Photo credit Melanie Heaney/U.S. Figure Skating
By Kristen Henneman
Three World champions headline the U.S. delegation traveling to 2025 Cup of China – the second event of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series – which takes place Oct. 24-26.
Three-time and reigning World champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates make their season debut in China while Alysa Liu, who won the World crown in her first season coming out of retirement, returns to the ice with goals of securing her first Grand Prix medal.
Liu, a 2022 Olympian, finished just off the podium at her first competition of the season, placing fourth at 2025 Lombardia Trophy.
Her biggest competition in China will likely come from her own teammate, Amber Glenn. Glenn is the two-time and current U.S. champion who won both her Grand Prix events last season as well as gold at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2024.
Glenn started her season with another gold, taking the top step of the podium at 2025 Nebelhorn Trophy. Her score of 214.49 currently ranks fifth in the world this season.
In the ice dance event, Chock and Bates start their quest for a fourth Olympic Games together. They have accumulated 20 Grand Prix medals since they partnered up in 2011.
In addition to reigning U.S. champions Chock and Bates, the United States sends its 2025 U.S. bronze and pewter medalists to China in Caroline Green and Michael Parsons and Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, respectively.
Both medaled at their first international event of the season as Green and Parsons clinched bronze at the 2025 Nepela Memorial and Zingas and Kolesnik earned silver at 2025 Kinoshita Group Cup.
U.S. Figure Skating’s sole entry in the pairs event is Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman. The 2025 U.S. silver medalists will compete in the Grand Prix Series for a second straight weekend after taking fourth – their best-ever result in the series – at Grand Prix de France. They started their season with bronze at 2025 John Nicks Pairs Challenge International.
In the men’s event, Jacob Sanchez and Tomoki Hiwatashi will represent the red, white and blue.
Sanchez prepares to make his Grand Prix debut in Chongqing. He was undefeated in his Junior Grand Prix events last season, including gold at JGP Final. Sanchez also won gold at first senior international last season, 2024 Tallinn Trophy.
Hiwatashi travels to China with a pair of bronze medals at Challenger Series events already this season, standing on the podium at Kinoshita Group Cup and 2025 Trialeti Trophy.
Competition begins Friday with the rhythm dance as well as the women’s, men’s and pairs short programs. Competition concludes Saturday as medals are awarded in all four disciplines.
NBC Sports will include a recap show of Cup of China on Sunday, October 25 at 3 p.m. ET. Peacock also will livestream every skater with all events available for 72 hours following their conclusion. The full broadcast schedule can be found on the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone and the Peacock streaming schedule is available at peacocktv.com/skating.
Following the event, don’t miss Rinkside Olympic Season. Watch on the U.S. Figure Skating YouTube channel or listen wherever you get your podcasts Mondays at 12 p.m. ET as Nick McCarvel breaks down highlights, previews the following week’s Grand Prix stop, interviews athletes and more.
The Grand Prix Series, which started in 1995, consists of six international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete or team is eligible to score points in up to two of the six scheduled events. The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2025, set for Dec. 4-7 in Nagoya, Japan.
For a full schedule, results, news and more, visit the 2025 Grand Prix Series Competition Central.
U.S. ENTRIES AT 2025 CUP OF CHINA
Athlete | Hometown | Training Town
Women
Alysa Liu | Oakland, Calif. | Oakland, Calif.
Amber Glenn | Plano, Texas | Colorado Springs, Colo.
Men
Tomoki Hiwatashi | Hoffman Estates, Ill. | Uji, Japan
Jacob Sanchez | Montgomery, N.Y. | Newburgh, N.Y.
Pairs
Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman | Garfield Heights, Ohio; Saint Petersburg, Russia | Irvine, Calif.
Ice Dance
Madison Chock and Evan Bates | Redondo Beach, Calif.; Ann Arbor, Mich. | Montreal, Canada
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons | Rockville, Md.; Derwood, Md. | Canton, Mich.
Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik | Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.; Kharkiv, Ukraine | Novi, Mich.
