Figure skating – Skate America 2025: Alysa Liu claims first career Grand Prix title, fending off Watanabe Rinka
The reigning world champion Alysa Liu has made headlines by winning her first Grand Prix title during Skate America 2025 held in Lake Placid, New York, on November 16. Liu’s remarkable performance enabled her to surpass short program leader Watanabe Rinka, resulting in a final score of 214.27, edging Watanabe by a margin of 3.31 points which concluded at 210.96.
“It’s very meaningful,” a breathless Liu expressed during an interview on NBC TV after the competition. “I honestly just want to keep that up.” Despite her enthusiasm, Liu shared her self-doubt, stating, “I didn’t like how my jumps were today. There are a few things that I would definitely eliminate… a few things that I wish I could have done better.”
Another noteworthy performance came from Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova, who claimed the bronze medal with a score of 204.69, narrowly outperforming Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann, who scored 204.29.
Liu’s victory marks a significant moment in U.S. figure skating, as she becomes the first American woman to win the home Grand Prix since Mariah Bell in 2020. While that victory took place amid pandemic restrictions, the landscape now includes a full roster of international competitors. Ashley Wagner last won in a completely international field back in 2016.
Earlier this season, Liu captured silver at the Cup of China, shaping her pathway to the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan, scheduled for December 4-7. She will be joined by fellow American stars, including Ilia Malinin in men’s singles and the ice dance team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates.
Liu launched her “MacArthur Park” free skate with an impressive triple flip, although a subsequent triple Lutz-triple toe-loop combination was marked as under-rotated by judges. Despite hitting four more triples and garnering high scores in spins and step sequences, she recognized areas for refinement.
“It was a little bit frustrating,” Liu acknowledged regarding her performance overall. “I’m so motivated to make improvements moving forward.” Meanwhile, Watanabe opened her impactful “JIN” free skate with a stunning triple Axel-triple toe combo but faced struggles with subsequent jumps, leading to on-ice frustrations.
As athletes look ahead, Watanabe is eager to secure her spot in the upcoming Final while keeping her eyes on the bigger prize: the Olympic Games in Milano Cortina 2026. “The field is very, very deep in Japan,” she noted, emphasizing the competitive nature of securing one of the three Olympic spots.
