United States Wins World Team Trophy in Figure Skating, Japan and Italy Follow

The United States maintained its lead from the previous day and secured the World Team Trophy in figure skating on Saturday. Japan took second place, while Italy finished third in the season-ending competition.

In the women's free skate, American skaters Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn delivered strong performances, achieving a one-two finish. Earlier in the day, Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara topped the pairs' free skate, offering the host nation a brief hope of a comeback.

The United States accumulated 126 points throughout the three-day event, winning the biennial trophy for the second consecutive time and the sixth time overall. Japan scored 110 points, improving on their third-place finishes from the previous two competitions. Italy secured third place with a score of 86.

Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, who missed the world championship in March, placed third with 145.00 points, behind Liu and Glenn. Sakamoto skated a nearly flawless four-minute performance and, as Japan's captain, expressed satisfaction with the team's performance.

Another Japanese skater, Mone Chiba, despite a fall, finished fifth with a score of 138.52. She noted that she felt relaxed during her skate and that the team had contributed to a good overall result.

Pairs world champions Miura and Kihara followed up their best-ever score in the short program with another impressive free skate. Despite a minor jumping error, their passionate flamenco routine earned them high scores. The pair, who had limited practice time due to ice show appearances, executed lifts and spins flawlessly. They expressed their satisfaction with their performance and their aspirations for the future.