NASHVILLE, Tenn. — They've been neck-and-neck for nearly a decade, so why would this time be any different?
In the latest chapter of their longstanding rivalry, the ice dance teams of Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue and Madison Chock and Evan Bates once came down to the wire at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. And this time, it was Chock and Bates who squeaked out on top.
Buoyed by their strong rhythm dance, Chock and Bates held on to claim their third national title Saturday, beating Hubbell and Donohue by just 1.78 points. It's the fourth consecutive national championships in which the two teams finished first and second.
Both teams are considered shoe-ins for the U.S. Olympic team — and possible medal contenders. It will be the third Olympic appearance for Chock and Bates and the second for Hubbell and Donohue, who have said this will be their final season of competition.
