Above: Photo credit Getty Images
Team USA earned a gold and bronze on the final day of 2024 Cup of China – the sixth and final stop of the 2024 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series in Chongqing, China.
Amber Glenn won her second consecutive Grand Prix Series gold while Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko clinched bronze.
With gold, Glenn continued her undefeated season and clinched a spot at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2024 in Grenoble, France, Dec. 5-8. She also made history yet again, becoming the fifth U.S. woman overall and the first woman since 2012 to win two Grand Prix events in one season since the Grand Prix Series started in 1995, joining Ashley Wagner (2012), Alissa Czisny (2010), Sasha Cohen (2002, 2003) and Michelle Kwan (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999).
Sitting in second only 0.02 points behind the leader after the short program, Glenn delivered a nearly flawless performance to overtake the top spot in the standings with a personal best free skate score of 144.70.
During her skate to “I Will Find You” by Audiomachine and “The Return” by CLANN, Glenn started with her signature triple Axel and executed a triple loop-double Axel-double Axel sequence in the second half of her program, which was the highest-scoring element of the event at 13.91 points. Glenn also earned positive GOEs on all but one element to collect a personal best total score of 215.54.
The score is the second-highest of any senior woman this season. The gold is the fourth Grand Prix medal of Glenn’s career.
Also taking home their second Grand Prix medal of the season were Carreira and Ponomarenko, marking the first time they the two-time Four Continents medalists won two Grand Prix medals in one season. This is Carreira and Ponomarenko’s fourth career Grand Prix medal. The bronze also continues their streak of having medaled in every event they have competed in this season.
The 2024 NHK silver medalists collected Level 4 marks on five elements and were awarded more than 10 points for their serpentine step sequence. Their performance set to Music from Carmen Suite by Schedrin garnered 118.96 points for the segment.
Despite finishing fourth in the free dance, Carreira and Ponomarenko maintained a spot in the top three to finish with bronze and 198.18 points in total.
Fellow U.S. ice dancers Caroline Green and Michael Parsons finished sixth with 189.86 points in total. Their free dance to "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Arvo Pärt performed by Angele Dubeau and La Pietà and "Dance Me to the End of Love" by Douglas Dare was highlighted by a Level 4 combination lift that contributed 13.78 points to a segment score of 114.23.
The sole U.S. pairs team in the competition, Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman earned their highest finish at a Grand Prix, jumping from eighth after day one to fourth in the free skate to finish fifth overall with a final total of 159.92.
They tallied 117.25 points for their free skate, earning Level 4 marks for their Axel lasso lift, death spiral and pairs spin combination, as well as more than 10 points for their triple toe loop-double Axel-double Axel jump sequence
For full results from Cup of China, visit the 2024 Grand Prix Series Competition Central
