Japan's Nakai leads after women's short program, Canada's Dupuis sets personal best at Skate America

Olympic bronze medallist Ami Nakai led former Olympic silver medallist Alexandra Ignatova and the rest of the Skate America field by a wide margin after the Japanese star landed her triple axel to highlight a peerless women's short program Saturday night in Everett, Wash.

At Angel of the Wings Arena in Everett, Wash., Nakai scored 82.20 points for her program, set to “Por Una Cabeza” by Carlos Gardel, which not only set a personal-best for the 18-year-old but also was the highest-scoring short program through the first four Grand Prix events this season.

Ignatova, whose last name was Trusova when she won silver at the 2022 Winter Games, was second with 74.24 points. Yujae Kim of Korea was third with 73.92, while Adeliia Petrosian - like Ignatova a Russian competing as a neutral athlete - was fourth.

Japan's Ami Nakai leads at Skate America Everett after a near-flawless short program

Sara-Maude Dupuis of Montreal was sixth with a personal-best score of 68.95 points.

"I did my job and the scores came with it. I don't think I could've done better. I'm so surprised about this score," Dupuis said.

Last November at the Warsaw Cup, Dupuis became the first Canadian woman to land a triple axel in international competition.

Montreal's Sara-Maude Dupuis skates personal best short program, sits in 6th at Skate America Everett

In the rhythm dance, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik showed why they're considered the top American dance team following the retirement of longtime standard-bearers Madison Chock and Evan Bates.

Zingas and Kolesnik scored 82.52 points for their dance, set to selections from “Carmen” by Georges Bizet, just a fraction off the best score of the Grand Prix season.

Olympic champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and