The 2026 Artistic Skating season burst into action in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as 400 athletes from 17 countries came together for an electrifying first stop of the Artistic World Cup at Microestadio at Parque Olímpico de la Juventud.

The competition opened with the youngest categories, including Tots, Espoir, and Minis, setting the tone with enthusiasm and fearless performances. These rising skaters embraced the the joy and promise that continue to drive the sport forward.

That energy did not just continue, it surged. As Cadet, Youth, Junior, and Senior athletes took the floor, the intensity escalated. This was more than a fight for medals, it was a battle for crucial World Skate ranking points. New programs debuted, technical limits were tested, and ambitions burned brighter than ever. From Cadet to Senior, every skate carried weight, from personal bests to podium dreams and qualification for the World Cup Final in Cesena. The message was unmistakable, the season is already in full throttle.

As the Junior and Senior events unfolded, attention also turned to the symbolic Leader Chair. Each performance had the potential to reshape the leaderboard, adding another layer of intensity to every skate.

Solo Dance

The Senior Ladies Solo Dance event stood out as one of the most electrifying highlights of the competition. Reigning World Champion Roberta Sasso of Italy debuted her new Free Dance to Lux by Rosalia with commanding brilliance, reminding the world that gold is not just a medal, it is her signature. Spain’s Natalie Baldizzone and Brazil’s Gabriella Giraldi delivered a breathtaking duel, matching each other in power and presence with every movement. Baldizzone claimed the silver by an astonishing margin of just 0.02 points proving that while beautiful and artistic, skating is still a gripping sport.

Colombia once again asserted dominance in the men’s field. World Champion Brayan Carreño powered to gold in Senior Mens Solo Dance with My Way, strengthening his grip on the top of the standings and the Leaders Chair. Meanwhile Jeshua Folleco captured Junior Mens Solo Dance gold with a dramatic performance to Tosca Act III. Italy’s Ludovica Ambrosino shone in Junior Ladies Solo Dance, announcing herself as a major contender for 2026 with a standout debut victory.

Across both Junior and Senior Solo Dance, one striking pattern emerged. Every podium featured three different flags. The message was clear, this is no longer a sport dominated by a single nation, but a truly global discipline thriving across continents.

Junior Ladies Solo Dance

1 Ludovica Ambrosino ITA 138.71

2 Paloma Garcia PAR 134.24

3 Izadi Ruiz ESP 131.27

Junior Men Solo Dance

1 Jeshua Folleco COL 144.42

2 Luca Buonincontro ITA 143.83

3 Felipe Tozato BRA 135.57

Senior Ladies Solo Dance

1 Roberta Sasso ITA 158.87

2 Natalia Baldizzone ESP 146.46

3 Gabriella Giraldi BRA 146.44

Senior Men Solo Dance

1 Brayan Carreño COL 162.07

2 Yuri Allegranti ITA 150.87

3 Sean Folstein USA 122.81

Couples Dance & Pairs

Pairs remains one of the most dynamic and historic disciplines in the sport. As the field continues to evolve, the Americas showed clear upward momentum, with Argentina claiming two Junior medals and both Colombia and Brazil reaching the Senior podium.

At the same time, Italy continued its strong tradition, winning gold in both the Junior and Senior Pairs competitions. In the Senior Pairs Long Program, Alessando Bozzini and Gloria Di Bella of Italy executed a quadruple Twist Lutz, making them one of the few teams in history to perform this highly difficult element.

In Senior Couples dance it was the beautiful Jeshua Folleco and Maria Muñoz of Colombia climbing to the top step with their lovely rendition Send in the Clowns. Folleco earned two gold medals while in Buenos Aires.Host country Argentina saw their flag waving at the top of the Junior Couples dance podium with Matias Ovejero and Malena Villar’s gold medal winning performance.

Junior Couples Dance

1 Ovejero & Villar ARG 116.22

2 Tozato & Zorzi BRA 112.66

3 Balanta & Múnera COL 110.74

Senior Couples Dance

1 Folleco & Muñoz COL 156.96

2 Pino & Castillo COL 122.95

3 Prieto & Norro ARG 108.40

Junior pairs

1 Malloggi & Milzi ITA 134.26

2 Castro & Parera ARG 87.13

3 Lopez & Salvioni ARG 82.42

Senior Pairs

1 Bozzini & Di Bella ITA 176.27

2 Carmona & Bosso BRA 119.40

3 Rodriguez & Supelano COL 115.85

Free Skating

A packed and enthusiastic crowd filled Microestadio for the Senior Free Skating events, creating an electric atmosphere. In the Senior Ladies Free Skating event, reigning World Champion Madalena Costa of Portugal, widely regarded as the sport’s standout star, claimed gold to the music of Diva in elegant black continuing to affirm why she is the number one ranked skater in the world. The Costa family’s success carried through the younger categories as well. Her brother Sebastião earned gold in the Cadet Mens Free Skating while sister Margarida completed the sweep by taking gold in the Youth Ladies Free Skating. Together, the Costa siblings achieved a rare and inspiring milestone, showcasing not only individual excellence but also a remarkable shared legacy in the sport.

Argentina’s Juan Rodriguez once again thrilled the home crowd opening up with a strong Triple Loop jump combination. Rodriguez placed the national flag at the top of the podium with his gold medal victory in Senior Mens Free Skating to the music of Ulises.

In the Junior Ladies Free Skating event, two-time Junior Pan American champion Paulina Ruiz of Colombia captured the gold medal. In the Junior Mens Free Skating, Germany’s Tiziano Martino made the transatlantic journey and was rewarded with gold, showcasing his polished style.

Junior Ladies Free Skating

1 Paulina Ruiz COL 157.69

2 Victoria Baldo ITA 137.92

3 Micaela Lopetegui ARG 132.65

Junior Mens Free Skating

1 Tiziano Martino GER 156.42

2 Martin Vega ARG 154.88

3 Andoni Ibarra ESP 129.33

Senior Ladies Free Skating

1 Madalena Costa POR 239.03

2 Laura Olympio BRA 131.03

3 Lola Fernandez ARG 117.40

Senior Mens Free Skating

1 Juan Rodriguez ARG 204.62

2 Erik Leite BRA 189.13

3 Joaquin Franichevich ARG 169.41

What a fantastic week in Argentina, full of passion and outstanding skating! The 2026 Artistic World Cup in Buenos Aires marked the first major checkpoint of the season, updating the World Skate rankings and offering the first real glimpse of the competitive field. While the performances set important benchmarks, they do not define the entire story but instead signal what promises to be an exciting season ahead.

With coverage on worldskate.tv and DeportesBA, fans around the world were able to share in the excitement of this opening stop. The momentum now shifts to Garmisch, Germany, from May 8 to 17, where athletes will once again push their limits in a high stakes showdown. From there, anticipation continues to build as Cadet through Senior skaters await their invitations to the Artistic World Cup Final in Cesena, Italy this June, where the very best will compete for the ultimate title and the Seniors will also vie for $36,000 in prize money bringing the sport to new heights!

If Buenos Aires was the spark, the 2026 season is already blazing.

Relive all the action at worldskate.tv