Ami Nakai Lands Triple Axel, Dominates Skate America Short Program

Olympic bronze medallist Ami Nakai produced a standout performance to take a commanding lead after the women's short program at Skate America, while former Olympic silver medallist Alexandra Ignatova sat second on Saturday. Competing at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, the Japanese star scored 82.20 points for her program to "Por Una Cabeza" by Carlos Gardel. The score was not only a personal best for the 18-year-old but also the highest short-program score recorded across the first four Grand Prix events of the season.

Ignatova, who competed as Alexandra Trusova when she won silver at the 2022 Winter Olympics, was second with 74.24 points, while South Korea's Yujae Kim placed third with 73.92. Adeliia Petrosian, another Russian skater competing as a neutral athlete, was fourth.

In the rhythm dance, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik underlined their status as the leading American ice dance team following the retirement of long-time stars Madison Chock and Evan Bates.

The American duo scored 82.52 points for their routine set to selections from Carmen by Georges Bizet, narrowly missing the highest rhythm dance score of the Grand Prix season.

Olympic champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron hold the season's best mark with 82.56 points, achieved at the Grand Prix de France.

France's Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud were second with 79.94 points, while Czech pair Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek occupied third place with 76.32.

The first medals of Skate America were scheduled to be decided later on Saturday following the men's and pairs free-skate events.

Fresh from winning gold at the Grand Prix de France earlier this month, Nakai opened her short program with a triple axel, one of the few women in the sport currently attempting the 3½-revolution jump. She followed it with a flawless triple lutz-triple toe combination and a triple loop.

Ignatova, who married skater Makar Ignatov and returned to competition after welcoming the couple's first child in August 2025, opted for a safer double axel in her first Skate America appearance since winning the competition in 2021.

Petrosian, who finished sixth at the Milan Olympics, was making her senior Grand Prix debut after the International Skating Union (ISU) allowed Russian athletes to compete as neutral competitors for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The three-time reigning Russian champion was added to the Skate America field just over a week before the event following the withdrawal of Belgium's Nina Pinzarrone.

Although Petrosian secured the necessary travel documents in time, her new coach Inna Goncharenko was unable to accompany her, leaving the skater alone in the kiss-and-cry area as her score was announced.

Zingas and Kolesnik, who finished fifth at the Milan Olympics, have emerged as one of the sport's fastest-rising dance teams after Zingas switched from singles skating.

The pair followed their Olympic performance by claiming bronze at the World Championships and, despite a delayed start to the season due to Kolesnik's injury, are expected to contend for a podium finish at next month's Grand Prix Final.

"We definitely have room to improve," Kolesnik said. "Considering this was our first competition of the season."

A strong free skate on Sunday could see Zingas and Kolesnik capture their first Grand Prix gold medal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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