Madison Chock, Evan Bates win historic U.S. ice dance title for figure skaters in their 30s
Madison Chock and Evan Bates won their fourth national ice dance title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and made all sorts of longevity history.
This season, Madison-Chock and Evan-Bates have conceptualised their free dance as fire and air — the first cannot exist without the second. And it's fitting, given how the duo has fueled American ice dancing over the last decade.
Chock and Bates successfully defended their ice dancing title at the US Figure Skating Championships on Saturday, scoring 137.85 in the free dance for a total score of 229.75.
Since 2013, the recently engaged couple has medaled at nationals every season. That's 11 years in a row, matching former training partners Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue (2012-22) for the most years on the US ice dance podium.
In a sport dominated by younger athletes, 30-year-old Chock and 33-year-old Bates have demonstrated remarkable endurance.
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko won bronze but will most likely be replaced on the three-couple team for the world championships in March by Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, last year's U.S. bronze medalists who planned to petition for a worlds spot after withdrawing from nationals due to mental health concerns.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, the top American couple at the 2022 Olympics (bronze) and Worlds (silver), retired at the end of last season.
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