Japanese figure skater Kazuki Tomono impressed with his best short program in over three years at Skate America, taking the lead over Kevin Aymoz from France and Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov for the free skate. Meanwhile, the U.S.’s Jason Brown placed fifth behind Italy’s Daniel Grassl in his first Grand Prix event this season.
In pairs, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava showcased a near-perfect routine to “Bolero,” securing a strong lead over Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, continuing their rapid ascent in the world rankings.
Tomono, aged 27, aiming for a spot in Japan’s Winter Olympics team, delivered a solid performance with a score of 95.77, his best since the 2022 world championships. Aymoz rebounded from a disappointing Skate Canada with 93.56 points, showcasing a strong performance despite a left foot injury. Shaidorov, aiming for his first Grand Prix win, faced challenges with his component scores, earning 89.67 points.
Brown, a 30-year-old American vying for a spot in his third Olympic team, faced hurdles in his short program but relied on his signature footwork to maintain a top-five finish. Metelkina and Berulava from Georgia, winners at the Cup of China, continued their success with a season’s best score of 78.83 points.
Miura and Kihara, the reigning world champions from Japan, encountered issues with their side-by-side jump, impacting their performance. The competition also saw strong performances from Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel of Germany and Emily Chan and Spencer Howe of the U.S.
The medals for the men’s and pairs events will be awarded on Saturday, with ice dance and women’s short program events set for the following day to conclude Skate America.