Three-time defending Skate America champion, Nathan Chen again remains untouchable. The Yale student takes more than a ten-point lead after the short program at the opening ISU Grand Prix event in Las Vegas.
Two-time World and four-time U.S. National champion Chen opened his short program performance with a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination. A clean and high-level performance technique-wise and artistically, with a triple axel and quad flip as well, earned the 21-year-old a total score of 111.17 points.
2019 World bronze medalist Vincent Zhou opened his short program with a quad Lutz-triple toe loop combination, followed by a quad Salchow and a triple axel. Skating to the song Vincent, performed by Josh Groban, the 19-year-old Californian received a total score of 99.36 points.
U.S.-born Canadian Keegan Messing began his first program with a quad toe loop-triple toe loop. The 28-year-old, skating to Ed Sheeran’s Perfect, landed a good triple axel and triple Lutz. Great spins and great artistry helped earn him a total score of 92.40 points.
Last season’s U.S. National bronze medalist Tomoki Hiwatashi started his short program with a quad toe loop and a triple flip. Skating to Leslie Odom Jr’s Standards, the 20-year-old from the DuPage Figure Skating Club successfully landed a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination and even performed a Biellmann spin. He received a total score of 87.17 points.
Born in Russia, U.S. representative Alexei Krasnozhon opened his short program performance with a triple loop and then a triple axel. Skating to music by Imagine Dragons and Avicii, Krasnozhon made a slight error on his triple flip-double toe loop combination, and placed fifth with a score of 78.06 points.
Israel’s Alexei Bychenko started his routine with a triple axel. He then landed a quad toe loop and a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. The 32-year-old earned a total score of 77.48 points.
Results:
- Nathan CHEN (USA) – 111.17
- Vincent ZHOU (USA) – 99.36
- Keegan MESSING (Canada) – 92.40
- Tomoki HIWATASHI (USA) – 87.17
- Alexei KRASNOZHON (USA) – 78.06
- Alexei BYCHENKO (Israel) – 77.48
- Ilia MALININ (USA) – 76.75
- Maxim NAUMOV (USA) – 70.91
- Camden PULKINEN (USA) – 69.09
- Joseph KANG (USA) – 68.08
- Jimmy MA (USA) – 63.36
- Daniel SAMOHIN (Israel) – 61.60
