Chock and Bates defend title and win fourth US gold in ice dance

Natalie Portman
By Natalie Portman 3 Min Read

Madison Chock and Evan Bates successfully defended their ice dance title at the US Figure Skating Championships, scoring 137.85 in the free dance for a total score of 229.75.

Chock and Bates Defend Title and Win 4th US Gold in Ice DancingBy SONJA CHENAssociated PressThe Associated PressSAN JOSE, California.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Madison Chock and Evan Bates successfully defended their ice dance title Saturday at the US Figure Skating Championships, scoring 137.85 in the free dance for a total score of 229.75.

The recently engaged couple has won medals at Nationals every season since 2013. That’s 11 years in a row, tying former training partners Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (2012-22) for the most consecutive years on the ice dance podium of the United States.

Caroline Green and Michael Parsons earned the silver medal with a free dance score of 126.06 for their program set to “Rhapsody in Blue,” while Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, who were fourth after the short program, scored 121.08 and moved up one place to take bronze. Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik continued a strong rookie season as partners, finishing fourth with a 119.95.

In a free dance inspired by the relationship between fire and air that was languid and sizzling, Chock and Bates scored near-perfect in their program components, which explain skating skills and artistry.

Chock and Bates, Hubbell and Donohue, and Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker have occupied the top three spots on the podium for the past four years. But Hubbell and Donohue retired and Hawayek and Baker withdrawn by citizens to prioritize their physical and mental health.

Ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani, along with US Figure Skating Foundation President and Trustee Paul E. George, were inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame at the event.

The Shibutani brothers are two-time national champions and three-time world medalists and hold the distinction of being the first athletes of Asian descent to medal in Olympic ice dance when they won bronze at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

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