U.S. Figure Skating Team Shines at Skate America

LAKE PLACID, New York — The U.S. figure skating team had a remarkable day at Skate America on Sunday, setting the stage for possible gold medals at the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics next February.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates made history by securing their fifth ice dance title at this event. The world champions finished with an impressive score of 212.58 points, showcasing a rhythm dance and a free dance choreographed to “Paint It Black,” famously featured in the series “Westworld.”

Canadian duo Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha claimed second place with 197.16 points, while Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud from France took third with 192.61 points. The American pair of Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko landed in fifth.

“Every opportunity we have to compete lends us new insights,” Chock noted. “We are certainly going to take away the good things and good feelings from this performance.”

Chock and Bates delivered a sharper performance than at the Cup of China last month and mesmerized the audience with their creative storytelling. Their upcoming Olympic program features Chock as a matador and Bates as the bull.

Bates expressed confidence about their free dance, saying, “We feel like it has the potential to be a very powerful free dance.” Despite their success, he noted there’s still room for improvement.

In the women’s event, 20-year-old Alysa Liu secured her first Grand Prix title with a compelling free skate, scoring 214.27 points. Liu opened with a triple flip, though she slightly under-rotated a combination jump. Her performance, set to a Lady Gaga medley and choreographed by her coach Massimo Scali, marked a significant achievement after previously finishing second at the Cup of China.

Rinka Watanabe from Japan finished second with 210.96 points, while Anastasiia Gubanova from Georgia rounded out the podium in third with 204.69 points. Starr Andrews, another American, placed fifth in the event.

The Grand Prix series continues next week with the Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki, Finland. Top skaters from the series will qualify for the Grand Prix Final in December in Nagoya, Japan.