JAPAN – With a record seventh Grand Prix Final medal and a third consecutive gold -- Madison Chock and Evan Bates solidified their place as one of the most successful ice dance teams in history at the ISU Grand Prix.
Chock and Bates trained extensively in Novi under coach Igor Shpilband at the Novi Ice Arena, developing into world champions alongside other top teams.
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While they later moved their primary training to Montreal, their Michigan roots remain central -- Bates grew up in Ann Arbor, and Chock graduated from Novi High School.
Among the most decorated American ice dance teams in history, Chock and Bates continue to be strong favorites for the February Olympic Games in Milan.
Their Grand Prix victory helped lead the United States to four gold medals, capturing three of the four senior titles for the second year in a row.
Ilia Malinin made history by landing seven clean quadruple jumps in a single free skate, setting a new world record score and winning his third straight Grand Prix Final gold.
Reigning women’s world champion Alysa Liu claimed gold in her Grand Prix Final debut, marking the first back-to-back U.S. wins in women’s singles since Tara Lipinski in 1996 and 1997.
In juniors, Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin won gold in their first Grand Prix Final appearance.
The U.S. has now won junior ice dance gold two of the last three years.