Chock and Bates win sixth national ice dance title while Malinin soars | Figure skating
Madison Chock and Evan Bates have been America’s top robotic dancers for years.
The best in the world too.
They only served to underscore that fact on Saturday, when they won their fourth consecutive U.S. Ski Championships title and sixth overall, which ties the record held by longtime record holders Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
Chock and Bates followed up their impressive rhythmic dance with a winning freestyle, totaling 223.52 points to easily edge out Christina Carrera in second place and Anthony Ponomarenko. Carolyn Green and Michael Parsons placed third.
Quick guide
2025 US Figure Skating Championships
displays
table
All times are EST.
Thursday 23 January
• Short pairs, 6.05-8pm, peacocks
• Pairs, Women’s Shorts, 7 to 11 p.m., USA
• Women’s Short, 8.20-11pm, Peacock
Friday 24 January
• Rhythm Dance, 5:12-7:30 p.m., Peacock
• Rhythm Dance, 6-7:30 p.m., USA
• Women-free, 7.47-11pm, Peacock
• Women-Free, 8-11 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Saturday 25 January
• Short Men (Groups 1, 2), 11am to 12.40pm, Peacock
• Free dance (groups 1, 2), 12.50-2.30pm, Peacock
• Men’s short dance, freestyle, 2:30-4:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock
• Men’s Short (Group 3), 2.36-3.30pm, Peacock
• Free Dance (Group 3), 3.30-4.30pm, Peacock
• Free Pairs, 7:35-10 p.m., Peacock
• Free Pairs, 8-10pm, USA
Sunday 26 January
• Free Men, 2.45-6pm, Peacock
• Free Men, 4-6 p.m., NBC/Peacock
“It honestly means the world,” Bates said. “The US Championships are always an event that we hold close to our hearts. I think it’s that competition that we grew up coming to every January, and watching every year on TV as kids. That’s what made us fall in love with the sport. There’s something incredibly magical about this event “
Earlier in the day, two-time defending U.S. champion and world champion Ilya Malinin scored 114.08 points for his short program to take a huge lead in Sunday’s free skate. Andrew Torgachev’s 20 points were second and Jimmy Ma was third.
A pairs championship with free skating will also be scheduled Saturday night.
Chuck, who has been dealing with a food-related stomach bug all week, joined Bates in a down-tempo dance set to music from the 50s, 60s and 70s with her longtime partner on Friday night. Chock and Bates each earned 92.16 points, which puts them nearly 10 points behind second-place Carreira and Ponomarenko heading into the free dance.
With Chock still dealing with her illness on Saturday, they were still able to put their lead forward, confirming their status as favorites for not only the upcoming World Championships in Boston but also the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Maddie has had a rough couple of days. “He wasn’t really able to fall much,” Bates said. It’s very difficult. She would never go out there and not give it the best of it. It took all the little energy she had. I just tried to give her love and support.”
Carrera and Ponomarenko finished with 210.79 points for their second straight silver medal, while Green and Parsons took bronze after being tied on 82.13 points with Emilia Zingas and Vadim Kolesnik after the rhythm dance.
“The dance field is so strong, that we are really proud to be on the podium,” Carrera said.
In the men’s short program, 20-year-old Malinin did what he became known for: nailing quads. He opened with a quad flip, through a double axel, then hit a quad lutz with a triple toe loop.
“I felt really good with my skiing today,” he said, before adding: “I still have work to do on the quality of my skiing.”
Imagine that: Malinin thinks it can be better.
“I don’t even think of Elijah as a competitor anymore because it’s not something I think I can achieve,” said Ma, who likened the vaulting dynamo to retired Olympic champion Nathan Chen. “It’s an honor to be friends and to compete with two people who can be considered the GOAT in their own way.”
In the pairs competition, defending American champions Eli Kamm and Danny O’Shea scored 77.19 points in their short program to take a big lead over Emily Chan and Spencer Howe. In fact, Cam and O’Shea’s score was almost four points better than their best international score, setting them up for what could be a podium finish later on Saturday.
Chan and Hao, the 2023 silver medalists at nationals, scored 69.10 points to land in second place, but were less than a tenth of a point ahead of Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov. The silver medalists scored 69.03 for their short program.
US Figure Skating also confirmed a three-woman lineup for the world championships in March. Amber Glenn, who won her second straight national title on Friday night, will be joined by American silver medalist Alyssa Liu and world silver medalist Isabeau Levito, provided she is healthy enough to compete. She did not compete at nationals due to injury.
If Levitow is unable to perform in Boston, she will be replaced by American bronze medalist Sarah Everhardt.