EVERETT, Washington, November 13, 2026 — Ilia Malinin’s season debut at Skate America will test how he combines difficult jumps with two new programs, as the three-time world champion begins competition at Angel Of The Winds Arena on Friday.
Malinin is scheduled to skate last in the 12-man short program. The event begins at 7:03 p.m. PST / 10:03 p.m. EST, with his performance coming later in the session. Saturday’s men’s free skate starts at 6:25 p.m. PST / 9:25 p.m. EST.
For the full weekend timetable and viewing details, see our Skate America 2026 schedule.
His opening competition provides the first scored assessment of two new routines: a short program using “Cantata Memoria: For the children” and a free skate set to “Blue Eye Samurai.”
Watch Ilia Malinin’s Skate America practice footage ahead of his competitive return in Everett.
Friday’s short program places clear limits on how Malinin can use his jumping ability. Senior men must perform a double or triple Axel, a separate triple or quadruple jump, and a permitted two-jump combination. Three spins and a step sequence complete the seven required elements.
His signature quadruple Axel cannot fill the required Axel position, which is restricted to a double or triple. A quadruple–quadruple combination also falls outside the permitted short-program combinations. The challenge is to maximise difficulty within those requirements while delivering clean execution.
Take-off quality will matter alongside rotation and landing control. The ISU’s judging guidance for 2026–27 identifies excessive rotation on the ice before take-off and incorrect toe-assisted technique among the faults that can reduce a jump’s grade of execution. High difficulty alone does not guarantee a strong score.
For Malinin, the landing must also leave enough speed and control to continue the routine. A checked landing, a prolonged recovery or an interrupted transition can make a demanding element look isolated from the rest of the performance.
His short program carries an emotional responsibility. According to the ISU’s event preview, it honours victims of the January 2025 plane crash that killed members of the U.S. skating community. Maintaining the music’s character through the jump preparations and recoveries will be central to the performance.
“Blue Eye Samurai” tests jumps, transitions and stamina
Saturday’s free skate will provide a fuller examination of Malinin’s new competitive approach. The ISU describes “Blue Eye Samurai” as a program about overcoming adversity and rising again.
The key performance question is how effectively he connects the technical elements. His speed through the approaches, control of the landing edges and return to choreography after each jump will show whether the difficulty supports the routine’s movement and musical phrasing.
Spins and footwork also deserve attention. Centred rotations, clearly established positions and controlled changes of direction will help determine how complete the performance looks beyond its biggest jumps.
The closing stages will be another test. Maintaining controlled skating and purposeful movement after demanding jump passes will offer a useful measure of his stamina and preparation at the start of the season.
Specialist outlet Rocker Skating selected Malinin for gold in its event preview, while highlighting the uncertainty surrounding his first competition of the season. Everett will supply the first scored evidence of his current form.
Daniel Grassl, Aleksandr Selevko, Lukas Britschgi and Jason Brown are among his opponents. For Malinin, the immediate task is to turn the difficulty of his new material into two complete performances and an opening Grand Prix result.
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