LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Alysa Liu closed out the women’s event at the 2025 Saatva Skate America with a decisive free skate, earning 140.54 points in the segment and 214.27 overall to claim her first Skate America title. Skating to her now-iconic MacArthur Park program, Liu looked controlled and confident throughout, hitting every planned element and earning strong component marks across the board. The reigning world champion, who returned to competition last season after a two-year break from the sport, showed the same ease and composure that helped her win the world title in Boston.

"It means a lot that I'm able to just be at a competition like Skate America," Liu said, expressing that while she was happy, she wished she had skated a little better, noting her jumps weren't as strong as they could be. "I'm just really glad that my devotion to creation has led me to this point," she added. Liu also said she is hopeful she will be able to skate a new free skate to a Lady Gaga medley at the Grand Prix final, but that it would depend on getting a new costume and final music cut.

Liu entered the free skate trailing Japan’s Rinka Watanabe, but her clean performance, highlighted by steady jump landings and improved second-half pacing, moved her comfortably into first place. Watanabe, who opened with a clean triple Axel and attempted a second, finished third in the free skate (136.61) but held onto silver with 210.96 total points. The result continues Watanabe’s rebound after a difficult start to the season and keeps her in the conversation for Japan’s Olympic team.

Anastasiia Gubanova of Georgia delivered a strong, emotionally charged free skate to music from Ghost, finishing with 204.69 points for the bronze medal. Gubanova — who steadily has been rebuilding after missing the free skate at the 2025 World Championships — received positive grades of execution on every jumping pass and continued to position herself as a key figure in Georgia’s bid for a team event medal in Milan.

Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann remained in medal contention throughout the night with an energetic and well-constructed Jaws-inspired free skate. Gutmann scored 134.60 in the segment and finished just 0.4 points short of the podium with 204.29 overall, continuing a strong Olympic-season campaign as she leads the Italian women’s selection standings.

However, one of the most notable performances came from Starr Andrews, who delivered one of the best free skates of her career. Skating to a program that includes her own vocals, Andrews opened with clean jumping passes, maintained strong ice coverage, and connected clearly to the music. Her only technical blemish was an “e” edge call on her Lutz. The crowd response inside Herb Brooks Arena was immediate: cheers, flags, and a standing ovation as she finished the final spin. Andrews earned 130.90 in the free skate, a career best, and totaled 195.28 to finish fifth.

South Korea’s Kim Chae-Yeon delivered a committed and steady skate despite still managing an ankle injury. She earned 188.22 overall and sixth place, continuing to regain form after a difficult early season.

France’s Lea Serna finished seventh with 175.05 points following a clean, contained free skate that improved her overall placement after a lower-ranked short program. Close behind was South Korea’s Lee Hae-In, the 2023 world silver medalist, who ended her weekend in eighth (172.99) after jump rotation issues lowered her free skate score.

Japan’s Hana Yoshida showed improvement with a stronger free skate — though she has yet to land a clean triple Axel this season—and finished ninth (170.92). Poland’s Ekaterina Kurakova placed tenth with 163.77, skating an expressive Moulin Rouge routine as she continues adjusting to new coaching in France.

Japan’s Wakaba Higuchi, the 2018 world silver medalist, struggled technically and placed 11th (159.40), while 17-year-old American Josephine Lee made her senior Grand Prix debut, finishing 12th with 147.28. Despite the lower placement, Lee showed promising basics and musicality that will serve her as she gains senior-level experience.