NEW YORK :World Champion Alysa Liu surprised herself with her first Grand Prix title at Skate America on Sunday, overtaking Japan’s Rinka Watanabe in the free skate by a slim margin at Lake Placid.
The American Liu was less than a point off the lead after Saturday’s short programme and looked stunned as the final results were called, as she had a combined 214.27 points to Watanabe’s 210.96.
Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova was third with 204.69.
“To be honest, when I did it – jump wise – I did not feel very good, so that’s why I was confused,” Liu said in televised remarks.
“I thought all my jumps were horrible, terrible. But maybe they weren’t. And also I forget spins and my footwork and choreography, that all has a part in my score – I forget it’s not just jumps.
“I’ll have to rewatch my performance and then I’ll see how I feel.”
Liu, who came out of retirement in 2024, appeared totally in control during the free skate despite a couple of under rotations, with an early triple Lutz-triple toe combination.
A favourite of the U.S. fans, she sent cheers through the stands with a gutsy triple Lutz double Axel double toe sequence and gave the crowd a thumbs up as the judges rewarded her with a season’s best score of 140.54.
Watanabe followed with a brilliant, technical performance that included a fine triple Axel-triple toe combination.
She kept her composure when she slipped on the takeoff for a triple Axel early in the programme and landed awkwardly, the only obvious blemish in a performance that broadcasters at first believed would net her the gold medal.
CHOCK AND BATES TAKE FIFTH TITLE
Reigning world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates claimed a record-tying fifth Skate America title in the ice dance, bringing the house down with a Flamenco-themed free dance for a combined score of 212.58.
Canadians Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha were second in the standings after Saturday’s rhythm dance and held on to the second spot on the podium with an elegant free dance for a 197.16 point total.
France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud (192.61) finished third.
The Americans Chock and Bates are hungry to add ice dance Olympic gold to their trio of world titles at February’s Milano Cortina Winter Games, after finishing just off the podium in Beijing.
“We can make a lot of improvements on both programmes,” said Bates. “We feel like there’s a lot of potential for this to be a really powerful Olympic free dance.”
