Japan’s Satoko Miyahara repeated as Skate America champion, while the U.S. failed to put a woman on the singles podium for the second time in the event’s 40-year history.
Miyahara, a two-time world medalist and fourth at the Olympics, became the first woman to win back-to-back Skate Americas since Yuna Kim in 2008 and 2009. She topped the short program and free skate, totaling 219.71 points and winning by 5.81.
She relegated countrywoman Kaori Sakamoto to silver at Skate America for a second straight year. Russian Sofia Samodurova, a 16-year-old in her Grand Prix debut, held on for bronze as the top of the standings went unchanged from after Saturday’s short.