Chock and Bates Take a Commanding Lead at U.S. Figure Skating Championships: A Dance to Remember!

WICHITA, Kan. — Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the two-time defending world champions, showcased an energetic performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. They brought a mix of popular music from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s to life with their rhythm dance, scoring an impressive 92.16 points. This score places them nearly ten points ahead of their closest competitors, Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, who scored 82.86 points.

The competition was tight for the next spots. Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik tied with Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, both scoring 82.13 points, showing just how competitive this event is.

Chock and Bates were not available for interviews afterward due to Chock dealing with a stomach bug. They are chasing their fourth straight national title and their sixth overall, which would tie the record held by Meryl Davis and Charlie White. This potential victory comes eleven years after they first reached the top of the podium.

Later that day, Alysa Liu aimed for a remarkable comeback in the women’s free skate after a two-year break from competition. At just 19, she was ahead of seasoned skaters like two-time champion Bradie Tennell and defending champion Amber Glenn after her strong short program.

The ice dance finale is set for Saturday, along with the men’s short program featuring world champion Ilia Malinin.

This season’s rhythm dance focuses on styles from social dances of the earlier decades. While many teams chose classic tracks from Elvis or Nancy Sinatra, Chock and Bates opted for a lively medley that included “Hawaii Five-O,” “Let’s Twist Again,” and even had the audience grooving to the “YMCA” by the Village People.

With their stunning performance, Chock and Bates have positioned themselves as frontrunners not just for the national title, but also as strong contenders for the upcoming world championships in Boston and the Winter Olympics in Milan next year.

Carreira and Ponomarenko impressed with their playful homage to 1950s sock hops, despite a minor mistake on a twizzle move. Carreira noted, “Our job doesn’t change regardless of the scores. We want to skate a good program, we want to skate our best.”

For Zingas and Kolesnik, their Bee Gees medley caught attention, while Green and Parsons also put in a solid performance. The close scoring reflects the competitive nature of this sport. Zingas remarked, “We’re happy to be here and we’ve worked really hard. We enjoyed our performance.”