In an exhilarating start to the ISU World Team Trophy 2025 held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, newly crowned women’s world champion Alysa Liu took center stage, narrowly defeating former champion Sakamoto Kaori by a mere 0.16 points in the women’s short program. Liu’s performance, which garnered a score of 75.70, propelled the USA team to first place after Day 1 of this prestigious six-team event.
Liu, the surprising winner at the recent World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, showcased that her victory was no fluke. In her own words, “Great? Because I feel like I did a good enough performance to hopefully get my team some extra points.” She expressed her delight in delivering a clean program amidst fierce competition, stating, “I just wanted to keep the momentum going and I’m glad I did.”
Despite feeling fatigued after her triumph in Boston, Liu emerged ready for the challenge. “I did maybe one free skate total in between,” admitted the Beijing 2022 Olympian. “I really felt the competition come down.” Despite her light preparation, her performance shone bright, reaffirming her positioning at the pinnacle of women’s figure skating.
Trailing Liu closely was Sakamoto Kaori, Japan’s captain, who delivered an impressive routine but settled into second overall. Anastasiia Gubanova of Georgia, making her WTT debut, placed third, demonstrating emerging talent in the sport. Notably, Japan’s world bronze medallist Chiba Mone took fourth with a score of 69.66, and Amber Glenn, a competitor from the USA, faced challenges, finishing seventh.
Following a solid sweep in men’s and women’s singles along with ice dance segments, the USA ended Day 1 with a total of 52 points. Japan lagged closely behind at 44 points, with France rounding out the top three at 34. This edge creates an exciting atmosphere for the next day. Fans can look forward to the men’s free skate, the ice dance free skate, and the pairs short program as the competition heats up.
