Nagasu third after short program at 2012 Finlandia Trophy

2012 Finlandia Trophy: Results after the ladies short program. Kiira Korpi from Finland is first, followed by Julia Lipnistkaia from Russia, then Mirai Nagasu from the US.

1 Kiira Korpi (FIN) 69.27
2 Julia Lipnistkaia (RUS) 64.05
3 Mirai Nagasu (USA) 52.75
4 Isabelle Olsson (SWE) 51.18
5 Natalia Popova (UKR) 48.74
6 Juulia Turkkila (FIN) 47.04
7 Sonia Lafuente (ESP) 45.71
8 Beata Papp (FIN) 45.59
9 Fleur Maxwell (LUX) 44.93
10 Jasmine Costa (EST) 42.66
11 Alisa Mikonsaari (FIN) 39.54

Coming up next...the start of the ice dance competition and the finals of the men's event. C'mon Johnny...win a medal!

Saturday, October 6 
Short dance
Men's free skate

Sunday, October 7 at 12 noon Finnish time
Free Dance 
Ladies free skate
Awards ceremony

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2012 Finlandia Trophy: Starting order

The Finlandia Trophy begins today. Daily schedule and starting order below. Keep checking the results page throughout the day.

Friday, October 5 at 5 pm Finnish time
Men's short program
Synchronized skating short program

Saturday, October 6 at 1:30 pm Finnish time
Ladies short program
Short dance
Men's free skate

Sunday, October 7 at 12 noon Finnish time
Free Dance 
Ladies free skate
Awards ceremony

MEN - SHORT PROGRAM 
Starting Order
Warm-Up Group 1
1 Samuel KOPPEL (EST)
2 Yuzuru HANYU (JPN)
3 Viktor ZUBIK (FIN)
4 Javier FERNANDEZ (ESP)
5 Richard DORNBUSH (USA)

Warm-Up Group 2
6 Misha GE (UZB)
7 Zhan BUSH (RUS)
8 Matthias VERSLUIS (FIN)
9 Kento NAKAMURA (JPN)
10 Johnny WEIR (USA)

Warm-Up Group 3
11 Maciej CIEPLUCHA (POL)
12 Mikael REDIN (SUI)
13 Adrian SCHULTHEISS (SWE)
14 Valtter VIRTANEN (FIN)
15 Julian LAGUS (FIN)

LADIES - SHORT PROGRAM
Starting Order
Warm-Up Group 1
1 Mirai NAGASU (USA)
2 Jasmine COSTA (EST)
3 Julia LIPNISTKAIA (RUS)
4 Sonia LAFUENTE (ESP)
5 Fleur MAXWELL (LUX)

Warm-Up Group 2
6 Isabelle OLSSON (SWE)
7 Kiira KORPI (FIN)
8 Natalia POPOVA (UKR)
9 Alisa MIKONSAARI (FIN)
10 Beata PAPP (FIN)
11 Juulia TURKKILA (FIN)

ICE DANCE - SHORT PROGRAM
Starting Order
Warm-Up Group 1
1 Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE (USA)
2 Lesia VOLODENKOVA / Vitaly VAKUNOV (BLR)
3 Bryna OI / Taiyo MIZUTANI (JPN)

Warm-Up Group 2
4 Justyna PLUTOWSKA / Peter GERBER (POL)
5 Ramona ELSENER / Florian ROST (SUI)
6 Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI (ITA)
7 Henna LINDHOLM / Ossi KANERVO (FIN)

Warm-Up Group 3
8 Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE (ITA)
9 Olesia KARMI / Max LINDHOLM (FIN)
10 Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND (EST)
11 Ekaterina BOBROVA / Dmitri SOLOVIEV (RUS)

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING - SHORT PROGRAM 
Starting Order
Warm-Up Group 1
1 Rockettes (FIN)

2 Paradise (RUS)
3 Team Unique (FIN)
4 Marigold IceUnity (FIN)
5 Revolutions (FIN)

2012 Finlandia Trophy event schedule and competitors

The 2012 Finlandia Trophy, in Espoo, Finland, runs from October 5-7. The schedule is as follows:

Friday, October 5 at 5 pm
Men's short program
Synchronized skating short program

Saturday, October 6 at 1:30 pm
Ladies short program
Short dance
Men's free skate

Sunday, October 7 at 12 noon
Free Dance
Ladies free skate
Awards ceremony

Note: There is no pairs event.

Below are the skaters competing in the 2012 Finlandia Trophy:

MEN
Samuel Koppel (EST)
Matthias Versluis (FIN)
Viktor Zubik (FIN)
Valtter Virtanen (FIN)
Julian Lagus (FIN)
Paolo Bacchini (ITA)
Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)
Kento Nkamura (JPN)
Maciej Cieplucha (POL)
Zhan Bush (RUS)
Javier Fernandez (ESP)
Javier Raya (ESP)
Adrian Schultheiss (SWE)
Mikael Redin (SUI)
Ricky Dornbush (USA)
Johnny Weir (USA)
Misha Ge (UZB)

LADIES
Ira Vannut (BEL)
Jasmine Costa (EST)
Kiira Korpi (FIN)
Juulia Turkkila (FIN)
Alisa Mikonsaari (FIN)
Beata Papp (FIN)
Fleur Maxwell (LUX)
Yulia Lipnitskaya (RUS)
Sonia Lafuente (ESP)
Isabelle Olsson (SWE)
Natalia Popova (UKR)
Mirai Nagasu (USA)

ICE DANCE
Lesia Volodenkova/Vitaly Vakunov (BLR)
Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN) [UPDATE 10/04/12 - Virtue/Moir withdrew due to Moir's injury]
Irina Shtork/Taavi Rand (EST)
Henna Lindholm/Ossi Kanervo (FIN)
Olesia Karmi/Max Lindholm (FIN)
Dora Turoczi/Balazas Major (HUN)
Anna Cappelini/Luca Lanotte (ITA)
Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA)
Bryna Oi/Taiyo Mizutani (JPN)
Justyna Plutowska/Peter Gerber (POL)
Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitriy Soloviev (RUS)
Ramona Elsener/Florian Roost (SUI)
Siobhan Heekin-Canedy/Dmitriy Dun (UKR)
Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA)

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING
Rockettes (FIN)
Marigold IceUnity (FIN)
Team Unique (FIN)
Revolutions (FIN)
Paradise (FIN)

Johnny Weir prepares for first international competition - Finlandia Trophy

Johnny Weir (at right) is scheduled to compete at the 2012 Finlandia Trophy, in Espoo, Finland, which runs from October 5-7. This is kind of a tuneup competition for some senior skaters before the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series starts in late October. (It's also a chance for some of the lesser known skaters to get international experience.)

After the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics where he placed sixth overall, Johnny took a two year hiatus from competitive skating and recently announced that he was back for the 2012-2013 season, with the ultimate goal of representing the US at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. And if you haven't already heard by now, 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek also announced his return after taking time off so let the rivalry resume!

I asked Johnny how he was feeling about going back into competition. He said, "The most important thing about competing at Finlandia Trophy is not winning, but simply competing. Coming back to competition after two years away is rather ominous, but I have the experience of competing at the highest level and I'm relying on that experience as well as good summer preparations to keep me as relaxed as possible. Also, I am looking forward to being back on the ice, performing for my fans and showing everyone what I've been working on. It will be very hard, but I know I have a fantastic group of people around the world supporting me. I want to inspire them to try something that may seem crazy and to find the value in pushing yourself beyond your own expectations."

I will be absolutely glued to YouTube -- thank you in advance to whoever will be uploading the performances! Besides Johnny, other top names competing at the Finlandia Trophy include Olympic and World ice dancing champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir from Canada, Yuzuru Hanyu from Japan, and Mirai Nagasu from the US.

Mirai Nagasu wins gold at Nebelhorn Trophy

• 2012 US Figure Skating Championships tickets now available! [SkateSanJose2012]

• Figure skating television schedule, starting with Skate America on NBC on October 22. [Figure Skating Fan Page]

• Florent Amodio feels no pressure to defend European title. [icenetwork]

• Mirai Nagasu wins Nebelhorn Trophy competition in Oberstdorf, Germany. Caydee Denney and John Coughlin win bronze in pairs. See complete results here. [deu-event]

• Michelle Kwan: Win or lose, sports have power to change lives. [ESPNW]

• Watch Tanith Belbin and hockey star Boyd Devereaux skate on Battle of the Blades. [YouTube]

• Catching up with Nancy Kerrigan at Great Sports Legends Dinner in NYC. [Universal Sports]

• Check out photos from A Tribute to the Protopopovs from Lake Placid. [Lake Placid Skater]

• Johnny Weir headlines Ice Theatre of New York's annual benefit gala on October 24 in NYC. [IceTheatre] (photo from l to r, benefit co-chair Aja Zanova, Johnny Weir, Ice Theatre of New York founder Moira North, photo credit Erika Harrsch)