ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating

The medal ceremony at the 2012 World Team Trophy.

Selected skaters from the six countries with the best results during the season compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing in a team format. The participating countries in the inaugural event were (in descending order of finish) the US, Canada, Japan, France, Russia and China. The Japan Skating Federation paid the global prize money for the ISU World Team Trophy in 2009.[2] The total prize money in 2009 was US$1,000,000, the highest ever in an ISU event, with $200,000 awarded to the winning country.[1][3] In 2015, the qualifying countries (in descending order of qualification) were Russia, the United States, Japan, Canada, France and China, with the United States taking the title. Prize money was once again US$1,000,000.[4]

Team USA at the 2009 World Team Trophy medal ceremony.

In 2009, there were reports that some of the participating skaters did not wish to take part in the event. Canadian ice dancer Scott Moir was quoted as saying that although the event was fun, skaters had been pressured to attend.[5] U.S. ice dancer Tanith Belbin told an interviewer that she and partner Benjamin Agosto had not been aware of the event until after the 2009 World Championships. Evan Lysacek, who had won the World Championship shortly before the World Team Trophy, was quoted in the same article as saying he was excited and looking forward to competing in Japan as part of the American team, referring to the event as "icing on the cake".[6]

In 2012, skaters expressed more enthusiasm about competing at the World Team Trophy. Daisuke Takahashi referred to the competition as "a lot of fun", while Scott Moir said it was turning into an exciting event, especially considering a team event would be contested at the 2014 Winter Olympics.[7] However, during the actual competition, Moir had stated that he hated this event.[8]

• 2009 ISU results
• 2012 ISU results