Team USA begins the Grand Prix series on home ice at Skate America 2024

Team USA will send a full slate of athletes to Skate America 2024, which opens the Figure Skating Series ISU Grand Prix Oct. 18-20 in Allen, Texas.

The event will take place at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center and the United States will have a maximum of three skaters or teams in each of the four disciplines. Team USA's roster is led by its four 2024 World Championship medalists: Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Ilia Malinin And Isabeau Levito. Half of the 18 U.S. skaters competing in Texas will be making their Grand Prix debut.

Chock and Bates, the 2022 Olympic team event gold medalists and two-time reigning world champions, are making their season debuts at Skate America. The 18-time Grand Prix medalists as a team are favorites for their fifth Skate America gold, which would tie Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto for the most ice dance gold medals in the event's history.

They're also looking to continue their personal winning streak, as the now-married couple has won gold in every competition they've competed in since the 2023 Prevagen US Figure Skating Championships.

There's also a gold medal streak on the line for Team USA. Since 2009, a U.S. ice dance team has topped the Skate America podium every year, a record set by Belbin and Agosto.

The other two U.S. ice dance teams competing in Allen will be making their Grand Prix debuts.

Leah Neset and Artem Markelov were dominant at the junior level last season and remained undefeated, including victories at the 2023 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final and the 2024 ISU Junior Figure Skating World Championships. In their first season as seniors, the three-time U.S. junior champions took bronze at Lombardia last month Trophy.

Although this is the first Grand Prix for Isabella Flores and Ivan DesyatovThey have also been on the podium internationally, securing bronze at the Golden Spin of Zagreb 2023 and silver at the Egna Dance Trophy 2024.

On the men's side, an American has won gold at Skate America every year since 2017. For the past two years, that winner has been Malinin, who is aiming to become the third U.S. men's skater to win gold at Skate America in three consecutive years.

The reigning world champion and two-time U.S. champion has won a medal at every Grand Prix he has competed in and is undefeated so far in the 2024 calendar year. He started the 2024-25 season at the Lombardia Trophy, where he dominated the competition with more than 21 points.

Two-time US pewter medalist Maxim Naumov will compete at Skate America for the second year in a row. In his first international competition of the season, the Nebelhorn Trophy, he took 11th place.

Lucas Broussard In his second season in the Grand Prix series, he would like to build on his gold in his first international match of the season – the Cranberry Cup.

In the women's competition, Team USA is represented by Levito, Bradie Tennell And Elyce Lin Gracey.

Levito, the 2024 World Championships silver medalist, has won silver at Skate America the past two seasons and has medaled at every Grand Prix she has competed in. The 2023 U.S. champion finished on the podium at both international events earlier in the season.

Tennell, the bronze medalist in the 2018 Olympic team events, missed most of last season with an ankle injury but is back this season. In her first event since October 2023, Tennell took silver at the Shanghai Trophy earlier this month.

Although the Grand Prix series has not yet begun, Lin-Gracey is in the midst of a groundbreaking season. In her second senior season and her Grand Prix debut, Lin-Gracey took gold at the Nebelhorn Trophy last month with a result that would have seen her on the podium at the World Championships last season.

In pairs competition Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea will lead Team USA. The 2024 Four Continents bronze medalists and U.S. champions have won medals in their first two international events earlier in the season, including gold at the 2024 John Nicks Pairs Challenge International, where they set a new personal best.

Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov as well as Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman Both will be skating on Grand Prix ice for the first time since forming their new partnership.

Kam and O'Shea were joined by Efimova and Mitrofanov with silver at the 2024 John Nicks Pairs Challenge International. The pair, who came together in June 2023, also secured silver at the 2024 US Championships.

After teaming up in May 2023, McBeath and Parkman placed fifth in their first international competition together at the John Nicks Pairs Challenge International 2024.

The competition begins on Friday with the short programs for couples and women. The rhythm dance opens the entire day of action on Saturday, followed by the pairs freestyle, where the first medals will be awarded. The day ends with the men's short program and the women's free skate. The competition ends on Sunday with the men's free dance and free dance. On Sunday evening, select athletes will skate at the Prevagen Skating Spectacular.

Tickets for Skate America 2024 are still available. Visit 2024SkateAmerica.com to purchase tickets and watch all the action live in Texas.

NBC Sports will televise all three days of Skate America. Additionally, Peacock will livestream every skater for 72 hours after the completion of all events available on Peacock. For the full broadcast schedule, visit the US Figure Skating Fan Zone and the Peacock streaming schedule can be found at peacocktv.com/skating.

The Grand Prix series, launched in 1995, consists of six international events in a cumulative points scoring format. Each athlete or team is eligible to score points in up to two of the six scheduled events. The top six point scorers in each discipline will qualify for the finals of the 2024 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, taking place December 5-8 in Grenoble, France.

For a complete schedule, results, news and more, visit Skate America Competition Central.