Fresh from their silver medal in Nice, Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez delivered another confident performance this week at the ISU Challenger Series Trialeti Trophy in Tbilisi, Georgia – placing fourth overall in a competitive international field.
The British ice dancers impressed once again in their second international outing of the 2025–26 season, scoring 70.27 in the Rhythm Dance and 104.10 in the Free Dance, for a combined total of 174.37. They finished behind Georgia’s Diana Davis & Gleb Smolkin (203.39), Australia’s Holly Harris & Jason Chan (180.84), and France’s Loicia Demougeot & Théo Le Mercier (178.09) – all seasoned competitors in the senior field.
A confident start to an Olympic season
This fourth-place finish builds on a strong start to the season for Bekker & Hernandez, who opened their Olympic campaign last week with a silver medal at Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur – narrowly missing their personal best with a score of 175.29. Their consistency across both international events highlights their growing maturity and technical confidence, as well as the clear artistic identity they’re developing under the guidance of coaches Nick Buckland and Penny Coomes.
Crucially, these early-season results mark the first full competitions since the duo helped secure a second British ice dance spot for Milano-Cortina 2026 at the World Championships in Boston earlier this year – a milestone not seen for Great Britain since the days of Coomes & Buckland.
Next stop: Senior Grand Prix debut at Skate America for Bekker & Hernandez
The momentum continues as Bekker & Hernandez prepare to take on one of their biggest challenges yet: their first ever Senior ISU Grand Prix assignment, competing at Skate America next month. The event is scheduled for 14–16 November 2025 at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York – a venue steeped in Olympic history.
Unlike previous seasons when Skate America opened the Grand Prix calendar, the 2025 edition will be the fifth of six events in this year’s Grand Prix series, offering a mid-season opportunity to compete against many of the world’s highest-ranked teams. As part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, the event represents one of Bekker & Hernandez’s highest-profile assignments to date – and a pivotal step in their journey toward Milano 2026.
Looking ahead
With two strong international performances already under their belts, Bekker & Hernandez are proving themselves as serious contenders in a crowded Olympic field. Their rise reflects not just technical progress, but a growing confidence on the world stage – setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting Grand Prix debut and a landmark season for British ice dance.
Credit: Iana Saveleva (@yanablumka_fs)