Figure skating fans witnessed a dramatic and emotional weekend at the Cup of China in Chongqing, as the world’s top athletes began their march toward the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. The Americans, in particular, made their presence felt, with Amber Glenn overcoming adversity to secure her second consecutive Cup of China title in women’s singles and U.S. skaters notching impressive results across disciplines. Meanwhile, the Alpine skiing season kicked off with a bang in Austria, and global winter sports storylines—from Swiss dominance to political bans—set the tone for the months ahead.
Amber Glenn, the reigning U.S. national champion, delivered a gutsy performance on Saturday, October 25, 2025, clinching gold in the women’s singles at the Cup of China despite battling neck pain. Glenn, who had been in third place after the short program, faced a tense wait as rivals Alysa Liu and Rinka Watanabe took the ice for their free skates. Ultimately, Glenn’s total of 214.78 points edged out her world champion teammate Liu, who finished with 212.07 points after a wobbly landing on a triple flip. Watanabe, despite a strong start to the weekend, slipped to third following a free skate that ranked only fifth-best in the field.
“It wasn’t a perfect skate by any means, but I was able to stay focused and get my job done,” Glenn told reporters after the event. “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.” She added, “I feel incredible and I’m really excited for my teammate and I to be first and second on the podium.” Glenn’s triumph marks her second straight Cup of China victory and cements her status as a leading contender for Olympic gold next February.
For Alysa Liu, this silver medal was a milestone of its own. Despite being a two-time world championship medalist, it was her first time standing on the podium at a Grand Prix event. Liu’s steady rise continues to fuel hopes for a U.S. women’s singles medal at the Olympics, something that hasn’t happened since 2002. The last time American skaters captured gold in both men’s and women’s singles at the Games was back in 1960—a drought the current generation is determined to end.
On the men’s side, Japan’s Shun Sato delivered a technically dazzling free skate, landing three quadruple jumps to secure his second consecutive Cup of China title. Sato’s total of 278.12 points kept him ahead of Italy’s Daniel Grassl, who posted 269.43, and Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov, who scored 262.67 despite a costly fall on his final jump. Sato’s victory adds to Japan’s deep pool of men’s talent, although notable absences—such as Yuma Kagiyama—left some wondering how the field might stack up come Olympic time.
In the pairs competition, the crowd was abuzz for the return of China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, the 2022 Beijing Olympic gold medalists, who competed for the first time since their historic win. Despite more than three years away from the international stage, Sui and Han delivered an emotional performance that earned them a bronze medal with 202.92 points. The gold went to Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava, who tallied 217.24 points even after an error on a lift. Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii claimed silver with 209.88.
The ice dance event saw a breakthrough for Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who finally captured their first Cup of China title after six attempts. Their total of 208.25 points put them comfortably ahead of fellow Americans Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik (202.27), while France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud took third with 196.60. Chock and Bates, who are world champions, now look poised to build momentum heading into the Grand Prix Final and beyond.
The Cup of China is the second stop in the six-event ISU Grand Prix series, a crucial proving ground for skaters with Olympic dreams. Only the top six in each discipline will earn invitations to the Grand Prix Final in December—a coveted stepping stone for those eyeing Milan-Cortina glory. The Americans’ strong showing in Chongqing, combined with Ilia Malinin’s dominance at the Grand Prix de France earlier in October, has U.S. fans buzzing. Malinin, who routed the field in France by more than 40 points, is the overwhelming favorite for men’s gold next year.
“Our whole team skied incredibly well,” said Paula Moltzan, who finished second in the women’s giant slalom opener in Soelden, Austria, as the Alpine World Cup season got underway. Julia Scheib of Austria took her first career World Cup victory on home snow, but the Americans celebrated a remarkable team effort. Mikaela Shiffrin, returning from injury, placed fourth—her best giant slalom result since her comeback. Four other U.S. women cracked the top 20, marking the first time in 30 years that six Americans qualified for a second run in a World Cup giant slalom. “I am so happy to be on this team and with this crew,” Moltzan added.
On the men’s side, Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt continued his reign atop the sport, winning his 46th World Cup race in the Soelden giant slalom. Odermatt’s time of 1:56.03 was enough to hold off Austria’s Marco Schwarz and Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath, reinforcing his status as the Olympic favorite in multiple disciplines. “It’s a perfect start into a new season,” Odermatt said. “You always give a lot during summer, and still you don’t really know where you are before the first race. So this is very good for getting into the season, have this confidence already back.”
Beyond the ice and slopes, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from Olympic qualifying events, citing the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. While the International Olympic Committee still allows athletes from these countries to compete as neutrals, FIS’s decision means they’ll miss crucial chances to qualify for Milan-Cortina. The Russian ski federation voiced “deep disappointment,” pledging to pursue legal remedies to protect their athletes.
Elsewhere, Canadians William Dandjinou and Courtney Sarault topped the short track speed skating World Tour standings after strong showings in Montreal, while Japan’s Ryoyu Kobayashi and Germany’s Philipp Raimund took top honors in ski jumping’s Summer Grand Prix, an important Olympic qualifying circuit.
With the Grand Prix series heating up, Alpine skiing’s World Cup underway, and Olympic qualification battles already taking shape, the winter sports season is off to a thrilling start. Skaters and skiers alike are sharpening their routines and strategies, knowing every performance could be the difference between making history and missing out. Stay tuned—if the early results are any indication, the road to Milan-Cortina will be anything but predictable.
