American dancing couple Madison Chalk and Evan Bates are world figure skating champions. They were the best in rhythm dancing with 91.94 points. According to the results of two locations, the couple obtained 226.01 points and became the winner, ahead of the Italians Charlene Gignard and Marco Fabbri (219.85), as well as the Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (217.88).
- Becoming a world champion is, it turns out, an incredible feeling. I still can’t believe it, to be honest, commented on Madison Chock’s victory. – We have been going there for so long – and we wanted it so badly. The season has been very unpredictable for us and has taught us a lot. Of ourselves, of what we really want and what we are willing to do for it.
We would like to say a huge thank you to our coaches. Without them, we would definitely be done skating after Korea,” Bates noted after the final hire. – They took us in their group – even though they didn’t have to at all, at that time they already had the strongest American couple skating. It turned out that they gave us a second wind, a real renaissance in our career. But the main thing is that they taught us a lot, and not only about figure skating. Our school in Montreal is a question of values, of human qualities, of true friendship. And that’s the most important thing we’ve taken away from our – so long – career in figure skating.
Chalk and Bates have been riding together for 12 years. And they often lacked a step to get on the podium in the final. This year has become special: many leaders of ice dancing have retired, and Russian figure skaters have not been admitted to international competitions. The main feature of the dance couple is the emphasis on the image of the partner. More often than not, it’s Madison who comes to the fore, grabbing attention with choreography and costume. But there is also a weak side – undeveloped glide. Against the backdrop of brilliant competitors, such as Papadakis/Sizeron, Hubbel/Donoghue and Sinitsina/Katsalapov, it is not easy to enter the podium with technical faults.
By the way, Madison and Evan are a couple not only on the ice. They first went together in 2008, but haven’t had a relationship since. The second attempt to achieve greater success in their personal life took place in 2017 – and since then the couple has always been together. On June 11, 2022, the skaters got engaged.
This year was the most successful for Chalk and Bates. They won the United States Championship, the Four Continents Championship, the Skate America Grand Prix, and finished second in the Grand Prix Final. And now another title has been added – the world champions. Winning the World Cup is the real culmination of their careers. And the couple won the title despite the fact that during the free program Chok fell when leaving the support. It’s not often that skaters get the win after such a mistake.
The skaters took a break following the results of the rhythm dance. In addition, during the first program, the skaters broke the world record. They received 53.33 points for technique. The previous record was held by Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Sizeron (53.16 points). For the free dance, the couple received 134.07 points.
- As for the fall, I was shocked. I just hit my heel on the ice. It all happened so unexpectedly,” Chok said after the performance.
The pair’s victory received mixed reactions. There were those who said that their victory was decided off the ice. But – the winners are not judged: Madison Chalk and Evan Bates are the current champions.
