LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Jason Brown took the ice at the 2025 Saatva Skate America and reminded everyone why he’s still one of figure skating’s great performers.

The 30-year-old American, returning to the Grand Prix circuit after a limited 2024–25 season, left the crowd on their feet after delivering a fluid, expressive short program to 'Reel Around the Sun' — the legendary 'Riverdance' program that first made him a viral sensation more than a decade ago.

Brown completed an almost-clean program with an under-rotated triple Axel and a step out of his combination triple Lutz-triple toe loop, but nonetheless combined effortless edges and powerful spins to deliver the expressive athletic skill that’s become his signature. His 82.69 points placed him in 5th, keeping him in podium contention heading into the free skate.

Brown said reviving the program that launched his career was a way to thank fans who have followed him through more than a decade of highs and hurdles.

“I’ve been so lucky to still be in this sport 12 years later,” he said. “People still come up and talk to me about 'Riverdance,' what it meant to them, and ask if I’d ever bring it back. This is my way of saying thank you.”

Brown first used the popular Irish song music to steal silver at the 2014 U.S. Championships and earn his first Olympic berth; he went on to claim team bronze at Sochi 2014 and again at Beijing 2022. Since then, he’s amassed 16 international medals, including Grand Prix podiums at Skate America (2014, 2016, 2019) and Internationaux de France 2021, plus World Team Trophy titles in 2015, 2023 and 2025. He said performing at Skate America in Lake Placid particularly was special.

“I’ve never been to Lake Placid before,” Brown said. “I've seen 'Miracle' (the 2004 movie of the U.S.' 1980 Olympic hockey win) about 950,000 times and so getting out on the ice at the Herb Brooks Arena — iconic.” 

Japan’s Kazuki Tomono leads the men’s field after a precise and technically commanding short program, scoring 95.77 points to edge France’s Kevin Aymoz and Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov in a tightly-packed top three.

Tomono landed a clean quad toe–triple toe combination and a flowing triple Axel with his trademark control and speed. His ‘That’s it (I’m crazy)’ program earned the highest technical element score of the night (52.69) and strong component marks across the board for his skating skills and performance quality. The result puts him on track for his first Grand Prix victory.

Aymoz produced one of the evening’s most heartfelt skates, performing to ‘Le Lac’ by Jean-Michel Blais and ‘Judas’ by Lady Gaga. His deep transitions and flawless jumps earned a season’s best 93.56 points for 2nd place. Aymoz, a six-time French champion and 2019 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, has battled injuries and self-doubt in recent seasons. Tearful after his performance, the crowd stood in respect, waving both French and Pride flags while cheering for the beloved skater. 

Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov is third with 89.67 points after delivering a technically sharp program that opened with a quad Lutz triple toe loop and a smooth triple Axel. The 2025 Four Continents champion earned 49.31 in technical elements — second only to Tomono — and showed growing maturity and consistency at the senior level.

Italy’s Daniel Grassl sits fourth with 83.68, rebuilding momentum after a year-long suspension, while Japan’s Tatsuya Tsuboi (77.68) and Azerbaijan’s Vladimir Litvintsev (75.87) rounded out the top seven. With fewer than 15 points separating the top five, the men’s competition remains wide open.

American Liam Kapeikis, 21, the 2020 Junior World bronze medalist, thrilled the home crowd with an emotional performance to ‘Unchained melody,’ earning 74.28 points. He heads into the free skate in 9th place.

Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava surged to the top of the leaderboard in the pairs short program, outscoring Japan’s world champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara in a dramatic, high-energy performance that earned 78.83 points — a new season’s best for the rising Georgian duo.

Skating to 'Bolero,' Metelkina and Berulava combined clean side-by-side jumps with explosive lifts and commanding speed across the ice, continuing the form that already has brought them victories at the Trialeti Trophy and Grand Prix China. The European medalists, who rapidly have become Olympic podium favorites since teaming up in 2023, looked polished and confident from the innovative headstand opening pose to the final spin.

Miura and Kihara, two-time world champions and the defending Skate America winners, sit second with 74.54 points after an elegant 'Paint It Black' short that showcased their signature precision and control. Despite strong elements, including a clean twist and throw triple loop, they trailed slightly in grade of execution after an error from Miura on their side-by-side jumps. Still, the pair remains well within reach heading into the free skate, as they look to extend Japan’s dominance in the discipline.

With just over four points separating first and second, the free skate is set for a dramatic finish — and for the first time this Grand Prix season, the world champions find themselves chasing the surging Georgians.

In third place, Germany’s Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel made a strong return to Skate America, earning 68.26 points with their heartfelt short program to 'Hold My Hand' by Lady Gaga. The 2023 European bronze medalists and former Skate America champions looked refreshed after a challenging season that included Kunkel’s summer hand injury and a rocky outing at worlds last spring. Their trademark speed and energy were on full display, highlighted by a soaring triple twist and crisp lift sequences that underscored their renewed focus heading into the Olympic year. After battling through setbacks and training interruptions, the pair’s clean performance in Lake Placid marked a clear sign that they’re rediscovering their rhythm — and firmly back in contention among Europe’s top teams.

Three American teams delivered strong home-ice showings to stay in the mix. Emily Chan and Spencer Howe impressed at their second Grand Prix competition of the season, with a steady, expressive skate to ‘Nyah,’ and will head into the free skate in 5th place having scored 61.51 points. Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez brought intensity and energy to ‘Never Enough’ in their second full event since Fernandez’s comeback from knee surgery. They finished the short program in 7th place. Olivia Flores and Luke Wang, the reigning U.S. junior champions and world junior silver medalists, made a polished senior Grand Prix debut, and currently sit in 8th position.