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Effie Chen and Gordei Chitipakhovian perform a dramatic synchronized move on the ice. Effie in front wears a bright blue, rhinestone-covered costume with blue and purple fringe, while Gordei behind her wears a dark blue, rhinestone-covered long-sleeved shirt and black pants. Effie extends one leg horizontally to the side and stretches both arms outward, while Gordei supports her in a low, wide-legged position with one arm raised overhead. Both skaters look upward with expressive faces. The ice rink and advertising boards are visible in the background.
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Experienced U.S. Lineup to Compete at Junior Grand Prix Georgia

Chen and Chitipakhovian look to clinch second JGP podium finish this season

9/22/2026 12:00:00 PM

By: Abby Farrell
The U.S. Junior National Team is on the road again for Junior Grand Prix Georgia, the fifth of seven stops of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. The event is scheduled to take place Sept. 24–26, 2026, in Batumi, Georgia.

The U.S. lineup will consist of one woman, two men and two ice dance teams. The pairs discipline will not be contested.

Ice dancers Effie Chen and Gordei Chitipakhovian hope to continue a breakout season on the heels of winning bronze in their JGP debut in Turkey just three days ago.

Jane Calhoun and Mark Zheltyshev will also compete at their second Junior Grand Prix event of the season. The Colorado Springs-based team placed fifth at the first JGP of the season in China.

Rachel Samiri enters her second season on the Junior Grand Prix circuit. In 2025, the California native placed eighth at her first-ever Junior Grand Prix event in the United Arab Emirates before finishing seventh at the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships later that season.

Patrick Blackwell will compete in his second Junior Grand Prix of the season. His 2026–27 campaign began with a fifth-place finish at Junior Grand Prix China. The Boston-area skater will look to add to his collection of two silver medals from Junior Grand Prix events.

Henry Gao — who also trains in Norwood, Massachusetts, at The Skating Club of Boston — will tackle his second season on the Junior Grand Prix circuit in Georgia. He opened his competitive season on a high note by winning gold in the junior men's event at the 2026 Cranberry Cup International.

Competition gets underway Thursday at 6 a.m. ET with the men's and women's short programs. The action continues Friday with the rhythm dance and men's free skate, which begins at 7:30 am ET. The final medals of the event will be awarded following the conclusion of the free dance and women's free skate. Events on the final day of competition begin at 3:15 a.m. ET.

All Junior Grand Prix competitions are streamed live on the ISU YouTube channel.

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, which started in 1997, consists of seven international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete is eligible to score points in two of the seven scheduled events (pairs can compete in two of four designated events). The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2026, which will take place Dec. 10-13 in Chongqing, China.  

For more information on the Junior Grand Prix Series, including full results, news and more, visit the Junior Grand Prix Competition Central on the U.S. Figure Skating website. 
U.S. ENTRIES AT JGP GEORGIA
Athlete | Hometown | Training Town

Women
Rachel Samiri | Simi Valley, Calif. | Oakland, Calif.

Men
Patrick Blackwell | Norwood, Mass. | Norwood, Mass.
Henry Gao | Lexington, Mass. | Norwood, Mass.

Ice Dance
Jane Calhoun and Mark Zheltyshev | Colorado Springs, Col.; Detroit, Mich. |  Novi, Mich.
Effie Chen and Gordei Chitipakhovian | Boston, Mass. | St. Petersburg, Russia |  Novi, Mich.
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