The Artistic International Series in Asunción, Paraguay proved to be incredible competition and some surprises along the way. The top skaters are hoping for top scores that land them in the prominent Artistic International Series Final to be held in June.

Anticipation was high and athletes from 13 nations skated their way through the week to prove why Artistic Roller Skating is the best sport in the world.

After Free Dance for Junior Ladies Solo it was Naroa Ruiz, ESP who ended up with the Gold Medal. In a remarkable comeback was Isabella Salinas, COL who pulled up from 5th place after Style Dance to win the Silver Medal after a beautiful Free Dance. The Bronze Medal belonged to Camila Belén Tello, ARG.

Junior Ladies Solo Dance

1.Naroa Ruiz, ESP 128.62
2.Isabella Salinas, COL 113.59
3.Camila Belén Tello, ARG 112.65

With four men ranked among the Top Ten in the World Skate Rankings, the Junior Mens Solo Free Dance was not to be missed. Jeshua Folleco, COL earned the Gold Medal. Winning the Silver Medal was Sean Folstein, USA, while the Bronze Medalist was Kevin Koel Leite, BRA.

Junior Men Solo Dance

1.Jeshua Folleco, COL 132.43
2.Sean Folstein, USA 111.50
3.Kevin Koel Leite, BRA 108.87

Pairs is perhaps one of the most difficult and daring disciplines of Artistic Roller Skating. The hard work for the resurgence of Pairs among several countries in the Americas was apparent. In Junior Pairs it was Lenny Rodriguez and Aly Baron Supelano, COL gaining the Gold while the Silver was won by Felipe Osuna and Sarah Peña Vargas, COL. In Senior Pairs it was a podium sweep for Argentina. Nicolas Cerecedo and Valentina Botto, ARG skated their way to Gold. Pulling up to win the Silver Medal was Esteban Alvarez and Milena Azzara. Completing the sweep with the Bronze Medal was Federica Bengolea and Melissa Valdez, ARG.

Junior Pairs

1.Rodriguez & Baron, COL 55.45
2.Osuna & Peña, COL 43.19

Senior Pairs

1.Cerecedo & Botto, ARG 112.37
2.Alvarez & Azzara, ARG 100.24
3.Bengolea & Valdez, ARG 99.39

The highly anticipated Senior Solo Dance events were exquisite. From the moment the first segment of Style Dance started it was clear that some of the best in the world were ready to start their international season in the most fierce ways.

Asunción must be a favorite city for Natalia Baldizzone Morales, ESP. It was here she won the World Championship in 2021 and now she adds another Gold Medal with her spectacular Free Dance. Morales won the Final in 2022 and is hoping to repeat this season. Host country favorite Erika Alarcon Anisimoff, PAR thrilled the home crowds to pull up to the Silver Medal after Free Dance. Rounding out the podium was Maria Paulina Perez, COL who won the Bronze Medal. In the Men, it was reigning World Champion Brayan Carreño, COL who won the Gold and solidified why he is number one in the current World Skate Rankings. Erik Leite, BRA captured the Silver Medal and Ot Dolman, ESP skated his way to a Bronze Medal.

Senior Ladies Solo Dance

1.Natalia Baldizzone Morales, ESP 134.30
2.Erika Alarcon Anisimoff, PAR 130.47
3.Maria Paulina Perez, COL 126.41

Senior Men Solo Dance

1.Brayan Carreño, COL 149.65
2.Erik Leite, BRA 127.53
3.Ot Dolman, ESP 126.25

Couple Dance is the perfect mix of two skaters combining art and sport with elegance and high technical skills. The competition in Paraguay for Couple Dance was exactly that.

Junior Couple Dance had three of the current top six couples from the World Skate Rankings. It was Jeshua Folleco and Maria Muñoz, COL with the Gold Medal. It was Folleco’s second Gold Medal of the Series. Sean Folstein and Gabrielle Eskew, USA skated their way to a Silver Medal. Folstein was a double medalist with two silvers. Winning the Bronze Medal was Juan Pino and Hannah Castillo Plaza, COL.

Brayan Carreño and Daniela Gerena skated a beautiful and powerful Free Dance to the music of Titanic to win the Gold Medal in Senior Couple Dance. Carreño goes home with two Gold Medals from this Series. Felipe Werle and Gabriella Giraldi, BRA won the Silver Medal and Arthur Bastos and Mel Trubat, BRA finished on the podium with the Bronze Medal.

Junior Couple Dance

1.Folleco & Muño, COL 111.36
2.Folstein & Eskew, USA 102.77
3.Pino & Castillo, COL 88.70

Senior Couple Dance

1.Carreña & Gerena, COL 127.05
2.Werle & Giraldi, BRA 116.16
3.Bastos & Trubat, BRA 85.93

In Junior Ladies Free Skating Carme Tiburcio Fentes, ESP skated her way to the Gold Medal. The Silver Medal was won by Zoe Manggia, ARG and teammate Valentina Longo, ARG winning the Bronze Medal. For the Junior Men’s Free Skating it was Juan Rodriguez, ARG on top of the podium with Gold Medal. Kevin Koel Leite, BRA won his second medal of the competition with a Silver Medal. The Bronze Medal went to Mateo Lopez, ARG. Junior Free Skating proved to be a strength for Argentina with four of the six medals between Ladies and Men going to their country. The future looks very promising for Argentina!

Junior Ladies Free

1.Carme Tiburcio Fentes, ESP 129.48
2.Zoe Manggia, ARG 107.49
3.Valentina Longo, ARG 102.10

Junior Men Free

1.Juan Rodriguez, ARG 155.06
2.Kevin Koel Leite, BRA 126.43
3.Mateo Lopez, ARG 100.11

This is the second competition of the season for Bianca Ameixeiro, BRA where important points were at stake for the World Skate Rankings in Senior Ladies Free Skating. Ameixeiro captured the Gold Medal not only adding to her golden collection but acquiring more ranking points as well. Sandra Diaz, COL won the Silver Medal. The Bronze Medal went to Martina Della Chiesa, ARG.

It was a hot battle in the Senior Men Free Skating among the top three men. It was Franco Mastroianni, ARG who stood on top of the podium to claim the Gold Medal. Germany’s Tim Shubert won the Silver Medal. Erik Leite, BRA earned the Bronze Medal and leaves Paraguay with two medals.

Senior Ladies Free

1.Bianca Ameixeiro, BRA 126.01
2.Sandra Diaz, COL 124.63
3.Martina Della Chiesa, ARG 115.03

Senior Men Free

1.Franco Mastroianni, ARG 196.79
2.Tim Shubert, GER 188.73
3.Erik Leite, BRA 183.37

World Skate Artistic Technical Commission Chairman Nicola Genchi said, “Asuncion provided a great start to the Artistic International Series. It was a very interesting week with many countries present. The overall quality of skating has improved since last year and I am pleased with the hard work of the skaters and coaches. Not only were the athletes competing to qualify for the Final but also to move up in the World Skate Rankings. The Rankings are providing a dynamic look at our sport and changes often after every competition that is within the Ranking system.”

The road to the Artistic International Series Final has officially begun! Skaters in Cadet through Senior categories will eagerly wait to see if their scores hold out to take them to the Final in San Juan, Argentina in June. The Final not only offers the chance to win one of the most prestigious events in Artistic Roller Skating but also the opportunity to win the $1500 cash prize.

Junior and Senior skaters are also in another race to earn points for the highly important official World Skate Rankings. These Rankings are the set up for the starting order for the World Championships 2023.

There were many things at stake in Asunción and the skaters rose to the occasion in beautiful Paraguay.

See you in San Juan!