Canadian figure skaters Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier clinched the bronze medal in the pairs event at Skate America held in Lake Placid, N.Y. The duo achieved a total score of 182.87, with 121.58 points garnered in the free skating segment, securing them the third position in the competition.
This marks their second bronze medal at Skate America, following their third-place finish in the 2022 event with a score of 156.94. Meanwhile, Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara claimed the gold medal with 215.99 points, while Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava from Georgia secured the silver with a score of 195.73.
Miura and Kihara dominated the free skating segment on Saturday, earning 141.57 points, nearly 20 points higher than the Canadian pair. Although Metelkina and Berulava led after the short program on Friday, they slipped to fourth place in the free skating segment.
In the men’s competition, France’s Kevin Aymoz celebrated his first Grand Prix victory after a challenging journey in figure skating. Aymoz, a six-time French champion, outperformed Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov and Japan’s Kazuki Tomono to claim the gold medal with a strong free skate in Lake Placid, New York.
Aymoz finished with 253.53 points, securing the top spot, while Shaidorov took the silver with 251.09 points, and Tomono settled for the bronze with 245.57 points. In ice dance, Canadians Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha ranked second after the rhythm dance program, trailing behind the Olympic favorites Madison Chock and Evan Bates from the United States.
Chock and Bates showcased a captivating performance inspired by Lenny Kravitz, earning 84.77 points and leading the competition. The Canadians sit in a promising position heading into the free dance on Sunday. The competition at Skate America continues with a close battle in the women’s event where Japan’s Rinka Watanabe leads after the short program, closely pursued by Alysa Liu of the United States.
The women’s event promises an exciting conclusion on the final day of Skate America as the top skaters vie for the podium spots.
