Martinez trains for ISU GPrix

MANILA, Philippines - Olympian Michael Martinez steps up his buildup for the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a grueling series of top-level competitions that will run from Oct. 24 to Dec. 14.

Medals and points will be up for grabs in the men’s singles, ladies’ singles, pair skating, and ice dancing with the top six in each division will earn berths in the Grand Prix Final to be held Dec. 11-14 in Barcelona, Spain.

Martinez, who placed 19th in the last Winter Olympics in Russia, is the only Filipino and Southeast Asian vying in the prestigious GP Series. His campaign will be supported by the SM Group.

“The youth and the promotion of athletic excellence through our facilities, programs, events and schools are among our primary advocacies. Michael Martinez is a homegrown talent and a role model for today’s youth as he sets his sights even higher. We fully support his dreams to continue to represent the Philippines and to place in the next Winter Olympics,” said SM Prime Holdings, Inc. president Hans Sy.

Martinez is set to compete in the Hilton Honors Skate America in Chicago, Illinois from Oct. 24-26, the first of six events that make up the 2014 Grand Prix Series.

Other stops include Skate Canada, Lexus Cup of China, Trophee Eric Bompard in Frnace, Rostelecom Cup in Russia and the NHK Trophy in Japan.

Organized by the ISU, the GP series sets the stage for the 2015 European, Four Continents, and World Championships. The corresponding series for junior-level skaters will be the 2014–15 ISU Junior Grand Prix.

Martinez will be competing against world and Olympic medalists Tatsuki Machida of Japan, Denis Ten of Kazakhstan, Jeremy Abbott of the USA and Artur Gachinski of Russia.

Martinez, who ranks 27th in the world, clinched his first senior international title championship, also a first for the Philippines in the 2012 Crystal Skate in Brazov, Romania. In 2013-14, Martinez placed fourth in the ISU Junior GP in Latvia, ended up third in the Junior GP in Estonia in Oct. 13 and vied in the Nebelhorn Trophy senior level in Germany in Sept. 2013, the last qualifying event for the 2014 Winter Olympics where Martinez finished seventh and a spot in the men’s singles.