Chiba, Miura Lead Cup of China Short Programs

At the Cup of China, Japan’s Mone Chiba led the women’s short program with 76.08 points despite a mistake on her double Axel, narrowly ahead of Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova. Alexandra Ignatova, the Russian 2022 Olympic silver medalist competing as a neutral athlete, placed third in her return to the Grand Prix series after becoming a mother. Japan’s Kao Miura took the men’s short-program lead with 102.90, just ahead of teammate Shun Sato, while Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov was fifth after stepping out on a jump landing. In ice dance, Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson led the rhythm dance. The event reflects the wider return of eligible Russian and Belarusian skaters to international competition as neutral athletes.