CHONGQING, China — Amber Glenn from the United States delivered a remarkable performance during the free skate event on Saturday, achieving a personal best and clinching victory at the Cup of China, which also granted her a spot in the Grand Prix Final.
Glenn, who had ranked second after the short program, captivated the audience while performing to “I Will Find You The Return.” She initiated her routine with a flawless triple axel and executed six additional clean triples, surpassing Japan’s Mone Chiba. Her efforts earned her a personal best score of 144.70, culminating in a total score of 215.54 points.
“I’m really excited to show consistency throughout this Grand Prix series and this season thus far, which has been my primary goal,” expressed Glenn, the reigning U.S. champion. Her triumph in China, coupled with her win at the Grand Prix of France, enables her to qualify for her inaugural GP Final, set to take place from December 5-8 in Grenoble, France, where she will compete against five fellow Japanese athletes.
“I’m beyond thrilled to be up against such remarkable competitors whom I greatly admire. It feels surreal to be considered at this level,” added the 25-year-old from Texas.
Glenn’s achievement marks her as only the fifth American woman to secure two Grand Prix gold medals within a single season and the first to do so since Ashley Wagner in 2012.
Chiba initially appeared poised to maintain her narrow lead from the short program but faltered during the step sequence near the end of her performance, which resulted in a loss of crucial points. She concluded the event in second place with 211.91 points while also securing her entry into the Grand Prix Final.
“All seven jumps received a positive grade of execution, and all were fully rotated,” Chiba remarked. “I did encounter a mistake in the step sequence due to a loss of balance, which I need to work on ahead of the Grand Prix Final.”
South Korea’s Kim Chae-yeon also performed a clean program, finishing third with a total of 208.47 points. Other Japanese skaters, including Kaori Sakamoto, Higuchi Wakaba, Hana Yoshida, and Rino Matsuike, also qualified for the Final.
In the men’s category, Japan’s Shun Sato managed to narrowly preserve his lead from the short program, successfully landing three quadruple jumps to achieve a total score of 278.48 points.
Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov, who landed four quad jumps, secured first place in the free skate but placed second overall with a total of 276.17 points due to his performance in the short program.
France’s Adam Siao Him Fa faced a slight setback with a touchdown on a triple toe loop and an over-rotated triple axel, finishing third with 252.53 points.
In the ice dance segment, Italian duo Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, both two-time world medalists, won the free dance, concluding the event with 209.13 points while securing their fourth qualification for the Grand Prix Final.
Canadian team Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha earned the silver medal with a score of 205.16 points, while the bronze went to American pair Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko with 198.18 points.
The Cup of China marked the final event of the International Skating Union’s Grand Prix series, featuring a total of 60 skaters and couples from 16 different countries.