Above: Photo credit Getty ImagesBy Kristen Henneman On the concluding day of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2024 held in Grenoble, France, Team USA secured podium finishes in all six events. Amber Glenn, Ilia Malinin, along with Madison Chock and Evan Bates each achieved gold in the three senior categories, marking a […]
Above: Photo credit Getty Images
By Kristen Henneman
On the concluding day of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2024 held in Grenoble, France, Team USA secured podium finishes in all six events.
Amber Glenn, Ilia Malinin, along with Madison Chock and Evan Bates each achieved gold in the three senior categories, marking a historic moment as it is the first occurrence of Team USA winning gold in three senior disciplines at the Grand Prix Final.
Each of them also set records along the way. Glenn became the first American woman to win gold at the Grand Prix Final since Alissa Czisny in 2010, while Malinin made history by being the first skater to attempt seven quadruple jumps and all six types of quad jumps in one program. Chock and Bates now share the record for the most Grand Prix Final medals in ice dance with six medals total.
In addition, Team USA earned three Junior Grand Prix Final medals; Jacob Sanchez took gold in the men’s event, while Olivia Flores and Luke Wang, along with Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski, secured silver in the pairs and ice dance events, respectively.
Malinin Continues to Earn His Quad God Name
By executing quads for each of the six jump types – the flip, Axel, loop, Lutz, toe loop and Salchow – Malinin set another milestone in jumping history.
“Going into the Grand Prix Final, I aimed to challenge myself technically and also incorporate the artistry I’ve been developing over the past seasons to refine my performance,” Malinin remarked. “I wanted to see if I could combine everything into one program and see the outcome.”
The current World champion retained his Grand Prix Final title, becoming only the second U.S. male to secure consecutive golds and three medals in a row at this event, following Nathan Chen’s four consecutive medals from 2016-19.
With a free skate score of 186.69 for his routine set to “I’m Not a Vampire” by Falling in Reverse, Malinin finished with a total of 292.12 points, winning decisively by over 10 points.
Having turned 20 earlier this week, Malinin has now claimed victory in seven consecutive competitions, a streak initiated at last year’s Grand Prix Final.
Chock and Bates Cement Their Grand Prix Final Legacy
Chock and Bates continue to carve their legacy into the record books.
With their sixth medal at the Grand Prix Final, they equaled the record held by Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, as well as Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat for the most ice dance medals ever at this event.
Winning gold for the second consecutive year, the reigning two-time World champions are now the first ice dancers to clinch back-to-back golds since Kaitlin Weaver and Andrew Poje in 2014 and 2015.
“It’s amazing to hear such stats. We have a passion for skating,” Bates expressed. “Our connection through skating has always motivated us. As long as we’re healthy, motivated, and passionate, we’ll continue.”
Chock and Bates achieved a score of 132.12 points for their free dance to “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck and “Take Five” by Juju, incorporating five Level 4 elements, totaling 219.85 points. They dominated the competition by a margin of 13.74 points, with both their free dance and total score being the highest in the world thus far this season.
“The progress from Skate America to now has been really positive,” Bates noted. “What we’ve been doing at home has been the right kind of work. It’s crucial to stay the course, listen to our bodies. We have extensive experience, so we know what to expect, but we always have to be prepared for the unexpected. We rely on our Ice Academy in Montreal team to keep us focused and ready for the second half of the season.”
Team USA has medaled in ice dance at the Grand Prix Final every year since its inception in 2007.
Glenn Takes Top Spot in Grand Prix Final Debut
As the year 2024 began, Glenn had only one senior gold. Following her victory at the 2024 U.S. title, she has maintained her undefeated streak in her four events thus far, including her debut win at the Grand Prix Final.
“It still feels surreal. I earned my first international gold this year in Bergamo. Competing internationally since I was 13, being 25 now and having this experience means so much to me.”
With the highest free skate score of 142.03 among five Japanese competitors, including three-time World champion Kaori Sakamoto, Glenn concluded with a two-day total of 212.07, becoming the third U.S. woman ever to finish the Grand Prix Series and Grand Prix Final undefeated in the same season, joining Michelle Kwan (1995-96) and Sasha Cohen (2002-03).
Skating to “I Will Find You” by Audiomachine and “The Return” by CLANN, Glenn received positive execution grades on 11 out of 12 elements. She began her routine with a triple Axel, which she has successfully landed in all her events this season, and amassed over 13 points for her triple loop-double Axel-double Axel combination in the routine’s latter half.
Jacob Sanchez Continues His Junior Grand Prix Winning Streak
In contrast to the initial two Grand Prix events this season, where he led into the free skate, Sanchez had to overcome a deficit at the Junior Grand Prix Final.
Trailing by just 0.15 points after the first day, Sanchez garnered 148.14 in the free skate to take the lead and secure gold in his Junior Grand Prix Final debut with a total of 227.38 points.
He is now the first U.S. male to win this event since Alex Krasnozhon in 2017 and the first U.S. skater of Hispanic descent to clinch gold at the Junior Grand Prix Final.
“This feels surreal. I wasn’t anticipating this outcome,” Sanchez stated. “I didn’t foresee making it here this season since my first Grand Prix was my only assignment. … It was incredible to compete alongside such remarkable skaters, fostering an inspiring atmosphere that we should cherish. I genuinely appreciate this entire week with all of them.”
Performing to “Io Ci Saró” by Andrea Bocelli, Sanchez highlighted his routine with a triple Lutz-double Axel-double Axel sequence that won 15.44 points, and he achieved Level 4 ratings for all three of his spins.
Experience Pays Off for Flores and Wang
In their second Junior Grand Prix Final appearance, Flores and Wang earned their first medal – a silver – marking the second occasion in three years that a Team USA pairs team has stepped onto the podium after Sonia Baram and Daniel Tioumentsev secured silver and bronze, respectively, in 2022.
The 2024 World Junior silver medalists amassed 155.82 total points, including 103.78 for their free skate.
Skating to music from The Lion King by Hans Zimmer, their performance featured highlights such as their Level 4 reverse lasso lift, throw triple loop, and Level 3 triple twist lift.
“Last season was our initial Grand Prix Final experience, and it was so novel that we couldn’t fully appreciate it,” Wang reflected. “Last year’s Junior Grand Prix Series, notably the one in Beijing, taught us a lot, and we applied those lessons today, making us really happy with our performance.”
Wolfkostin and Tsarevski Take Advantage of Opportunity in France
Having competed with different partners, both Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final only to see the event canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, they had the chance to compete together, and they captured silver, marking their first Grand Prix Final medal with an overall score of 164.98 points.
Their skate, set to “One Day I’ll Fly Away” and “The Show Must Go On” from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, commenced with two of their strongest elements: their one foot turns sequence and synchronized twizzles, eventually earning 99.41 points in the free dance.
“We executed what we practiced and prepared for everyone,” Wolfkostin stated. “There’s always room for improvement, which we acknowledge, and it’s an area we can focus on for continued growth.”
Team USA has now medaled in ice dance at the Junior Grand Prix Final for the second consecutive year, following Leah Neset and Artem Markelov’s victory last year.
Elliana Peal and Ethan Peal also represented Team USA in the junior ice dance event, scoring 82.89 points in the free dance for a total of 143.08 points.
Their Pearl Harbor-themed free skate was dedicated to their grandfather on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
For full results from France, visit the 2024 Grand Prix Final Competition Central.