The Rostelecom Cup () – originally known as the Cup of Russia () – was an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the Figure Skating Federation of Russia (). The first iteration was held in 1996 in Saint Petersburg as part of the Champions Series (later renamed the Grand Prix Series). It had been a Grand Prix event every year until the ISU barred Russia from hosting international skating competitions in February 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earned points based on their results at the qualifying competitions each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline were invited to then compete at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

Evgeni Plushenko of Russia holds the record for winning the most Rostelecom Cup titles in men's singles (with eight), while Irina Slutskaya, also of Russia, holds the record in women's singles (with seven). Three teams are tied for winning the most titles in pair skating (with three each): Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia, Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China, and Aljona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany, although Savchenko won an additional title with a different partner. Five teams are also tied for winning the most titles in ice dance (with three each): Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev of Russia, Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio of Italy, Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov of Russia, Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia, and Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia.

History Beginning with the 1995–96 season, the International Skating Union (ISU) launched the Champions Series – later renamed the Grand Prix Series – which, at its inception, consisted of five qualifying competitions and the Champions Series Final. This allowed skaters to perfect their programs earlier in the season, as well as compete against the same skaters whom they would later encounter at the World Championships. This series also provided the viewing public with additional televised skating, which was in high demand. Skaters earned points based on their results in their respective competitions and the top skaters or teams in each discipline were then invited to compete at the Champions Series Final.

The first edition – the 1996 Cup of Russia – was held in Saint Petersburg. Alexei Urmanov and Irina Slutskaya, both of Russia, won the inaugural men's and women's events, respectively. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer of Germany won the pairs event, while Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov of Russia won the ice dance event. The Cup of Russia adopted its current name in 2009 in recognition of its sponsor, the telecommunications company Rostelecom.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a number of modifications were made to the structure of the 2020 Rostelecom Cup. The competitors consisted only of skaters from Russia, skaters already training in Russia, or skaters assigned there for geographic reasons. However, the event became controversial after an apparent COVID-19 spread among attendees. Despite some precautionary measures being taken, the organizers of the Rostelecom Cup, as with many other Russian domestic competitions during the season, came under criticism for allowing a large audience and an insufficient enforcement of mandates regarding social distancing and proper mask usage. A focal point of criticism was the decision to hold the traditional post-competition banquet where many skaters were documented not socially distancing at all, as well as sharing food from a communal buffet. Several Russian skaters who competed at the event reported contracting the virus in the weeks afterward, including Dmitri Aliev, Alena Kostornaia, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Victoria Sinitsina, and Nikita Katsalapov. Estonian skater Eva-Lotta Kiibus also reported contracting COVID-19 at the event and was still suffering effects two months later.

Irina Rodnina, three-time Olympic champion for Russia in pair skating and member of the State Duma, strongly criticized the handling of the Rostelecom Cup and cited it as an example of the government needing to more aggressively fine people for non-compliance. After the event, when questioned by a journalist as to whether the Figure Skating Federation of Russia would be sanctioned over their disregard for safety protocols, Jan Dijkema, then-president of the ISU, acknowledged "the regrettable news about the situation involving positive test results for COVID-19," but denied that the ISU would take responsibility, citing the semi-domestic nature of the 2020–21 Grand Prix series.

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from participating in international figure skating competitions. The ISU also ordered that no international competitions be held in Russia or Belarus. Therefore, the Rostelecom Cup, which was scheduled for that November, was cancelled. The Grand Prix of Espoo in Finland was held as a replacement.

Medalists

Men's singles Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1996 Alexei Urmanov Alexei Yagudin Michael Weiss 1997 Alexei Yagudin Evgeni Plushenko Viacheslav Zagorodniuk 1998 Moscow Alexei Urmanov Alexander Abt 1999 Saint Petersburg Evgeni Plushenko Alexander Abt Guo Zhengxin 2000 Ilia Klimkin Matthew Savoie 2001 Roman Serov Ivan Dinev 2002 Moscow Li Chengjiang Alexander Abt 2003 Frédéric Dambier 2004 Johnny Weir Zhang Min 2005 Saint Petersburg Stéphane Lambiel Johnny Weir 2006 Moscow Brian Joubert Johnny Weir Ilia Klimkin 2007 Johnny Weir Stéphane Lambiel Andrei Griazev 2008 Brian Joubert Tomáš Verner Alban Préaubert 2009 Evgeni Plushenko Takahiko Kozuka Artem Borodulin 2010 Tomáš Verner Patrick Chan Jeremy Abbott 2011 Yuzuru Hanyu Javier Fernández 2012 Patrick Chan Takahiko Kozuka Michal Březina 2013 Tatsuki Machida Maxim Kovtun Javier Fernández 2014 Javier Fernández Sergei Voronov Michal Březina 2015 Adian Pitkeev Ross Miner 2016 Shoma Uno Alexei Bychenko 2017 Nathan Chen Yuzuru Hanyu Mikhail Kolyada 2018 Yuzuru Hanyu Morisi Kvitelashvili Kazuki Tomono 2019 Alexander Samarin Dmitri Aliev Makar Ignatov 2020 Mikhail Kolyada Morisi Kvitelashvili Petr Gumennik 2021 Sochi Morisi Kvitelashvili Mikhail Kolyada Kazuki Tomono

Women's singles Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1996 Irina Slutskaya Julia Lautowa Olga Markova 1997 Elena Sokolova 1998 Moscow Elena Sokolova Julia Soldatova Irina Slutskaya 1999 Saint Petersburg Irina Slutskaya Elena Sokolova 2000 Elena Sokolova Sarah Hughes 2001 Viktoria Volchkova Angela Nikodinov 2002 Moscow Viktoria Volchkova Sasha Cohen Irina Slutskaya 2003 Elena Liashenko Carolina Kostner Galina Maniachenko 2004 Irina Slutskaya Shizuka Arakawa Júlia Sebestyén 2005 Saint Petersburg Miki Ando Yoshie Onda 2006 Moscow Sarah Meier Júlia Sebestyén 2007 Yuna Kim Yukari Nakano Joannie Rochette 2008 Carolina Kostner Rachael Flatt Fumie Suguri 2009 Miki Ando Ashley Wagner Alena Leonova 2010 Akiko Suzuki Ashley Wagner 2011 Mao Asada Alena Leonova Adelina Sotnikova 2012 Kiira Korpi Gracie Gold Agnes Zawadzki 2013 Yulia Lipnitskaya Carolina Kostner Mirai Nagasu 2014 Rika Hongo Anna Pogorilaya Alaine Chartrand 2015 Elena Radionova Evgenia Medvedeva Adelina Sotnikova 2016 Anna Pogorilaya Elena Radionova Courtney Hicks 2017 Evgenia Medvedeva Carolina Kostner Wakaba Higuchi 2018 Alina Zagitova Sofia Samodurova Lim Eun-soo 2019 Alexandra Trusova Evgenia Medvedeva Mariah Bell 2020 Elizaveta Tuktamysheva Alena Kostornaia Anastasiia Guliakova 2021 Sochi Kamila Valieva Elizaveta Tuktamysheva Maya Khromykh

Pairs Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1996 1997 1998 Moscow 1999 Saint Petersburg 2000 2001 2002 Moscow 2003 2004 2005 Saint Petersburg 2006 Moscow 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Sochi

Ice dance Year Location Gold Silver Bronze 1996 1997 1998 Moscow 1999 Saint Petersburg 2000 2001 2002 Moscow 2003 2004 2005 Saint Petersburg 2006 Moscow 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Sochi

Records

+ Discipline Most titles Skater(s) Years Men's singles 8 1999–2005;2009 Women's singles 7 1996–97;1999–2001;2004–05 Pairs 3 1998;2000–01 3 2006;2011;2013 4 2006;2011;2013;2016 3 2004;2007–08 Ice dance 3 2010;2013;2016 3 1999–2001 3 1996–98 3 2003–05 3 2019–21

Cumulative medal count Men's singles

Women's singles

Pairs

Ice dance

Total medals

Note

References

External links

Rostelecom Cup at Skating Scores