Team Asia announces skaters for Team Challenge Cup

U.S. Figure Skating officials on Wednesday announced the last group of skaters, who will make up Team Asia, for the upcoming Team Challenge Cup that will be held in Spokane.

The team features the world’s No. 1 ladies skater Satoko Miyahara of Japan and No. 3 men’s skater Denis Ten of Kazakhstan.

No. 1 ranked men’s skater Yuzuru Hanyu, of Japan, declined the invitation to skate in Spokane so he could focus on preparation and recovery following the World Championships, said Renee Felton, spokeswoman for U.S. Figure Skating.

Team Asia will be led by 2006 Olympic gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa of Japan.

“I am really honored for being able to serve as a Team Captain of Asia in this very first event,” Arakawa said in a news release. “The skaters’ delicate thus powerful performances shall lead Team Asia to victory.”

The team includes four skaters from Japan; four from China, two from Kazakhstan and two from South Korea. In addition to Miyahara and Ten, the team includes the No. 4 pairs team of Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China and No. 7 men’s skater Shoma Uno of Japan.

“I will truly be looking forward to performances with high originality from each and every team,” Arakawa said in the release.

Team Asia will compete against Team North America and Team Europe for a combined purse of $617,000.

In addition to announcing the skaters, Wednesday was the beginning of online voting in which skating officials will allow fans to vote the final three members of each team for the event that will be held April 22-24 at the Spokane Arena.

Fans who want to vote on their favorite skaters can go to www.TeamChallengeCup.com