At the opening of Skate America on Friday night, Japanese figure skater Kazuki Tomono impressed with his best short program in over three years, leading the competition ahead of Kevin Aymoz from France and Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov for the free skate segment. American skater Jason Brown, in his first Grand Prix event of the season, secured the fifth spot behind Italy’s Daniel Grassl.
In the pairs competition, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava showcased a nearly flawless routine to “Bolero,” extending their lead over Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara. Tomono, aiming for a spot at the Winter Olympics, received a standing ovation for his stellar performance, scoring 95.77, his best since the 2022 world championships.
Aymoz bounced back with a strong performance after a disappointing Skate Canada, landing impressive jumps despite a lingering foot injury. Shaidorov, striving for his first Grand Prix victory, faced challenges with his component scores. Grassl and Brown secured fourth and fifth place, respectively, with Brown focusing solely on triple jumps in his routine.
Brown, aiming for his third Olympic appearance at the Milan Cortina Games, competes in consecutive Grand Prix events to prepare for nationals and the Olympics. Metelkina and Berulava from Georgia led the pairs competition with a season’s best score, while Miura and Kihara faced difficulties with their side-by-side jump.
The ice dance and women’s short program will follow on Saturday, with the men’s and pairs medals to be decided, concluding the Skate America competition on Sunday.