Chiba leads figure skating Cup of China as Ignatova returns

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — World silver medalist Mone Chiba led the way in the women's short program at the Cup of China as Russian Alexandra Ignatova made a long-awaited return to the figure skating Grand Prix series Friday.

Chiba took the lead on 76.08 points with her James Bond-themed program, despite an error on a double axel, in her first skate since the world championships in March following an offseason ankle injury.

It was just enough to keep Chiba ahead of Anastasiia Gubanova of Georgia, who celebrated a personal-best 75.05 with a double fist pump as her score was announced.

Ignatova, skating as a neutral athlete, was third on 72.37 in her biggest international event since the 2022 Olympics. The 17-year-old Alexandra Trusova who raged rinkside at her silver medal in 2022 is now 22, competing under her married name, and mother to a one-year-old son.

The International Skating Union has approved neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus to enter a wider range of events this season after they were only eligible to enter the Olympics and one Olympic qualifier last season.

British team leads ice dance

Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson lead the way in ice dance after scoring 80 points in the rhythm dance to beat Georgia's Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin on 79.31. Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler of the Czech Republic are a distant third on 73.10.

Olympic gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov aims to recover from a shaky start to the season in the men's short program later Friday, as the pairs event also begins.

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