The United States sits in second place after the first day of competition at ISU World Team Trophy 2021 in Osaka, Japan. The ladies, men and ice dancers earned 47 points, just two points behind Team Russia with 49. Japan rounds out the top three with 42 points.
“I’m super proud of my teammates today,” said team captain Jason Brown. “I think we are all so grateful and so appreciative to have this event and the opportunity to cheer each other on after such a difficult season. We are all so thrilled to be here and to compete safely in front of Japanese fans. I couldn’t be prouder of their attack and fight. We are looking forward to two more great days of competition and I will be cheering them on every step of the way.”
The U.S. men led the way for the red, white and blue, collecting 22 team points for their short programs. Three-time and reigning World champion Nathan Chen topped the field with 109.65 points to earn a team high 12 points. Brown also had a season’s best skate, notching 94.86 points in his third-place skate. Both men are making their third World Team Trophy appearance. Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu was second (107.12).
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker are in third place after the rhythm dance. Their Saturday Night Fever performance earned 76.79 and 10 points for Team USA. The 2018 Four Continents champions are making their World Team Trophy debut. Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov (86.66) of Russia were first, and Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (82.93) of Italy were second.
The American ladies, both coming off top-10 finishes at Worlds last month, earned 15 total team points. Bradie Tennell finished fifth in the short program with a 67.40-point skate. The two-time U.S. champion was part of the 2019 team that won the World Team Trophy title. Karen Chen is in sixth place with 62.48 points. Russia’s Anna Shcherbakova (81.07) and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (80.35) are first and second, respectively, while Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto (77.89) is third.
Competition continues Friday with the pairs short program, free dance and men’s free skate, and concludes on Saturday with the pairs and ladies free skates. Fans can watch World Team Trophy live and in its entirety on Peacock Premium. Additionally, NBCSN will air same-day delayed broadcast of the event.
The event features the six best figure skating teams of the 2020-21 season, which includes Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. Each team consists of two ladies, two men, one pairs team and one ice dance team. Each skater/team will receive points based on placements in the short program/rhythm dance and free skate/dance. The points will be combined across the four disciplines with the highest point total winning.
Held every odd year, Team USA has medaled in all six World Team Trophy events. Most recently, Team USA won the 2019 event with 117 points. The United States also won the inaugural 2009 competition, earned silver in 2012 (held in an even year because the 2011 event was postponed due to an earthquake and tsunami in Japan) and won gold in 2013 and 2015.
