Photo credit Getty Images
By Kristen Henneman
By the way Alysa Liu skated in the short program Friday night at Skate Canada International in Halifax, Canada, you’d have no idea she was in retirement for two years.
Just her second international competition and third event overall since coming back to the sport, Liu placed second in the women’s short program in her return to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series for the first time since 2021.
She will have an opportunity to clinch her first Grand Prix medal Saturday.
Liu, who made her Grand Prix debut at Skate Canada International three years ago, scored 67.68 for her performance to "Promise" by Laufey. The 2022 Olympian secured positive grades of execution on six of her seven elements, tallying more than nine points for her opening triple flip-triple toe loop combination and earning Level 4 designations on two of her spins as well as her step sequence.
Competing for the second straight weekend after finishing sixth at Skate America in her Grand Prix debut, Elyce Lin-Gracey earned 58.64 points for her short program, good for sixth place.
Lin-Gracey’s strongest element was a triple flip in the second half of the program. She also was awarded Level 4 marks for each of her three spins.
Team USA’s sole entry in the pairs competition, Emily Chan and Spencer Howe finished in the top five following the short program.
Skating in the Grand Prix Series for the first time since 2022 after missing last season as Howe recovered from shoulder surgery, the duo generated the third-highest program component score for their program to "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran. The team, with two Grand Prix medals on their resume, ended the first day of competition with a score of 61.04.
Competition continues Saturday, when all four disciplines will be in action. The day kicks off with the rhythm dance and men’s short program before the first medals of Skate Canada International are awarded following the pairs and women’s free skates.
For full results, visit the Grand Prix Series Competition Central on the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone.