Madison Chock and Evan Bates win the World Championship for the first time

US dance couple Madison Chalk and Evan Bates are world champions in figure skating. They were the best in rhythm dance, scoring 91.94 points. According to the results of two rentals, the couple earned 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 the victory of Madison Chock. - We have been going to this for so long - and we have wanted it so much. The season was very unpredictable for us and taught us so much. About ourselves, about what we really want and what we are ready to do for it.

We want to say a huge thank you to our coaches. If not for them, we would definitely have finished skating after Korea, ”Bates noted after the final rental. - They took us to their group - although they were not obliged 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 so much, and this is not only about figure skating. Our school in Montreal is about values, about human qualities, about true friendship. And this is the most important thing that we got from our - such a long - career in figure skating.

Chalk and Bates have been riding together for 12 years. And often they lacked one step to the podium in the final. This year has become special: many ice dance leaders 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. Most often, it is Madison who comes to the fore, attracts attention with choreography and costume. But there is also a weak side - undeveloped gliding. Against the backdrop of bright competitors, such as Papadakis / Sizeron, Hubbel / Donoghue and Sinitsina / Katsalapov, it is not easy to enter the podium with technical flaws.

By the way, Madison and Evan are a couple not only on the ice. They first went on a date in 2008 but haven't maintained any relationship since. The second attempt to become more successful in their personal lives took place in 2017 - and since then the couple has always been together. On June 11, 2022, the skaters got engaged.

This year has been the most successful for Chalk and Bates. They won the US Championship, the Four Continents Championship, the Skate America Grand Prix event and finished second in the Grand Prix Final. And now another title has been added - world champions. The victory at the World Cup is the real culmination of their career. And the couple earned the title despite the fact that during the free program, Chok fell when leaving the support. It is not often that skaters are given the win after such a mistake.

The skaters made a break for themselves 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 win 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.