Malinin Wins Skate America for Third Consecutive Year
World champion Ilia Malinin secured his third consecutive Skate America title on Sunday, overcoming an early mistake to deliver a show-stopping performance that left the crowd in awe. The two-time and reigning U.S. champion scored 290.12 points, narrowly edging out Kevin Aymoz of France, who posted a career-best free skate score of 282.88 points.
Aymoz Mounts a Challenge
Aymoz, who struggled at the end of last season, delivered an error-free program that included two quads, vaulting him into first place and setting the stage for a thrilling finale. However, Malinin’s experience and skill ultimately paid off, as he adjusted his program on the fly to make up for lost points.
Miura Finishes Third
Kao Miura of Japan, the 19-year-old former world junior champion, landed three quads during his program but lost points for an under-rotated triple axel and a step sequence that led into a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination. Despite this, Miura finished third with a respectable 278.67 points.
Malinin’s Recovery
After opening with a perfect quad flip and triple axel, Malinin doubled a planned quad loop, leaving him to make changes to his program on the fly. He quickly regained his composure, landing a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination and a quad salchow-triple axel in sequence. The crowd erupted as Malinin capped off his recovery with a backflip during his choreographed sequence, a move that had been banned until this season due to its inherent danger.
Post-Competition Reflections
“It was really hard for me in the middle of the program to think what I have to do – what I need to do,” Malinin said when asked about the early mistake. “I just went full autopilot through there, and I’m glad I made it out.” Malinin’s victory sets the stage for an exciting season, with the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy looming on the horizon.
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