
Who's Representing U.S. Figure Skating:

Women
- Sonja Hilmer
- Bradie Tennell
Men
Pairs
- Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez
Ice Dance
- Leah Neset and Artem Markelov
- Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik

Results: https://www.jsfresults.com/InterNational/2025-2026/csjpn2025/index.htm

About the Challenger Series:
The Challenger Series is a group of senior-level international competitions that allows athletes to earn points and prepare for Grand Prix and ISU Championship competitions. The series includes 11 stops this season with U.S. athletes currently slated to compete at all 11 events.

Visit the Challenger Series Competition Central for more information.

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Players Mentioned

#129 Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik: April 22, 2002 | Oct. 27, 2001; Senior/Ice Dance; Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. | Kharkiv, Ukraine

#28 Goku Endo: May 20, 2003; Senior/Men; Los Angeles, Calif.

#43 Sonja Hilmer: June 13, 1999; Senior/Ladies; Mount Kisco, N.Y.

#44 Tomoki Hiwatashi: Jan. 20, 2000; Senior/Men; Englewood, N.J.

#84 Leah Neset and Artem Markelov: Dec. 7, 2005 | July 10, 2003; Senior/Ice Dance; Minot, N.D. | Volzhsky, Russia

#69 Jimmy Ma: Oct. 11, 1995; Senior/Men; Queens, N.Y.

#114 Bradie Tennell: Jan. 31, 1998; Senior/Ladies; Winfield, Ill.

Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez

#91 Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez: April 18, 2000 | Sept. 29, 1995; Senior/Pairs; Bogota, Colombia | Hialeah, Fla.

Players Mentioned

#129 Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik
: Senior/Ice Dance; Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. | Kharkiv, Ukraine
: April 22, 2002 | Oct. 27, 2001

#28 Goku Endo
: Senior/Men; Los Angeles, Calif.
: May 20, 2003

#43 Sonja Hilmer
: Senior/Ladies; Mount Kisco, N.Y.
: June 13, 1999

#44 Tomoki Hiwatashi
: Senior/Men; Englewood, N.J.
: Jan. 20, 2000

#84 Leah Neset and Artem Markelov
: Senior/Ice Dance; Minot, N.D. | Volzhsky, Russia
: Dec. 7, 2005 | July 10, 2003

#69 Jimmy Ma
: Senior/Men; Queens, N.Y.
: Oct. 11, 1995

#114 Bradie Tennell
: Senior/Ladies; Winfield, Ill.
: Jan. 31, 1998

#91 Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez
: Senior/Pairs; Bogota, Colombia | Hialeah, Fla.
: April 18, 2000 | Sept. 29, 1995