Above: Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea and Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov both placed on the podium at Skate America, the first Grand Prix medal for both teams. Photo credit Melanie Heaney/U.S. Figure Skating
By Troy Schwindt
Photo credit Melanie Heaney/U.S. Figure Skating
Team USA earned three medals on Saturday at 2024 Skate America in Allen, Texas, including two in pairs. Reigning U.S. champions Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea carted home the silver medal, while U.S. silver medalists Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov rallied to claim the bronze. It marked the first time that two U.S. pairs teams finished on the podium at a fully international Skate America since 2006. World silver medalist Isabeau Levito garnered her third consecutive Skate America medal, taking home the bronze.
The U.S. also fared well in the rhythm dance as two-time and reigning World champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates placed second, while World champion Ilia Malinin finished first in the men’s event. The men’s free skate and the free dance get underway Sunday morning.
Kam and O’Shea delivered their best outing yet with a sensitive and lyrical performance to Florence & the Machine’s rendition of “Stand by Me.” Marked by difficult transitions into and out of elements, the program built to a dramatic finale with three superb lifts, all executed in the final third of the routine.
The 2024 Four Continents bronze medalists garnered personal best free skate and overall scores of 131.07 and 201.73 points, respectively, to clinch their first Grand Prix medal.
“Our lifts are a strong point in our skating, so we always want to end our program on a high note and leave the crowd wanting more,” Kam said. “Putting our lifts at the end is a strategic decision so that we can always leave our best foot out on the ice and showcase what we are good at.”
The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based duo began their partnership in June 2023 and have gelled quickly. Their free skate marked the first time that the veteran O’Shea has earned 200 points in his career.
“I’m pleased with their progress and also optimistic about where they can go,” coach Drew Meekins said. “They worked hard in the offseason on a lot of things, of course, solidifying their technical elements. But also, they wanted programs this season that were challenging, that pushed them. People are always saying nice things about their choreography, but we wanted to take it to another level, so we really pushed the envelope there. It’s nice to see them get rewarded.”
Skating to the romantic “Je Suis Malade” performed by Forestella, choreographed by five-time U.S. ice dance champion Renee Roca, Efimova and Mitrofanov nailed their triple throws and side-by-side triple Salchow-double Axel combination to secure a personal best 128.46 points. Her impeccable positions, supported by his strength and technique, made for superior pair elements. They finished with an overall score of 191.51, also a personal best.
For Efimova and Mitrofanov, who are only in the second season of their partnership, the medal is also their first Grand Prix podium finish as a team.
“We were in a good state of being connected in the program, so we went for each element, and it was all along quite comfortable to skate here,” Efimova said.
Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman chalked up their first Grand Prix Series event to experience, finishing with a free skate score of 111.39 and an overall total of 168.08.
The team began skating together in May 2023.
“I think it was a great learning tool that will carry us forward,” McBeath said. “… We showed some improvements, and I liked our connection.”
McBeath and Parkman train in Irvine, California, under USOPC Coach of the Year Jenni Meno Sand.
“They have been running clean programs at home,” Meno Sand said. “This is their first big competition together, and I think it's good for them to see how performing that free skate feels — each time they do it, I think it gets better.”
In the women’s competition, Levito earned the bronze, her third consecutive medal at Skate America after claiming silver in 2022 and 2023. Levito has medaled at every Grand Prix she’s competed in (five podium finishes). Team USA has also medaled in the women’s event at every Skate America since 2019.
In Levito’s free skate to Liszt's “Liebestraum (Love Dream)”, her Level 4 spins and the youthful elegance she used to interpret Liszt’s romantic classic were in fact a dream. But she struggled on several of her jumps.
“I could have skated better today, but I’m glad that I’m on the podium,” Levito said. “I’m glad for the elements that I did do.” She finished fifth in the segment with 126.40 points and with an overall score of 194.83.
Levito loves her free skate and looks forward to its evolution this season.
“I love how romantic the music feels and how it accelerates and calms down,” Levito said. “I feel like there are many different moments in the program that the music goes up and down. It doesn’t lose my interest ever. When I perform it well, it feels like a masterpiece when I put it all together, thanks to my coaches.”
Bradie Tennell’s free skate, a refined and sophisticated take on Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma,” had mature presentation and some solid jumps, but she popped an intended triple Lutz into a single and lost levels on her spins. She finished with a segment score of 125.05 and an overall total of 192.04.
“I’m disappointed because I’ve been skating clean programs every day at home,” Tennell said. “When I woke up today feeling under the weather, I still knew I would be fine. Truth be told, it was the wrong cut of my music and it distracted me. I’m really disappointed; it’s not what I wanted to do here.”
Elyce Lin-Gracey felt every note of Claude-Michel Schoenberg and David Nixon’s mysterious medley from “Cleopatra the Ballet,” and her opening triple Lutz-triple toe combination was solid, receiving more than 11 points. She faltered a bit on her next several jumps but closed strong with two triple flip combinations and another triple Lutz.
“I think she was focused on trying to do a better triple Lutz-triple toe than in the short,” coach Tammy Gambill said. "And then once she did that, I think she lost her focus a little bit and got a little bit sloppy, and then came back and did the hard stuff again at the end of the program. It’s a learning experience for her. She is a tough competitor, and hopefully, she will learn and do better next week [at Skate Canada].”
Lin-Gracey, who made her Grand Prix debut, said she felt pressure after having won recently at Nebelhorn Trophy with a score of 213.33. She posted a score in Allen of 183.94.
“Yes, it was on my mind,” she said. “Everyone was mentioning Nebelhorn this and Nebelhorn that and the weight of trying to perform just exactly that is a lot for one to handle especially since I’m new as a senior. But this competition was a learning experience for me to hopefully be able to do better next week, knowing how the nerves will feel.”
Malinin took the first step toward defending his title, winning the short program by just .15 points over Japan’s Kao Miura. The Virginia native produced a score of 99.69 – the third-highest men’ short program score in Skate America history – and is vying for this third straight Skate America gold.
Although he stepped out of a quadruple flip, Malinin's fast and furious short program to rapper NF’s “RUNNING” was still a showstopper, complete with quadruple Lutz-triple toe loop combination that garnered more than 20 points and the skater’s signature flying “raspberry twist.”
“I feel a bit relieved that I got through it,” Malinin said. “I would say there were a little more nerves than usual, but I think it’s because it’s the first competition of the Grand Prix Series. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Miura’s outstanding performance, Malinin said, motivates him to do better.
“I really appreciate Kao in competing against him; he’s such an amazing skater,” Malinin said. “I see a lot of progress and he’s just become such a cool skater to watch. Both of his programs are amazing and really inspire me to do a lot better. Having him really close gives me that great competition and I’m ready to fight for it in the free program.”
Asked if he’s landed a quintuple jump in practice, Malinin declined to answer, but said, “It’s looking really promising and I’m looking to show it next season.”
Boston-based Maxim Naumov posted a score of 73.11 and finished eighth in the segment.
The two-time and reigning U.S. pewter medalist, who is skating at Skate America for the second straight year, performed to “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” by Tony Bennett.
Seattle’s Lucas Broussard finished 11th with a score of 65.31.
“The crowd was fun to skate for,” Broussard said. “I’ll just continue on and do my best tomorrow.”
Chock and Bates, the reigning two-time World champions, took a “Land of 1000 Dances” approach to their rhythm dance, featuring everything from the twist, watusi and nitty gritty up through the disco era, but a fall on choreographed steps early in the program threw off their timing and expression.
The Montreal-based team posted a score of 77.88 in their season debut. The newlyweds are looking for their record-tying fifth Skate America title (Tanith Bebin and Ben Agosto). Chock and Bates arrived in Allen having won eight consecutive competitions dating back to the 2022 Grand Prix Final. The U.S. has earned the last 15 Skate America titles in ice dance.
“We are proud of the performance today,” Bates said. “We obviously had an unfortunate mistake, but I think considering it happened quite early in the program, we used our experience to recover well and did the rest of the program very well. I think there are a lot of positives to take forward.”
One of their coaches at Montrea’l I.AM. Academy, Patrice Lauzon, echoed Bates’ assessment.
“I thought, overall, it was a pretty good performance,” Lauzon said. “The program is [designed to be] fun, entertaining, showing all of the different dance styles.”
Chock added, “When the music comes on in training or in competition, we always have fun. It’s filled with so much dance and that’s what we love to do.”
Leah Neset and Artem Markelov, the three-time U.S. junior champions and reigning World Junior champions, brought youthful exuberance and charm to their ABBA medley, punctuating their step sequences with playful leaps and connecting with the audience.
They posted a score of 69.68, which included a one-point deduction resulting from a tempo violation due to the Paso music not having 112 beats per minute.
The duo agreed that they’ve noticed a difference this season in stepping up to the senior ranks.
“There’s definitely a challenge in performance and speed, and we're trying to catch up and be on the same level as the other teams,” Markelov said.
Neset and Markelov, who made their Grand Prix debut, don’t have to look far for inspiration, as they practice in Montreal alongside Chock and Bates.
“It’s exciting to share the ice with them,” Neset said. “Growing up, I remember always watching them on TV, so it's cool to be on the same practice ice.”
Annabelle Morozov and Jeffrey Chen, making their Grand Prix Series debut together, brought some 1960s funk with a James Brown/Contours medley, highlighted by well-synchronized twizzles and a closing rotational lift that drew cheers from the Allen crowd.
“It was so much fun; I was like, ‘Can we go again?’” Morozov said. “We could feel good energy from the crowd. The judges were smiling. Just good energy everywhere. We could have skated better, but I think we did what we were prepared for under all of the circumstances.”
The team from Canton, Michigan, learned that they would compete at Skate America earlier this week.
Competition wraps up Sunday with the men’s free skate and free dance. For full results, visit the Skate America Competition Central.
