U.S. figure skaters extend commanding lead at world team trophy

U.S. figure skaters took a nearly insurmountable lead at the season-ending world team trophy with one day of competition left in Tokyo.

World champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates won the free dance, 2022 World champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier won the pairs’ short program and Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn stayed close to women’s singles stars from South Korea and Japan.

The U.S., which held an 11-point lead over South Korea after Thursday, increased it to 15 over South Korea with two programs left Saturday (pairs’ and men’s free skates). The U.S., which has world medalists in pairs and men’s singles, can have average results on Saturday and still win.

The U.S. and Japan were pre-competition co-favorites, but the Americans seized control on Thursday when Japan’s men’s and women’s singles skaters struggled. Japan is in third place, 16 points behind the U.S.

WORLD TEAM TROPHY: Full Results | Broadcast Schedule

In Friday’s events, Chock and Bates won the free dance with the world’s best score this season, a day after posting the world’s top rhythm dance score this season.

Chock and Bates, who won their first world title last month in their 12th season together, said before worlds that they were undecided on whether to continue competing next season. They are planning to get married in summer 2024.

Knierim and Frazier recorded the world’s top pairs’ short program score this season on Friday. Knierim and Frazier, who are likely to retire after this competition, outscored Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, three weeks after taking silver behind the Japanese at worlds.

Levito was fourth in the women’s free skate, matching her overall finish from the world championships. Glenn was sixth in both the short program and