The ice in Allen, Texas, usually doesn't see this much drama in a single weekend. Honestly, the 2024 Skate America winners list looks a bit different than what the experts predicted when the entries were first announced. We saw "Quad God" dominance, a shocking upset in the women’s field, and a British ice dance duo that basically did the unthinkable by taking down the reigning world champions on American soil.
If you’re looking for the quick rundown of the gold medalists, here’s the reality of who stood on that top step. Ilia Malinin took the men’s crown, Wakaba Higuchi snatched the women’s gold, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the pairs, and Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson claimed the ice dance title.
But the scores don't tell the whole story. Not even close.
Why the 2024 Skate America Winners Surprised Everyone
Usually, Skate America is a safe bet for the home team. But this year? Not exactly. While Ilia Malinin kept his streak alive, the women's event turned into a complete chaotic mess—in the best way possible for Japan.
The Men: Malinin’s Triple Crown
Ilia Malinin is kinda in a league of his own. He secured his third consecutive Skate America title with a total score of 290.12. It wasn't a perfect skate—he actually popped a quad loop into a double and had a messy landing on a quad Lutz—but the sheer difficulty of his "I'm Not a Vampire" program is just too much for anyone else to catch. He even threw in a backflip, which is now legal in competition, just to rub it in.
France's Kevin Aymoz actually won the free skate segment, which is wild when you think about Malinin's technical ceiling. Aymoz finished with silver (282.88), and Japan’s Kao Miura took the bronze.
The Women: Higuchi’s Emotional Comeback
This was the "shock of the tournament." Isabeau Levito was the heavy favorite and was leading after the short program. Then, the free skate happened.
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Wakaba Higuchi, a skater many thought might never return to her 2018 peak after a devastating stress fracture, skated a powerhouse program to "Running Up That Hill." She didn't even need a triple-triple combination to win. She just stayed vertical while everyone else didn't.
- Wakaba Higuchi (Gold): 196.93
- Rinka Watanabe (Silver): 195.22
- Isabeau Levito (Bronze): 194.83
Levito struggled, falling on a triple Lutz and under-rotating several other jumps. It was a tough watch for the home crowd, but a massive moment for Higuchi, who hadn't won a Grand Prix gold in her entire 14-event career until that night.
The Ice Dance Shocker: Fear and Gibson Topple the Champs
If you follow ice dance, you know Madison Chock and Evan Bates are basically untouchable in the States. They hadn't lost a domestic Grand Prix in years.
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But Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson brought a Beyoncé-themed free dance that set the arena on fire. They led after the Rhythm Dance, and even though Chock and Bates won the Free Dance segment, it wasn't enough to bridge the gap. The British duo won by a razor-thin margin: 206.38 to 205.63.
It's the first time a British team has won Skate America since the 80s. People were stunned. Chock and Bates were gracious, but you could tell that silver medal stung, especially with a fall in the Rhythm Dance being the ultimate decider.
Pairs: Business as Usual for Miura and Kihara
The pairs event was the most predictable part of the weekend. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, the 2023 World Champions, were back in form. They finished with 214.23 points, comfortably ahead of the Americans Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea.
The real story here was the U.S. depth. Having two American pairs on the podium (Kam/O’Shea with silver and Efimova/Mitrofanov with bronze) is the first time that's happened at a full international Skate America since 2006.
What This Means for the Rest of the Season
The 2024 Skate America winners have basically set the hierarchy for the Grand Prix Final. Malinin is clearly the man to beat, but Aymoz proved that artistry and clean skating can actually outscore a messy "Quad God" on a bad day.
In the women’s field, the door is wide open. If Higuchi can win without her most difficult combinations, it puts immense pressure on the Americans to clean up their technical execution.
Next Steps for Figure Skating Fans:
- Watch the Replays: Look specifically at the Ice Dance Rhythm Dance—the mistake by Chock and Bates is a textbook example of how one small trip can cost a gold medal.
- Track the Standings: Keep an eye on the Grand Prix de France results. Many of these winners will be competing there to secure their spot in the Final.
- Analyze the Backflip: Now that it's legal, watch how Malinin and others integrate it into their choreography rather than just using it as a "stunt."
The season is just getting started, but if Allen, Texas was any indication, the road to the World Championships is going to be incredibly bumpy.