Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates became the first ice dancers to win three consecutive world championships in nearly 30 years on Saturday night, with the Americans taking first place in jazzy free skating after strong performances by Canadian rivals Piper Gill and Paul Poirier.
Chock and Bates finished with 222.06 points, while Jill and Poilier won the silver medal for the second consecutive year at 216.54. Lila Fear and Lewis Gibson took the podium in third place, winning the UK's first world medal since Jane Torville and Christopher Dean finished four consecutive ice dance title runs in 1984.
Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov were their final three consecutive wins in Russia from 1994 to 97.
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“Arriving here, we weren't thinking about three peats or any kind of title defense. It was an independent event,” Bates said. “We were as prepared as possible and skated as possible.”
Americans and Canadians have dominated ice dancing in recent years, winning six of the nine medals awarded in the past three years.
The rivalry between Chock and Bates and Jill and Poilier teams has become one of the most intense in recent years, with this year adding a spice of geopolitical tensions between the countries.
Canadian silver medalists Piper Gill and Paul Poillier, gold medalists Madison Chock and US Evan Bates, bronze medalists Lila Fear and UK Lewis Gibson will be photographed by UK Lewis Gibson after giving medals in ice dancing at the 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Skating Championships. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The United States and Canada are engaged in an unprecedented trade war after President Donald Trump imposes a series of tariffs on Canada and prompts retaliatory tariffs accordingly.
Tensions from the ongoing trade war are flooding with sports.
Sports tensions were first exposed at the NHL 4 Nations showdown tournament on February 12-20. Canadian fans booed the US national anthem, while US fans booed the Canadian national anthem ahead of several games.
It began on February 13th, when Canadian fans in Montreal booed the US national anthem after Trump's threat to impose tariffs on Canada and the suggestion that the country should become the 51st state in the United States.
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Boos urged a brawl between Canadians and US players at the first meeting of the tournament between the two teams on February 15th. The US won that game 3-1.
The Canadian Anthem was booed at the TD Garden in Boston before the four countries' matches between Canada and Finland.
The US and Canada then finally met on February 20th, with American fans in Boston booing the Canadian national anthem again, though in a light tone. Canada won the game 3-2 overtime.
Since then, hostile rhetoric between the two countries, including sports, has only escalated. NHL games, which involve Canada- and the US-based teams, frequently feature boos in the national anthem before the visitor team.
Fans at Toronto's WWE Elimination Chamber booed “Star Spangled Banner” ahead of the event. Star Sports Commentator Pat McAfee has actively booed Canadian fans and the entire country.
“It's awful to have a boo our national anthem and start this whole thing,” McAfee cried out on the broadcast table.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States will perform at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships held at TD Garden in Boston on March 28, 2025. (Jurij Kodrun/International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
McAfee has since said he has been killed by his young daughter for comments.
Canadian men's soccer coach Jesse Marsh blows up Trump with his “51st state” remarks, calling it “inhumous.” During the CONCACAF Nations League Media Day, Marsch said he was “embarrassed” how Canada was humiliated by the president.
“If you have one message for the president, it's about lifting the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state,” Marsh said. “As an American, I am embarrassed by rog arrogance and neglect, and have shown one of the oldest, strongest and most loyal allies in history. But one thing is for sure. When I look forward to a month from now, this inspires our team.
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NHL legend Wayne Gretzky has been criticized by Canadians for his apparent support for Trump.
After Gretzky expressed support for “Canada, which leaves an independent country rather than becoming the precious and beautiful 51st state,” Trump declared Gretzky a “free agent.”
Gold medalists Madison Chock and US Evan Bates celebrate the 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships at TD Garden on March 29, 2025, after winning the World Championships in Ice Dance. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Currently, the US is winning in growing sporting rivalries courtesy of Bates and Chock, but the stakes will be higher at next year's Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Chock and Bates were part of the US team that won Team Gold in Beijing's 2022 game after a long-term investigation into Russian doping. However, for all their success, Chock and Bates never stood on the Olympic podium in ice dance, finishing fourth three years ago.
“I think the Olympic season certainly weighs a different weight than the other three years,” Chock said. “You have this incredible opportunity to reach the whole world and it makes it really special because it amplifies our voices on and off the ice.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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