During the 2009–10 season, Ilinykh/Katsalapov competed for the first time on the Junior Grand Prix circuit. At their first event, the event in Budapest, Hungary, they won the gold medal. At their second event, in Torun, Poland, they won a second gold medal and qualified for the JGP Final. After winning the silver medal behind Ksenia Monko / Kirill Khaliavin at the Final and at the Russian Junior Championships, they moved past them to win gold at the 2010 World Junior Championships. They were named Discovery of the Year at the 2010 Crystal Ice Awards held in October 2010 in Moscow.