In a performance brimming with emotion and technical perfection, ice dancing legends Madison Chock and Evan Bates scored a season-best 91.70 at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, putting them on the precipice of a record-breaking seventh national title and building unstoppable momentum for their long-awaited Olympic gold medal quest.
ST. LOUIS — The atmosphere inside the Enterprise Center was electric as Madison Chock and Evan Bates took the ice, fully aware that this U.S. Figure Skating Championships could mark the culmination of a legendary 15-year partnership. The three-time reigning world champions delivered a flawless rhythm dance that not only secured a commanding lead but also served as a powerful emotional tribute to their storied career.
“It’s really hard not to be here,” Bates confessed after their skate, “and feel some welling up.” The couple’s near-flawless performance to a medley of Lenny Kravitz hits earned a massive season-best score of 91.70, eclipsing their own previous world-leading mark and placing them firmly ahead of second-place team Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, who scored 85.98.
A Legacy Forged in Gold
Chock and Bates are not just competing for another title; they are skating for history. A victory in Saturday’s free dance would secure their seventh national championship, breaking the tie they currently hold with ice dance icons Meryl Davis and Charlie White. However, their ultimate goal has always been crystal clear: an Olympic gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games next month.
Their journey to this point has been a masterclass in resilience. After the heartbreak of finishing fourth in the individual competition at the Beijing Olympics—a result that drove them to continue—they have been virtually unbeatable. They haven’t finished off the podium in nearly four years, amassing an incredible collection of titles, including three consecutive Grand Prix Final wins and three world championships.
“This is an Olympic year,” Bates stated, capturing the singular focus that has defined their season. “It needs no extra sort of hype or motivation. It’s what we’ve all dreamt of as we were kids.”
The Road to Redemption
The shadow of the 2022 Olympics looms large, but it is a shadow Chock and Bates have used as fuel. Their experience in Beijing was uniquely complex; they were part of the U.S. squad that won the team gold medal, but the award was shrouded in controversy due to a Russian doping scandal and was not presented until two years later at the Paris Summer Games.
That fourth-place finish in the individual event, however, left a void—one that they are now perfectly positioned to fill. Their current dominance suggests they are peaking at the exact right moment. “We felt like this was a really good skate and a good stepping-stone toward Milan,” Chock said, exuding the calm confidence of champions who know their best is yet to come.
By the Numbers: Chock and Bates’ Dominance
- 91.70: Season-best rhythm dance score at the 2026 U.S. Championships.
- 6: Consecutive national titles won from 2020-2025, tying a record.
- 15: Years skating together as a partnership.
- 3: World Championship titles (2023, 2024, 2025).
- 4th: Their finish at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the primary motivation for their continued career.
The Final Act Begins Saturday
All attention now turns to the free dance on Saturday, where Chock and Bates will perform their acclaimed program set to the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black.” A victory seems almost inevitable, but for the duo, the focus is on the quality of the performance itself.
“I think for the free dance, we’re really focused on skating well,” Bates explained. “That’s what we’re investing our training in. The ultimate payback is to skate well. But we want to enjoy that moment, because it’s fleeting, and ultimately it could be the last.” This acknowledgment of the finale adds a layer of poignant significance to what promises to be a historic skate.
The American ice dance field is deeper than ever, but Chock and Bates remain in a class of their own. Their performance in St. Louis sends a clear message to their international rivals: they are arriving in Milan not just as contenders, but as the definitive team to beat. For fans of the sport, witnessing this final chapter of their career is a privilege, and their quest for that elusive Olympic gold is the story of the season.
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