ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Amber Glenn (USA) is once again ISU Grand Prix Cup of China Champion as her teammate and ISU World Champion Alysa Liu claimed her first ISU Grand Prix medal in Chongqing on Saturday. The women entertained the crowd at the Bloomage Live Yudong Arena with impressive performances. 

USA golden again in China 

Amber Glenn (USA) overcame a sore neck to rise from third place after the Short Program and retain her Cup of China title, while reigning ISU World Champion Alysa Liu (USA) claimed the silver, her first medal on the circuit. The bronze went to Rinka Watanabe of Japan.

Skating to “I Will Find You” and “The Return”, Glenn opened her performance with a great triple Axel and completed five more clean triples but stepped out of the back end of her triple flip-triple toe combination. The ISU Grand Prix Final Champion set a season’s best with 141.74 points, which added up to 214.78 points overall. It was a nice gift for her just three days before her birthday on Tuesday. 

“I'm really proud of the way I was able to stay in the moment and get my job done out there today,” Glenn said. “It wasn't a perfect skate by any means, but I was able to stay focused and get my job done, and I'm just really happy with the overall results and showing the consistency that I've been working on with my team in practice every day.”

The U.S. Champion had to overcome a scare in morning practice as she suddenly felt pain in her neck and was unable to move her head properly.

“Maybe it's part of getting older, but it happened mid-run through this morning in practice,” she explained. “I just went to turn my head to the right to do my loop-Axel-Axel and I got a sharp pain out of nowhere. It's not anything serious, but it's enough to bother me. I was able to get through the program well enough and just kind of keep my head stable.” 

Glenn will compete again at the last ISU Grand Prix event Finlandia Trophy and has set her sights on a return to the Final. 

Amber Glenn (USA) secured gold with her performance in the Free Skating to retain her title at the ISU Grand Prix Cup of China in Chongqing © ISU

Liu is a World Champion and an Olympian but had never won a medal at the ISU Grand Prix before. The 20-year-old changed that in Chongqing, putting out a solid performance to “MacArthur Park Suite” that was highlighted by six solid triples and excellent spins. Liu posted a season’s best of 137.46 points for a total of 212.07 points. 

“Mine was also not the perfect skate, but I had a good workout,” Liu said. “I liked it that I had to think through my program when I messed up,” she added, referring to having to switch a combination jump around. Liu was still surprised about winning her first ISU Grand Prix medal. “When I saw I got second I also didn't process it, I was like this is my first medal at a Grand Prix. I feel I've just entered a new level somehow.”

Liu will hit the ice again at her home Grand Prix Skate America in three weeks.

Alysa Liu (USA) took the silver following the Free Skating at the ISU Grand Prix Cup of China in Chongqing © ISU

Watanabe risked two triple Axels in her Japanese-themed program to “Jin” but fell on the triple toe in combination with the first Axel and stepped out of the second. The 2024 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist ranked fifth in the Free Skating on 124.62 points but held on to the bronze at 198.63 points. 

“Today’s performance was not perfect but thanks to the Short Program I can win a medal and I feel relieved”, Watanabe said. “I will be at Skate America again and I want to be on the podium again and my goal is to make the Grand Prix Final,” she continued. 

Rinka Watanabe (JPN) took bronze at the ISU Grand Prix Cup of China in Chongqing © ISU

2025 European silver medalist Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO) was edged out of the podium placings by less than a point and ranked third in the Free Skating (197.88 points). 2025 World Junior silver medalist Jia Shin (KOR) placed fifth at 195.43 points while Rino Matsuike (JPN) was sixth on 188.06 points. 

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