Alysa Liu's Olympic Gold Return Lands Right Here in Washington and It's Stacked

Get ready, Seattle, because some HUGE news just dropped that's gonna make the Emerald City shine even brighter! Our very own Pacific Northwest is about to host the return of an Olympic champion, and you absolutely need to know about it. Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu and world champion Ilia Malinin are officially set to make their highly anticipated comebacks to top-level competition at Skate America, right there in Everett, Washington, this November 13-15! This isn't just a big event, it's the first Grand Prix event on the circuit for both Liu and Malinin. Talk about kicking off the season with a bang on our home turf!

The Home Ice Showdown: Washington Welcomes Back the Champs

This is where it all begins, folks, and our state gets to be front and center for it. The International Skating Union has dropped the full lineups, and Skate America in Everett is looking absolutely wild. Not only is it Alysa Liu's first Grand Prix event since she snatched that Olympic gold medal back in February, but it's also a big moment for Ilia Malinin, who's back after retaining his world title in March. Remember his disastrous free skate at the Olympics? Yeah, he missed the medals then, but he bounced back to win worlds, and now he's ready to prove himself right here. Liu skipped the world championships after her Olympic victory, so this comeback in Washington is her first competitive skate since that gold medal moment. She’ll be competing against some serious talent too, with Japan’s Olympic bronze medalist Ami Nakai and Belgium’s world bronze medalist Nina Pinzarrone also set to skate in Everett. Malinin won't have it easy either, as he's lined up against fellow American veteran Jason Brown and Italy’s Daniel Grassl. Every skater is fighting for one of two Grand Prix spots to qualify for the finals in Chongqing, China, this December, so the stakes are sky-high right out of the gate.

Beyond Everett: What's Next for the Grand Prix Circuit?

The action doesn't stop in Washington, even if we wish it would! Just one week after Skate America, Alysa Liu is scheduled to hit the ice again for her second Grand Prix event at the Finlandia Trophy. Meanwhile, Ilia Malinin’s second stop on the circuit will be the NHK Trophy in Japan, where he'll face off against world bronze medalist Shun Sato. It's a grueling schedule, but that's what it takes to get to those finals. Other big names are hitting the ice too: Olympic gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov from Kazakhstan kicks off his Grand Prix season in France from October 23-25, before heading to the Cup of China in November. We also saw some movement in the pairs world, with Germany's Pairs world champions Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin also starting their Grand Prix season right here at Skate America. Unfortunately, Olympic pairs gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan retired back in April, but the show goes on. Also, a quick shoutout to U.S. ice dance team Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who are taking a break from competition this season, so don't expect to see them on the Grand Prix circuit. Get your calendars marked, Seattle! November 13-15, Skate America in Everett. This is our chance to see Olympic and world champions light up the ice right in our backyard. You don't want to miss this!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.