Fukuaka, Japan

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Team USA claimed its fourth World Team Trophy title 13 points clear of the rest of the field as competition wrapped up at the ISU World Team Trophy in Fukuoka, Japan, on Saturday, with Team Japan edging out Russia for the silver medal. The USA, victors in 2009, 2013 and 2015, collected 117 points while Japan had 104 points and Russia 102.

Team USA WTT 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Team USA at the ISU World Team Trophy 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Two-time and reigning World Champion Nathan Chen and 2019 World bronze medalist Vincent Zhou were the top scorers for Team USA earning first and second place in both the short program and free skate. 2019 World Ice Dance bronze medalists Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue came third, while Ashley Cain/Timothy Le Duc ranked fifth. Bradie Tennell came up from fourth to second with an excellent performance in her Free Skate, while Mariah Bell finished sixth.

Team Japan WTT 2019International Skating Union ISU 1142397388

Team USA at the ISU World Team Trophy 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

2019 Four Continents Champion Shoma Uno finished third. His teamate Keiji Tanaka was right behind him after the Short Program, with a season’s best but dropping to sixth after the Free Skate. Ice Dancers Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto and Pairs Riku Miura/Shoya Ichihashi were sixth. Japanese Champion Kaori Sakamoto, turned in two solid performances with two season’s best for her short and Free Skate, while Japan’s ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Rika Kihira delivered an excellent Short Program but made a few mistakes in the Free Skate to end up fifth.

Team Russia WTT 2019International Skating Union ISU 1142397330

Team Russia at the ISU World Team Trophy 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Andrei Lazukin dropped from fifth to eighth in the Men’s Free Skating, and placed just ahead of 2019 European silver medalist Alexander Samarin who came up from 12th. However, World Ice Dance silver medalists Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov set a new season’s best score for their Rhythm Dance and then followed up with another season’s best performance of their Free Dance. 2018 ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalist Elizaveta Tuktamysheva landed a triple Axel in her routine to “Assassin’s Tango” and placed second in the Ladies’ Short Program and continued to make Team Russia proud by winning the Ladies’ Free Skating and setting a season’s best. 2019 European Champion Sofia Samodurova ranked sixth after the Short Program and set a season’s best performance after the Free Skate, moving up to fourth.