Amber Glenn captures women's title at figure skating Grand Prix Final
Skater is 1st American to win event in 14 years
Amber Glenn has soared to the top of international figure skating and proved she belonged there Saturday with an historic victory in the Grand Prix Final.
Glenn became the first American to win the women's Grand Prix Final competition since Alissa Czisny 14 years ago as three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto had to settle for third place.
That continues a stunning breakout season at the age of 25 for the Texas-born skater, who is unbeaten in 2024-25, and caps a year which began with her first U.S. national title in January. Glenn admitted it's hard to get used to being on the top step of the podium.
WATCH | That Figure Skating show recaps Grand Prix Final:
"I'm exhausted," she said. "It has been a whirlwind of a season and I've kind of struggled with this imposter syndrome. Just: `Oh, no, no, I'm not winning. That's not me.' And I'm just happy my hard work is finally showing, and this is a great event, and I'm honoured to even be here."
Skating last in the six-woman field against five Japanese skaters, there was little sign of the pain which had bothered Glenn in Thursday's short program.
WATCH | Glenn claims 1st career Grand Prix Final title:
Glenn started with an emphatic triple axel and overcame a slight wobble part-way through her free skate — doubling a planned triple salchow and slightly under-rotating a triple flip — to finish strongly and score a total 212.07 for the win.
Mone Chiba, a silver medallist at both her Grand Prix events this season, was second again on 208.85. World champion Sakamoto had been out of form in the short program but recovered with a strong free skate to the musical "Chicago" for bronze on 201.13.
Malinin lands 6 quads to win men's event
Ilia Malinin landed six quadruple jumps and Amber Glenn ended a 14-year wait for gold for the United States on an historic day for American figure skaters at the Grand Prix Final on Saturday.
Malinin and Glenn won their individual events and Madison Chock and Evan Bates retained their ice dance title as the U.S. won three of the four senior gold medals.
Malinin attempted seven quads in his program including the quad axel, which only he has ever landed in competition, with a backflip as an exclamation point near the end. Malinin fell once but landed the other six quads, though all of them picked up deductions on execution.
WATCH | Malinin defends title:
"A lot was going on in my mind. It was just so crazy," Malinin said. "I had this idea and this goal that I wanted to achieve here and I was able to blow it out of the park."
Malinin's free skate score ended up slightly below that of second-placed Yuma Kagiyama, but his 12-point lead from Friday's short program kept him comfortably ahead overall. Malinin's 292.12 total points were enough to successfully retain the Grand Prix Final title.
Olympic silver medalist Kagiyama scored 281.78 for second place after landing three quads in the free skate, and fellow Japanese skater Shun Sato took bronze on 270.82.
Canada's Gilles, Poirier fall to 5th
Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier couldn't overcome a fall in the rhythm dance to reach the podium with their free skate Saturday.
Toronto's Gilles and Poirier, from Unionville, Ont., who are three-time medallists in world championships, ranked second in the free skate to finish fifth overall.
Poirier caught his foot on the boards and fell Friday. The duo ranked last among the six teams heading into the free skate.
WATCH | Gilles, Porier fail to reach podium:
Reigning world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. won both the rhythm dance and free skate to take the crown.
Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., placed fourth ahead of their Canadian teammates.
Lajoie and Lagha were fourth after the rhythm dance and ranked fifth in the free skate.
WATCH | Chock, Bates win ice dance title:
Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy finished second and Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Britain third.
Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher were third in junior pairs to repeat as bronze medallists in the event.
Desrochers of Mississauga, Ont., and Thrasher of Amherstburg, Ont., ranked second after the short program.
Julia Quattrocchi of Laval, Que., and Simon Desmarais of Carignan, Que., placed sixth in their junior pairs final debut.
