Olympic bronze medalist Ami Nakai of Japan leads after short program at Skate America

Olympic bronze medalist Ami Nakai led former Olympic silver medalist Alexandra Ignatova and the rest of the Skate America field by a wide margin after the Japanese star landed her triple axel to highlight a peerless short program Saturday night.

At Angel of the Wings Arena in Everett, Washington, Nakai scored 82.20 points for her program, set to “Por Una Cabeza” by Carlos Gardel, which not only set a personal-best for the 18-year-old but also was the highest-scoring short program through the first four Grand Prix events this season.

Ignatova, whose last name was Trusova when she won silver at the 2022 Winter Games, was second with 74.24 points. Yujae Kim of Korea was third with 73.92, while Adeliia Petrosian — like Ignatova a Russian competing as a neutral athlete — was fourth.

In the rhythm dance, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik showed why they're considered the top American dance team following the retirement of longtime standard-bearers Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Zingas and Kolesnik scored 82.52 points for their dance, set to selections from “Carmen” by Georges Bizet, just a fraction off the best score of the Grand Prix season.

Olympic champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron scored 82.56 points at the Grand Prix de France.

Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud of France were second with 79.94 points for the rhythm dance. The Czech team of Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek were third with 76.32 points.

The first medals of Skate America were to be handed out later Saturday night following the men's and pairs free skates.

Nakai, fresh off a gold medal a few weeks ago at the Grand Prix de France, opened her short program with a big triple axel, one of the few women to attempt the 3 1/2-revolution jump. She also landed a flawless triple lutz-triple toe and a finishing triple loop.

Ignatova, who married skater Makar Ignatov and is making a comeback after welcoming their first child in August 2025, opted for the safer double axel to open her first Skate America appearance since winning the event in 2021.

Petrosian, who was sixth at the Milan Games, was making her senior Grand Prix debut after the International Skating Union decided to allow Russian athletes to compete as neutrals — similar to the Olympics — for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The three-time reigning Russian champion, Petrosian was added to the Skate America field just over a week ago, after the withdrawal of Belgium's Nina Pinzarrone. Petrosian was able to scramble to get her paperwork in order to enter the U.S., but her new coach, Inna Goncharenko, was unable to do so. That left Petrosian sitting alone in the kiss-and-cry as her score was read.

Zingas and Kolesnik, who were fifth at the Milan Olympics, have enjoyed a fast rise in ice dance after she left singles skating. They followed their strong Winter Games by finishing third at the world championships, and despite getting a late start to this season due to Kolesnik's injury, they are expected to be podium contenders at next month's Grand Prix Final.

“We definitely have room to improve," Kolesnik said, “considering this was our first competition of the season.”

One solid free skate Sunday and Zingas and Kolesnik could skate away with their first Grand Prix gold medal.

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