WICHITA, Kan. — Madison Chock and Evan Bates have long been recognized as the top ice dancers in the United States, and this past Saturday further solidified their dominance in the sport. They achieved their fourth consecutive U.S. Figure Skating Championships title and their sixth overall, tying the record previously held by celebrated skaters Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
The duo excelled in their rhythm dance and followed it up with a triumphant free dance performance, amassing a total of 223.52 points—far surpassing second-place finishers Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons finished in third place. Bates expressed the importance of this championship, stating, “It means honestly the world. The U.S. championships is always an event that we hold near and dear to our hearts.” He reminisced about watching the event on TV as a child, noting how it inspired their passion for ice dancing and the unique charm that the championship possesses.
In other events on the program, the two-time defending U.S. champion and current world champion Ilia Malinin dominated the men’s short program, scoring 114.08 points and taking a significant lead ahead of Sunday’s free skate. Andrew Torgashev was positioned 20 points behind Malinin in second place, while Jimmy Ma rounded out the top three.
In the pairs category, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov capitalized on the misfortunes of their closest competitors, enabling them to improve upon their silver medal finish from the previous year. The pair scored 211.90 points with their routine set to “Je Suis Malade” by Serge Lama. Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman also seized opportunities due to errors from defending champions Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea and the 2023 silver medalists Emily Chan and Spencer Howe, earning the silver medal for themselves.
Kam and O’Shea faced several errors on crucial elements, including their triple toe loops and throw triples, leading to a disappointing performance that left them in third with 189.57 points. Chan and Howe finished fourth, earning 183.95 points.
Despite grappling with a food-related illness throughout the competition, Chock joined Bates in a vibrant rhythm dance performance featuring tunes from the 1950s to the 1970s, earning 92.16 points—almost 10 points clear of their nearest competitors. While Chock’s health remained a challenge, they successfully maintained their lead, affirming their status as frontrunners for both the upcoming world championship in Boston and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Bates noted the difficulty Chock faced, sharing, “Maddie has had a tough couple of days… She’s never not going to go out there and not give it her best.”
Carreira and Ponomarenko concluded the event with a total of 210.79 points, securing their second consecutive silver medal, while Green and Parsons took the bronze after a closely contested rhythm dance performance tied with Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik. “This dance field is so strong,” Carreira remarked, expressing pride in their podium finish.
Malinin’s strong short program performance included quads and other challenging jumps, which are hallmarks of his routines. He felt confident with his execution but acknowledged there’s always room for improvement, stating, “I still have work to do on the quality of my skating.” Conversely, competitor Jimmy Ma expressed admiration for Malinin’s talent, likening him to legendary figure skater Nathan Chen.
As preparations continue for the world championships in March, U.S. Figure Skating is solidifying its roster. Amber Glenn, having won her second consecutive national title, will compete in the women’s category alongside silver medalist Alysa Liu and reigning world silver medalist Isabeau Levito, provided her foot injury does not hinder her participation. Should Levito be unable to perform, newly named U.S. bronze medalist Sarah Everhardt will step in.
Chock and Bates are set to lead the ice dance competitors at the worlds, aiming for their third consecutive title, while Zingas and Kolesnik will be on standby as alternates.
