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“Quad God” Ilia Malinin (USA) overcame home-ice pressure to win the Men’s Short Program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 in Boston (USA). In what was a spectacular competition, many skaters earned season's best scores to keep their Olympic dreams alive. The majority of spots for the 2026 Winter Olympics are on the line in Boston, and it was crucial to make the top 24 to qualify for the Free Skating.  

Malinin (USA) jumps to first place in Short Program 

The pressure was on, but defending ISU World Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) delivered exactly what the home crowd at TD Garden wanted to see on Thursday: a perfect Short Program.

With a quad Lutz-triple toe, quad flip and triple Axel, Malinin set a new personal best of 110.41 to finish ahead of Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama. Rising star Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan is third. 

Malinin found the right vibe with his program to “Running” by NF.
 

“This is one of my favorite programs of all time,” Malinin said. “It was very exciting to be skating here in Boston. I hadn't even finished my program and the crowd was standing, and I was really happy about that. I really like the music for this program and I connect with the words. I sometimes sing out loud when I'm skating this. It helps me with the timing and rhythm of the program.” 

Malinin admitted he was nervous. 

“I felt really nervous — more than usual before, but when the music came on I just went into a flow state and it just went from there.”

He made it look easy, which impressed not just the audience but his competitors. He's keeping his plans for the Free Skating under wraps, for now. 

“I think it really depends on how the next few days will feel to me,” he said. “Then for the day of the Free Program, that's also something that I do, is just see how the practices go, see how the elements feel in general, and then when I get on that warm-up that's kind of my last warning to just make sure everything is nice and neat. If it doesn't feel the way I want to, then that's when I would make the changes.” 

Kagiyama is not far behind in second place and continues to challenge Malinin. 

Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) set a season's best in his Short Program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships © ISU

The three-time ISU World silver medalist looked smooth as silk in his performance to “Sound of Silence”, reeling off a quad toe-triple toe and quad Salchow for a season's best of 107.09 points. 

“I was able to skate and perform as I planned,” the 2022 Olympic silver medalist said. “I know the special pressure skating after Ilia, but I just imagined how cool it is to do a great skate as the last skater. I was more excited about me being able to close the competition with a great skate than having negative thoughts.” 

Shaidorov proved once again that he is on the rise. The 2025 ISU Four Continents Champion hit a quad Lutz-triple toe and quad toe, the only glitch coming when he put down his hand on his triple Axel.
 

Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ) impressed the crowd on Thursday, landing a quad Lutz-triple toe and a quad toe © ISU

Nevertheless, his score of 94.77 was close to his personal best.  

“I was so nervous and I’m so happy that I did everything I can,” Shaidorov said. “It’s not easy (after winning the ISU Four Continents). There is a lot of attention on me and it is different for me.” 

Shaidorov has made history with his triple Axel-quad toe and triple Axel-Euler-quad Salchow combinations, and he might have another surprise in the Free Skating. 

ISU Grand Prix finalist Kevin Aymoz (FRA) is within striking distance of the podium after another fantastic Short Program that scored 93.63 points.
  

Kevin Aymoz (FRA) celebrates after a Short Program that left him close to the podium at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships  © ISU

ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalist Shun Sato (JPN) is fifth on 91.26 points, closely followed by Nika Egadze (GEO) on 90.39 points. 

Two-time ISU European Champion Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) finished ninth after missing his quad Lutz. He has, however, proven he can come back in the Free Skating, after he jumped from 19th place in the Short Program to take bronze at the ISU World Championships 2024. 

Remembrance moment 

While celebrating the sport of Figure Skating, the community does not forget those who were lost. At the start of the Championships, the ISU — together with US Figure Skating and the Skating Club of Boston — will remember and honor the victims of the aviation tragedy of January 29 where 28 young athletes, parents and coaches lost their lives. This “Remembrance moment” took place on Wednesday, March 26th, at 18:15 p.m. (local Boston time). 

Road to Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games

The 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Boston will serve as the primary qualification event for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. The first quota places will be allocated during the World Championships in Boston and the remaining ones at the Olympic Qualifying competition in Beijing (CHN) from September 17-21, 2025 (read more here). 

What and when 

The schedule of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 is as follows:

Wednesday, March 26:  Women’s & Pairs Short Programs
Thursday, March 27:  Men’s Short Program & Pairs Free Skating
Friday, March, 28:  Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, March 29:  Free Dance & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, March 30:  Exhibition Gala & ISU Figure Skating Awards

A total of 190 Skaters representing 42 countries have been entered for the Championships: 39 Men, 33 Women, 23 Pairs and 36 Ice Dance couples. Boston hosts the ISU World Championships for the second time after 2016 and this the 14^th time that the USA are hosting the event.

For more information, full entry lists and results, visit the ISU event page of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 and the official event website of the Championships. Follow the discussion on social media using #WorldFigure and #FigureSkating.

Where to watch the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025:

The ISU World Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news. 

Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted.