Japanese figure skater Kazuki Tomono impressed with his best short program in over three years at Skate America, leading ahead of Kevin Aymoz from France and Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov for the free skate. The U.S.’s Jason Brown placed fifth behind Italy’s Daniel Grassl in his first Grand Prix event of the season.
In pairs, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava showcased a nearly flawless performance with their program set to “Bolero,” securing a significant lead over Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara. Tomono, aiming for a spot in Japan’s Winter Olympics team, received a standing ovation from the audience in Lake Placid after scoring 95.77, his best short-program score since the 2022 world championships.
Aymoz, the six-time French champion, bounced back from a poor performance at Skate Canada with a score of 93.56, showcasing a strong performance despite a left foot injury. Shaidorov, aiming for his first Grand Prix win, struggled to match his previous scores and finished with 89.67 points. Grassl and Brown followed closely with scores of 83.68 and 82.69, respectively.
Brown, aiming for a spot in his third Olympic team, faced challenges during his “Riverdance” program but displayed precise footwork, securing a top-five finish. Metelkina and Berulava continued their success from the Cup of China with a season’s best score of 78.83. Miura and Kihara faced difficulties with their side-by-side jump, impacting their score of 74.42.
The men’s and pairs medals will be awarded on Saturday, followed by the ice dance competition and women’s short program on Sunday, marking the conclusion of Skate America.