Honestly, walking into the TD Garden last March felt a bit like stepping into a time machine that only goes to the future. If you weren't in Boston for the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2025, you missed the moment the sport basically broke its own ceiling. It wasn't just another competition. It was the final, high-stakes dress rehearsal before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, and the energy in that building was, frankly, kind of terrifying.
Everyone knew what was coming. Or they thought they did.
Ilia Malinin, the self-proclaimed "Quad God," was the name on everyone’s lips. But by the time the final gala wrapped up on March 30, the story wasn't just about one guy jumping like he’d forgotten gravity exists. It was about a massive American resurgence, some heartbreaking near-misses for Japan, and the fact that figure skating is currently in a very weird, very exciting transition phase.
The Malinin Factor: Is It Even Fair Anymore?
Let's talk about the Men's event. It was the centerpiece of the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2025. Going in, Malinin was the heavy favorite, but there's a difference between "favorite" and what he actually did on the ice. He didn't just win; he decimated the field.
He landed six quadruple jumps in his free skate. Six.
His total score of 318.56 left everyone else scrambling for scraps. It’s wild because Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama is a literal artist on the ice—his skating skills are often cited by purists as the "correct" way to do this—but even with a nearly flawless short program that put him in second, he just couldn't keep up with the technical math. Kagiyama eventually took the bronze after a rough free skate where he finished 10th in that segment alone.
The real shocker? Mikhail Shaidorov from Kazakhstan.
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Shaidorov took the silver medal with a total of 287.47. It was the kind of performance that makes you sit up and realize the old hierarchy is shifting. He’s been quietly climbing the ranks, but beating out the likes of Kagiyama and Adam Siao Him Fa (who fought back from 9th in the short to finish 4th overall) was a statement.
The Return of Alysa Liu and the Women's Reshuffle
If the men’s event was about power, the women’s event was about the comeback story of the decade. Alysa Liu, who walked away from the sport for two years, didn't just return—she conquered.
Winning gold at the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2025 in front of a home crowd is the stuff of movie scripts. She posted a personal best and beat out the reigning queen, Kaori Sakamoto.
Sakamoto is a three-time world champion. She’s consistent. She’s powerful. But in Boston, she looked just a little bit human. She took the silver, while Japan’s Mone Chiba snagged the bronze. For the American fans, seeing Liu on top of the podium alongside Isabeau Levito (4th) and Amber Glenn (5th) felt like a fever dream. It’s the first time in ages the U.S. women have looked this dominant heading into an Olympic year.
What Actually Happened in Pairs and Ice Dance?
Pairs was a literal nail-biter. We’re talking less than a point—0.71 to be exact—separating gold and silver.
Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara managed to hold off the German duo, Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin. The Germans actually won the free skate, but the short program lead the Japanese pair built was just enough to keep them in first. It was tense. You could hear a pin drop in the Garden during those final scores.
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In Ice Dance, Madison Chock and Evan Bates did what no American team has ever done: they won their third straight world title.
- Total Score: 222.06
- The Vibe: Pure "final boss" energy.
- The Rivals: Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier from Canada took silver (216.54), and the British pair Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson grabbed bronze.
Why This Particular World Championship Changed the Game
We need to be real about the "E-E-A-T" (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) of the sport right now. Experts like Scott Hamilton and commentators like Tara Lipinski were all over the broadcast talking about how the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2025 was the "Great Decider" for Olympic spots.
Because of these results, the U.S. and Japan secured the maximum three spots per discipline for Milan 2026. That is huge.
But there’s a downside. The "quad revolution" sparked by Malinin is creating a massive divide. There’s a growing vocal group of fans and former skaters who worry that the "art" is being lost to the "math." When someone can win by 30 points just by landing jumps, does the choreography even matter?
The ISU is currently debating "Project 2026," which might look at re-balancing the component scores (the artistic side) against the technical scores. They haven't pulled the trigger yet, but the 2025 Worlds proved the current system is heavily tilted toward the jumpers.
2025 Worlds: The Final Standings (Quick Glance)
I know I said I wouldn't do a perfect table, so let's just look at how the gold medals shook out across the board:
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Men: Ilia Malinin (USA) – The gold was never really in doubt after the first 30 seconds of his free skate.
Women: Alysa Liu (USA) – A triumphant return that surprised even the most cynical analysts.
Pairs: Miura/Kihara (JPN) – Proved that veteran experience still wins under pressure.
Ice Dance: Chock/Bates (USA) – Solidified their status as the favorites for Olympic gold.
Actionable Insights for Fans Heading into 2026
If you’re trying to follow the road to the 2026 Winter Olympics based on what we saw at the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2025, here is what you actually need to do:
- Watch the Grand Prix Series this fall. This is where the 2025 medalists will try to prove their wins weren't flukes. Specifically, keep an eye on Mikhail Shaidorov; if he adds another quad, he’s a legitimate Olympic podium threat.
- Monitor the ISU "Program Component" rule changes. There is a meeting scheduled for later this year that could change how "artistry" is judged. This could hurt Malinin and help skaters like Kagiyama.
- Follow the health of the Pairs teams. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps (who finished 5th in Boston) had an "off" week, but they are notorious for coming back stronger. Don't count them out for Milan just yet.
- Book your flights early. If the atmosphere in Boston was anything to go by, the 2026 Olympics in Italy will be sold out within minutes.
The ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2025 wasn't just a trophy ceremony. It was a warning shot. The Americans are back, the "Quad God" is reigning supreme, and the rest of the world has exactly one year to figure out how to catch up.
If you want to see the full technical protocols—the "math" behind the magic—you can find them on the official ISU results page. It's worth a look just to see the sheer number of "+5" Grade of Execution marks Malinin received. It's basically a different sport when he's on the ice.
Stay tuned to the ISU official communications for the 2025-2026 season schedule, which kicks off with the Junior Grand Prix in late August. This is where we'll see the next generation of skaters who missed the age cutoff for Boston but are eyeing the 2030 cycle.
The road to Milan is officially open.