Christina Gao is in Austria for her first Junior Grand Prix event of the season and she is feeling confident after a productive summer in Toronto. “I feel like I’ve made a lot of improvements [this summer],” Gao said. She landed her triple flip-triple toe combination at both Skate Detroit and Thornhill, where she debuted her senior and junior programs, respectively. Look for the triple-triple in both her short and free programs this season.

The second event of the 2010 International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) Series takes place Sept. 8-11 in Brasov, Romania. The event, which will be held at the Olympic Arena, begins Thursday, Sept. 9 with the ladies and men’s short programs. Official practice takes place Wednesday.

The kickoff event for the 2010 International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) Series takes place Aug. 25-28 in Courchevel, France. The competition, which will be held at the Forum 73120 Courchevel, begins Thursday, Aug. 26 with the ladies and men’s short programs.

Angela Maxwell and Kiri Baga finished sixth and seventh at the Junior Grand Prix Final on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan, with 137.55 and 122.35 points respectively. Both had errors in their free programs that put them out of medal contention but American Christina Gao snagged the bronze.

The four American ladies competing at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Tokyo, Japan, had troubles in the short program Saturday, all placing in the bottom half of the eight skater field. Kiri Baga (49.58) and Angela Maxwell (47.28) are currently in seventh and eight place.

Performing a Tango themed program, Ross Miner finished fourth in the long program, faltering on the landing of the triple Lutz and doubling an intended triple Salchow but still won the bronze medal. Among the highlights of his program were the triple flip-triple toe combination and the solo triple flip, which received a 1.20 grade of execution.

Ross Miner could come away from his first Junior Grand Prix Final with some hardware. After a solid performance to selections from Carmen on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan, Miner trails China’s Nan Song by less than one point. Grant Hochstein is in fourth.

Britney Simpson and Nathan Miller, the only American pair to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final, are seventh following the short program in Tokyo, Japan. They earned 44.48 points for their skate to Asian music.

Kiri Baga, Grant Hochstein, Angela Maxwell and Ross Miner among those at the Junior Grand Prix Final. In total, 13 skaters across all four disciplines will represent the United States in Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 3-6.

Fourteen skaters from the United States will compete in the fifth event of the 2009 Junior Grand Prix, Sept. 30-Oct. 4, in Dresden, Germany, including Kiri Baga, Grant Hochstein and Angela Maxwell. With strong performances, Hochstein and Maxwell could ensure their trip to the Junior Grand Prix Final.