ISU World Ice Dance Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) celebrated a confident victory to take their second consecutive ISU Grand Prix Final crown Saturday in Grenoble (FRA). The Ice Dancers entertained the crowd at the Pole Sud with a wide display of different programs and styles.

Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) take two

Reigning ISU World Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) danced to a confident victory with 13 points to spare. Two-time ISU European Champions Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri of Italy claimed the silver medal while Great Britain’s Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson collected the bronze, the first ever for their country in the ISU Grand Prix Final. 

Chock/Bates proved once more their high class in their dance to “Take Five”. The husband-and-wife team produced smooth footwork and innovative lifts, earning the highest degree of difficulty, level four, for the lifts, the spin and the twizzles while the step sequences garnered a level three. The two-time ISU World Champions posted a season’s best with 132.12 points and netted 219.85 points overall to become back-to-back ISU Grand Prix Final Champions. 

Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) retained their ISU Grand Prix Final title with an innovative routine to 'Take Five' which earned a season's best score © ISU

“I definitely feel relieved now,” Bates shared. “The Grand Prix Final is always such a prestigious competition because it’s only the top six in the world. 

“We really feel we have to give our best. After a really great rhythm dance, and sometimes it doesn't happen, but today I was a little bit nervous but I was really proud how we skated. And it’s our season’s best score and our second gold medal in the Grand Prix Final,” he added.

Guignard/Fabbri delivered a strong performance of their unusual “Robot” dance that included level-four lifts and a level-four dance spin. The step sequences merited a level two. The two-time ISU World medalists ranked third in the Free Dance with 122.99 points but overall remained in second place at 206.11 points to pick up their fourth ISU Grand Prix Final medal in as many appearances. 

Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) appropriately won silver for their Robot routine, their fourth Grand Prix Final medal in as many appearances © ISU

“The first half of the season was tough mentally for us, especially regarding the free dance,” Fabbri commented.

“We had a really bad performance in France and we are happy now that the first part of the season is over.

“We need some time to rest mentally and physically and to work not just on quantity but also on quality. And we didn’t have time to do it before. We are happy about the result here, not fully happy about the performance but that’s OK,” he continued.

Fear/Gibson demonstrated yet another style with their Beyoncé medley. They got the crowd going and completed fast twizzles and whirling lifts. The two-time ISU European silver medalists placed fourth in the Free Dance segment with 122.87 points but held on to the bronze medal at 205.18 points.

Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR) entertained the crowd with their Beyoncé medley to hold on to the bronze medal, the first for Britain in an ISU Grand Prix Final © ISU

“We had an absolute blast out there, I think you could see by our expression at the end that we were really happy we gave so much energy out there,” Fear said. 

“We wanted to connect to the crowd and entertain. We got a lot of crowd engagement and executed in the way that we are proud of, and created a really special moment for us,” she explained.

Marjoie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha (CAN) turned in a romantic dance to “Sound of Silence” to come fourth at 199.84 points. The 2024 ISU World silver medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) rallied back after their faulty Rhythm Dance. They were second in the Free Dance with their Tango routine and moved up to fifth place (199.27 points). Evgeniia Lopareva/Geoffrey Brissaud (FRA) placed sixth with an exciting techno program (195.91 points). 

For full entries, results and further information visit the ISU Grand Prix Final event site.

What and when 

The schedule of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final is as follows:

Thursday, December 5: Junior Pairs, Junior Women’s Short Programs, Junior Ice Dance Rhythm Dance, Pairs & Women’s Short Programs
Friday, December 6: Junior Men’s Short Program, Junior Women’s Free Skating, Rhythm Dance, Pairs Free Skating, Men’s Short Program    
Saturday, December 7: Women’s & Junior Men’s Free Skating, Junior Free Dance, Junior Pairs Free Skating, Free Dance, Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, December 10: Exhibition Gala

How did Skaters qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final? 

Skaters/Couples competed in two events and collected points towards the qualification for the Final. Check out the complete ISU Grand Prix Standings:

Women             Men     Pair Skating     Ice Dance

For further information see the General Announcement of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. Please visit the ISU Grand Prix page for full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.

Follow the ISU Grand Prix events:

The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event are available below:

• 18 - 20 Oct 2024                       Skate America in Allen, TX (USA)
• 25 - 27 Oct 2024                       Skate Canada International in Halifax (CAN)
• 01 - 03 Nov 2024                      Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA)
• 08 - 10 Nov 2024                      NHK Trophy in Tokyo (JPN)
• 15- 17 Nov 2024                       Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki (FIN)  
• 22 - 24 Nov 2024                      Cup of China in Chongqing (CHN)

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final: 

• 05 - 08 Dec 2024                      Grenoble (FRA)

About ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series started in 1995 (previously known a s the ISU Champions Series) and consists of six invitational international senior events and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The top six of the past World Championships are seeded. Competitors collect points in their events towards the qualification for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Only the top six Skaters / Couples in each discipline can qualify for the Final.