Three-time and reigning ISU World Champions Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA) danced off in style with their third ISU Grand Prix Final title. The 10,000 spectators at the sold out IG Arena enjoyed a dramatic event filled with spectacular performances. 

World Champions Chock & Bates (USA) three-peat

 The USA team celebrated a three-peat at the ISU Grand Prix Final ahead of their new strong rivals Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron of France. Great Britain’s Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson clinched the bronze as they did a year ago. 

Chock & Bates put out a fantastic Flamenco to “Paint It Black”. They were precise and passionate, hitting each step, each twizzle. Their routine was filled with intricate footwork and innovative lifts. They achieved a season’s best of 131.68 points and accumulated 220.42 points overall to take their seventh medal in what was their ninth appearance at the ISU Grand Prix Final. 

Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA) took gold in the Ice Dance at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Nagoya (JPN) © ISU

“It's amazing,” Chock said. “We're really proud of what we did today, what we've accomplished, we've been working really hard and we feel like our hard work is paying off. This is a great way to close off the first half of the season. 

“I think this certainly gives us a lot of confidence that we are capable of accomplishing all of our goals”, she continued. “We still have a lot of work to do that we want to accomplish before we feel ready for Milan, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.” 

“We’re so happy to deliver a season’s best at the most important competition this season so far,” Bates said. “It helps so much having a full packed arena and like the atmosphere and the ambiance is electric and I think when we go out there it's we want to perform for a full audience like that and they really appreciate skating here in Japan so we're just so honored to skate for them.” 

Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron were just one point behind in the Rhythm Dance and were aiming for gold. Their unique Free Dance to “The Whale” was highlighted by difficult steps and lifts but then Fournier Beaudry slipped and fell, which along with an extended lift, cost the Grand Prix de France Champions precious points. They scored 126.69 and remained in second place at 214.25 points. 

France's Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) finished with silver in the Ice Dance at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Nagoya (JPN) © ISU

“I cannot even really say what happened,” Fournier Beaudry said. “I think we were both really into the program and it's just a mistake that never happened before. That just happened now and we're just gonna build up from there, but we won't let ourselves get affected by a small mistake like that.”

“We've been able to achieve almost everything that we've set out to do,” Cizeron said. “Who would have known that we would be here right now and at this level. Every step of the way, we're just really grateful and we still have a lot of things to learn and I think every competition, we get better and we learn new things about our performances. I think it's just really interesting and key to move forward and be able to deliver the strongest performance at the end of the season.” 

Fear & Gibson brought Scottish vibes to Japan with their dance to “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond”, “I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) and “Auld Lang Syne”. They produced a strong performance to set a season’s best of   126.26 points and pulled up from fourth place to take their second consecutive ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medal with 208.81 points.

For a second consecutive year, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (GBR) took bronze in the Ice Dance at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Nagoya (JPN) © ISU

“We're so proud of our performance,” Fear said. “We wanted to really take in where we are here in Japan with a full crowd and doing a program that we are very proud of and staying focused but enjoying ourselves and I feel like that.”

“It was such a great moment to skate in such a beautiful arena filled with so many spectators,” Gibson agreed. “It's crazy and of course it's one of our favorite countries to skate in as well. It was such a pleasure.”

2025 ISU World silver medalists Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (CAN) gave a delightful performance to “Vincent” but were edged out of a medal by just 0.06 points, slipping from third to fourth place at 208.75 points. Allison Reed & Saulius Ambrulevicius (LTU) finished fifth with their Techno dance routine (199.61 points) followed by  Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik (USA) on 193.61 points. 

ISU Grand Prix Final schedule:

Thursday, December 4: Pairs & Men’s Short Programs, Rhythm Dance
 Friday December 5: Pairs Free Skating, Women’s Short Program
 Saturday, December 6: Men’s & Women’s Free Skating
 Sunday, December 7: Exhibition Gala

Where to Watch

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ISU Grand Prix Standings

Check out the road to the ISU Grand Prix Final:

Men                               Women                    Pairs                      Ice Dance

For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series please visit here.