World champion Alysa Liu takes free skate as U.S. wins World Team Trophy

World champion Alysa Liu showcased a flawless routine in the women’s free skate, leading the U.S. to its sixth gold medal at the figure skating World Team Trophy in Tokyo. The final day of competition saw Canada’s Madeline Schizas and Sara-Maude Dupuis finishing seventh and tenth in the women’s free skate, while Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps secured fourth place in the pairs free skate.

Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier put on impressive performances, finishing second in both the ice dance rhythm dance and free dance. Team Canada ultimately placed fifth overall in the competition.

Liu, skating to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park,” delivered a stellar performance landing seven triple jumps and earning a personal-best score of 150.97 points. Her teammate Amber Glenn followed closely behind with a score of 148.93, securing the second spot. Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto rounded out the top three with a score of 145.00.

The U.S. team finished the three-day competition with 126 points, 16 points ahead of Japan. Italy claimed its first-ever medal in the event, finishing third with 86 points.

Reflecting on the victory, U.S. skater Jason Brown expressed his pride in the team’s performance, stating, “We are just beaming. I’m so insanely proud of my team and everyone. It’s been such an incredible season, and to end it here has been so special.”

Liu surpassed her previous best free skate score of 148.39, set just last month at the world championships in Boston. Despite feeling happier with her performance at worlds, Liu expressed her satisfaction with her performance at the World Team Trophy, noting that she had only practiced the routine once before the competition.

Glenn also achieved a personal best, showcasing a triple axel in her routine. She attributed her success to consistency in practice and the right mindset on competition day.

The U.S. has consistently performed well at the biennial World Team Trophy since its inception in 2009, winning six out of the nine competitions held. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan won the pairs free skate, narrowing the Americans’ lead, but strong performances by Glenn and Liu ultimately secured the gold for the U.S.

The Americans entered the final day with a 15-point lead over Japan, with victories in the men’s and ice dance competitions on Friday. Two-time world champion Ilia Malinin won the men’s free skate, landing four quads and scoring 183.88 points. Ice dance world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates clinched the free dance segment with a season’s best score of 133.51.

The World Team Trophy, featuring the top six figure skating teams, saw France in fourth place, followed by Canada and Georgia. The competition showcased a thrilling showdown of talent, with Liu, Glenn, and Sakamoto delivering exceptional performances to captivate audiences worldwide.