Every year there’s always one Grand Prix round that isn’t quite as brilliant as the rest, and this year, it was Skate America that bore the brunt of that curse. From a low-scoring round in the Men’s, a potentially controversial decision in the Women’s and more, we recap some highlights from the meet at Lake Placid, New York.

Men’s

For the unintiated, there’s a well known phrase amongst figure skating fans: “the men are menning“, a reflection that despite the brilliance the competitors in the field are capable of, sometimes they just can’t help themselves, and a clean performance is barely in sight. What it usually leads to is some modicum of chaos.

Thus, for fans east of the Greenwich Meridian that decided to not stay up to watch, they woke up on Sunday morning to see that where Kevin Aymoz (France) went into second place after the short program behind Kazuki Tomono (Japan), Aymoz managed to clinch the first Grand Prix gold of his career (253.53), Kazakh wunderkind Mikhail Shaidorov (Kazakhastan) clinched second with 251.09 after a free skate that sadly featured some costly errors, whilst Tomono himself ended up third (245.57) with an equally error-riddled free.

And that was just the top three.

Let it never be said that figure skating isn’t a wild ride at times. With Shaidorov sure to be in the Grand Prix Final, hopefully the men will… ‘men’ less in Nagoya next month.

Women’s

The women also ‘menned‘ for some of the free skate, thus reinforcing the notion that perhaps the ice in Lake Placid was cursed this 2025. However, following a truly fantastic farewell skate from America’s Starr Andrews, we were blessed with some beautiful skates from the top group, which saw Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova clinching bronze (204.69).

However, the fight for the gold will perhaps be discussed for quite some time. Japan’s Rinka Watanabe ended the short program first with World Champion Alysa Liu (USA) close behind. Liu then performed her much beloved free skate with her signature joy and energy to a rapturous home crowd, which took her to the top (214.27) with only Watanabe left to go. Despite a minor error, the latter pulled off a truly beautiful skate that ended up being scored third out of all the free program scores (136.61), placing her second overall (210.96), a scoring that even seemed to confuse Liu herself.

It’s hard not to root for most of skaters on the circuit, but joy, do the judges confuse us sometimes. We look forward to seeing Liu and (highly likely) Watanabe back for the Grand Prix Final.

Pairs

Not dispelling the notion that there was some form of juju on the ice in New York, pairs was also a little rocky, with even World Champion pair Riku Miura & Ryuichi Kihara (Japan) taking gold (215.99) after a short program that saw them going into the free in second place.

Georgian pair Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava went into the free in gold medal place, but a sketchy free that included a missed lift meant they finished up in silver (195.73). Kelly Ann Laurin & Loucas Ethier of Canada were perhaps the happiest pair there, taking advantage of fumbles by other paris to clinch bronze (182.87). Germany’s Annika Hocke & Robert Kunkel saw a costly drop from 3rd after the short when their inability to go clean in the free program meant they slipped down to fifth.

We’re sure to see Miura / Kihara and Metelkina / Berulava in the Grand Prix Final.

Ice Dance

Three time World Champions Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA) took gold (212.58) with both an outstanding rhythm dance and free dance, surprising absolutely no-one, whilst Canada’s Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha continue to make a case for why they are one of the most underrated teams on the circuit with a solid silver (197.16). Evgeniia Lopareva & Geoffrey Brissaud (France) brought Bjork to the East Coast that ultimately earned them a bronze (192.61), leaving them just out of contention for Grand Prix Qualification, unlike the two teams above them. 

For all the chat around the top teams, props must go to Oona Brown & Gage Brown (USA) and Phebe Bekker & James Hernandez (GB) for two of the most entertaining skates of the entire tournament with their free skates, performed to The Godfather and Romeo + Juliet respectively. Go check them both out if you can, you won’t regret it.

Overall

The top spots for the Grand Prix Final are shaping up nicely, with many now locked in. However, we have several heavy hitters set to perform at an exciting Finlandia next week, which should be a doozy after a tumultuous – if mildly confusing – Skate America.

Here are the top lock-ins for the Grand Prix Final per discipline:

Men’s

1. Ilia Malinin (USA) – 30 points

2. Shun Sato (Japan) – 28 points

3. Mikhail Shaidorov (Kazakhstan) – 24 points

Women’s

1. Kaori Sakamoto (Japan) – 28 points

2. Alysa Liu (USA) – 28 points

3. Ami Nakai (Japan) – 26 points

Pairs

1. Riku Miura & Riyuchi Kihara (Japan) – 30 points

2. Sara Conti & Niccolo Macii (Italy) – 28 points

3. Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava (Georgia) – 28 points

4. Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps (Canada) – 28 points

Ice Dance

1. Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA) – 30 points

2. Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson (Great Britain) – 28 points

3. Allison Reed & Saulius Ambrulevicus (Lithuania) – 24 points

4. Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha (Canada) – 24 points

Who will join them? We’ll see in Finland, when the final chips will fall.