Photo Credit Cynthia Slawter Photography
Team USA took home three medals – one gold, silver and bronze – to open the Challenger Series season at the Lumiere Cup.
Skyliners junior led the way for the U.S. to take the Lumiere Cup title and earn their fourth Challenger Series medal, which ties Teams Elite for the most Challenger Series medals by a U.S. team. They shared the podium with U.S. teammates Team Image, who took home the bronze in the junior competition. In the senior competition, the Skyliners clinched the silver.
After medaling in every international event they competed at in 2023, Skyliners junior kept their winning streak alive by taking home the Lumiere Cup title in the junior event with an overall score of 197.58.
Their twisted firebird-themed short program featured a Level 4 intersection with a Level 4 point of intersection, contributing over 9.5 points to their total short program score of 73.44. After winning the free skate with 124.14 points with five Level 4 elements, Skyliners junior secured the gold and their fourth Challenger Series medal.
They have now won a gold medal at a Challenger Series event each of the last two seasons.
The 2023 U.S. silver medalists, Team Image earned their second-ever Challenger Series medal with bronze. They were awarded 65.65 points for their mystical warrior-themed short program, earning high marks for their twizzle element and intersection.
In the free skate, they opened with another strong intersection and performed four Level 4 elements to secure second place in the free skate, earning 119.67 points, but ultimately took home the bronze with a total score of 185.32 points.
In the senior event, the 2023 U.S. bronze medalists Skyliners had a strong start to their international season, taking home the silver in Eindhoven with a total score of 214.32.
The Skyliners led the field with a clean short program to “Writing’s on the Wall” by Sam Smith, recording 72.07 points, just 1.5 points ahead of Team Marigold Ice Unity of Finland (70.45). After an error in their Level 4 move element in their Romeo and Juliet themed free skate, the Skyliners fell just short of the winning the Lumiere Cup title, with a free skate score of 142.25 points, good for the silver overall.
The silver marks their third Challenger Series medal.
Visit the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone Competition Central for full results and more information on the Challenger Series.
