Beijing, China

#FigureSkating#UpAgain 

Nathan Chen USA Team Event MSP Beijing 2022 GettyImages 1368507694

Nathan Chen (USA) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

Team USA took the lead as the Figure Skating competition at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games started Friday with the Men’s, Pairs Short Programs and the Ice Dance/Rhythm Dance of the Team Event. USA edged the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) by two points. Team China follows in third.

A total of ten teams has qualified for the Olympic Team Event that is held for the third time. The teams qualified by getting points according to the results at the ISU Championships and ISU Grand Prix/Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (see ISU Communication N°2443 for full entry lists).

USA edges ROC for lead on Day One   

Three-time World Champion Nathan Chen put Team USA into the lead in the Men’s Short Program - the first segment of the competition. Chen, who had competed in the Team four years ago already, put out a strong performance to “La Boheme” that featured a quadruple flip, quadruple Lutz-triple toe and a triple Axel. He set a personal best of 111.71 points and earned the maximum of ten team points.

Nathan Chen (USA)  Team Event 2022 Winter Olympic Games Beijing(CHN) @GettyImages 1238170557

Nathan Chen (USA) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue followed up with an excellent Rhythm Dance to songs by Janet Jackson, picking up a level four for the twizzles and the stationary lift. The two-time World silver medalists won their segment with a personal best of 86.56 points and added 10 points to the team score.

Madison Hubbell Zachary Donohue USA Team Event IDRD Beijing 2022 GettyImages 1368516468

Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

Pair Skaters Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier put out another clean Short Program to “House of the Rising Sun” that was highlighted by a triple twist and side by side triple toeloop. They finished third with 75.00 points and got 8 team points.

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier USA Team Event PSP Beijing 2022 GettyImages 1368525999

Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

Altogether, Team USA collected 28 points.

“It was an absolutely fantastic day for the Team Event,” said Team USA co-captain Madison Chock. “All of our Skaters brought their best, and I couldn’t be more proud of the performances they put out.”  Her partner and captain Evan Bates commented on the lead over the hot favorite ROC: “Our team has great potential. Looking at the roster we know we have the potential to bring home the gold medal.”

Reigning ISU World Champions Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (ROC) narrowly lost the Rhythm Dance to Hubbell/Donohue (USA) after Katsalapov wobbled on the twizzles, but the Midnight Blues and the rotational lift garnered a level four. The ISU European Champions received 85.05 points and nine team points.

Victoria Sinitsina Nikita Katsalapov ROC Team Event IDRD Beijing 2022 GettyImages 1368517649

Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (ROC) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

ISU World Champions  Anastasia Mishina/Aleksandr Galliamov (ROC) came second in the Pairs Short Program as well. They delivered an excellent performance of their routine to “Esmeralda”, completing a triple twist, throw triple flip and side by side triple Salchow to post a personal best with 82.64 points (9 team points).

Anastasia Mishina Aleksandr Galliamov ROC Team Event PSP Beijing 2022 GettyImages 1368529011

Anastasia Mishina/Aleksandr Galliamov (ROC) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

The new ISU European Champion Mark Kondratiuk delivered a clean Short Program to “The Magnificent Century”, landing a quad toe, triple Axel and quad Salchow-triple toe to place third (95.81 points/8 team points).

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Mark Kondratiuk (ROC) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

Altogether, ROC totaled 26 points on the first day.

“We have a very strong team and all gave the maximum. Unfortunately, Victoria and I made a mistake, but it is nothing terrible, we still have the Free Dance ahead and we are ready and happy to skate it,” team captain Katsalapov said. “If everyone does what they can do and have trained for the whole season the result will be extraordinary.”

Not many expected China to be in medal contention, but two-time ISU World Champions Wenjing Sui/Cong Han led the way by winning the Pairs Short Program. They put out a crisp Flamenco to “Nyah” that included a triple toeloop, triple twist and high throw triple flip and netted a personal best of 82.83 points.

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Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU) 

Ice Dancers  Shiyue Wang/Xinyu Liu were fifth in the Rhythm Dance at 74.66 points and contributed 6 team points. Boyang Jin in sixth place with 82.87 earned 5 points for his team.

Overall, the host country now has 21 points.

“It is the first time for us to participate in the Olympic Team Event and we are very pleased to see the performances of our team members, we were rink side to watch everyone. We are fully prepared to fight for the team (in the Free Skating). We like to use the opportunity to perform and to fight for our team,” Sui told the press.

Japan follows in fourth position with a total of 20 points - just one point behind China. Shoma Uno was the top scorer for his team. Skating to two classical Oboe concertos, the 2018 Olympic silver medalist produced a quad flip, quad toe-triple toe and triple Axel to achieve a personal best of 105.46 points (9 team points).

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Shoma Uno (JPN) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU)

ISU Grand Prix medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara placed fourth with a personal-best performance that was worth 74.45 points (7 team points). Ice Dancers Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto ranked seventh with their Rhythm Dance (66.54/4 team points).

Italy stands in fifth with 18 points and hopes to clinch a spot in the Final. Two-time ISU bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri came third with their upbeat Michael Jackson Medley, securing a seasons best of 83.83 points and 8 team points.

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 Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU)

2018 Olympic Team Champion Canada is currently ranked sixth at 16 points. 2021 ISU World bronze medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier were the highest ranked team members by coming fourth in the Rhythm Dance (82.72/8 team points).

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Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) performing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © International Skating Union (ISU)

The Team Event continues Sunday with the Women’s Short Program and the Men’s Free Skating. The top five teams after the Short Programs and the Rhythm Dance will advance to the Free Skating to compete for the medals. A maximum of two Skaters/Couples per team can be exchanged between Short Program/Rhythm Dance and Free Skating/Free Dance.