Cup of China
The Cup of China is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union, organized and hosted by the Chinese Skating Association, and part of the ISU [Grand Prix of Figure Skating|ISU Grand Prix Series]. The first competition was held in 2003 in Beijing as a replacement for the Bofrost Cup on Ice. The Cup of China has been interrupted three times in its history: in 2018 when the Chinese Skating Association elected to forgo hosting any international skating events in order to prepare its venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics, and then in 2021 and 2022 due to the Impact of [the COVID-19 pandemic on sports#Figure skating|COVID-19 pandemic].
Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earn points based on their results at the qualifying competitions each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are invited to then compete at the Grand Prix of [Figure Skating Final]. Three skaters are tied for winning the most titles in men's singles : Jeremy Abbott of the United States, Jin Boyang of China, and Shun Sato of Japan. Four skaters are tied for winning the most titles in women's singles : Mao Asada of Japan, Amber Glenn of the United States, Irina Slutskaya of Russia, and Yuna Kim of South Korea. Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo hold the record for winning the most titles in pair skating ; while Nathalie Péchalat and Fabian Bourzat of France, and Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States, are tied for winning the most titles in ice dance.
History
Beginning with the 1995–96 season, the International Skating Union launched the Champions Series, which was later renamed the Grand Prix Series. At its inception, this 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 skaters with whom they would later compete 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 invited to compete at the Champions Series Final|Champions Series Final].The first edition of the Cup of China was held in 2003 in Beijing. It replaced the Bofrost Cup on Ice, which had been one of the founding events of the Grand Prix Series, after the Chinese Skating Association reached a more lucrative television contract with the ISU. Timothy Goebel of the United States won this inaugural men's event, Elena Liashenko of Ukraine won the women's event, Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China won the pairs event, and Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia won the ice dance event.
In 2018, the Chinese Skating Association declined to host any international skating events so as to prepare its venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Finland hosted a replacement event, the Grand Prix of Helsinki, instead.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a number of modifications were made to the structure of the 2020 Cup of China, with only skaters from China permitted to compete. On 9 July 2020, the General Administration of Sport of China announced that no international sporting events would be held in China in 2020 except for test events for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The ISU announced on 13 July that the 2020 Cup of China would be held as scheduled due to its connection to the Beijing test event, the 2020–21 [Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final|Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final]. On 29 October 2020, the Chinese Skating Association announced that the Cup of China would be held with no audience presence.
The 2021 Cup of China, originally scheduled to be held in Chongqing, was cancelled because of travel and quarantine restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gran Premio d'Italia in Turin served as its replacement. On 21 July 2022, it was confirmed that the 2022 Cup of China was cancelled due to China's ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions. The MK John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield, England, in the United Kingdom, served as its replacement.