The Men’s event was the last discipline to finish at the 2025 World Championships, and saw home crowd favourite Ilia Malinin win his second World title. Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan took the silver medal, while Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama fell to third place after the free skate. Read on to find out more about what went down!
Results
🥇 Ilia Malinin (USA)
🥈 Mikhail Shaidorov (Kazakhstan)
🥉 Yuma Kagiyama (Japan)
Winning back-to-back world titles with a total score of 318.56 points was Ilia Malinin of the USA, who was first in both the short and free programs. His short program to NF’s ‘Running’ opened with a quad flip which received +4.24 GOE, and he pulled off the triple axel and quad lutz-triple toe with seeming ease as well. He showcased his signature raspberry twist in the step sequence, and the spectators cheered him on through the step sequence into the final pose. He landed the quad axel in his free skate to the audience’s delight. He popped his second lutz into a double, but went on to land two quad jumping passes in combination. It is evident that he has also been working on his program components over the seasons, and the step sequence showcased this drive for growth. Malinin included a backflip in the choreo sequence and scored 208.15 points for the strong free skate in front of the home audience.
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan was third after the short program but second overall in Boston with 287.47 points. His Dune short program racked up TES points through the opening quad lutz-triple toeloop combination, which scored 18.66 points in total. He had a hand down on the triple axel, but came back with a quad toeloop. His free skate was to ‘Moonlight Sonata’ and ‘Take on Me’, and he put out an impressive triple axel-euler-quad salchow combination, followed up by a quality quad lutz. His technical prowess is evident, and he delivered a clean program with good grades of execution for all the elements; he committed to performing and expressing more once the jumping passes were completed.
Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama was second after the short program, but tenth in the free skate to finish third overall with 278.19 points. He skated after Malinin in the short program, but showed no signs of being affected by the preceding performance. His ‘The Sound of Silence’ skate opened with a beautiful quad toe-triple toe combination which earned 5s from several judges. He was off axis for the quad salchow, but landed it seamlessly regardless, and nailed the triple axel. It is a program where each element flows into one another, and Kagiyama covered the ice with speed. He struggled in the free skate, popping the opening flip into a double, stepping out from the quad salchow, and falling on the quad toeloop. His focus and fight throughout were evident, however, and the details and timing in the step sequence were notable and memorable. He was given level 4s in the step sequence and two spins.
Adam Siao Him Fa of France was ninth after the short program, but delivered a strong comeback skate and finished under 3 points behind Kagiyama. He had a hard fall from the quad lutz in the short program, but managed to hang onto the jump combination which followed, and was good on the triple axel. His ‘Dune’ free skate opened with a quad lutz with a hand down, and followed up with three successful quad jumps; he fell from the triple axel near the program’s end. Siao Him Fa came into the event with clear drive and determination, and delivered a strong performance which mounted in intensity as it mapped out the narrative of the ‘Dune’ universe.
Compatriot Kevin Aymoz has had a difficult few seasons, but was strong in Boston, and finished fifth. The lyrical elegance of his skating was foregrounded in his ‘Bird Gerhl’ short program, which culminated in an emotional step sequence; the program was clean apart from the quad toeloop deemed as being landed on the quarter. His free skate similarly foregrounds his strengths as a performer, and demonstrated an impressive control of movement. He had great transitions, including an Ina Bauer into his triple axel, for which he earned +2.74 GOE.
Shun Sato of Japan finished in sixth place in his Worlds debut. He skated with fluidity in his ‘Ladies in Lavender’ short program, where he opened with a quad lutz. He had a hand down from the quad toe, but added a double toe in combination; his triple axel was perfectly in time with the music, and transitioned straight into the step sequence. He came in strongly with his free skate, nailing the quad lutz in the opening. His following quad flip however received an edge call, and he fell on the quad toeloop. ‘Nostos’ is a piece which mounts in intensity over the four minutes, and he conveyed this with subtlety and attentiveness.
2023’s World Silver medallist Junhwan Cha of the Republic of Korea showcased a quality quad salchow to open his Imagine Dragons short program, but fell on the triple axel which was furthermore landed on the quarter. He was tenth after the short program, but put out the fifth-highest scoring free skate to finish seventh overall. His free skate to ‘Balada para un Loco’ displays great musicality. He popped the quad toeloop into a double, but retained focus to deliver his following jumping passes with quality, and pulled off his signature triple lutz-triple loop combination as well. His step sequence, given a level four and +1.34 GOE, saw him highlight the details and intricate nuances of the piece; the choreo sequence built up to the climax of his program, and he included his signature Ina Bauer in the element.
Jason Brown of the USA was eighth in front of the home crowd. His ‘Tarzan’ short program has a great opening section of choreography which immerses the view into the program. He was strong on the triple flip, but underrotated the triple axel by a quarter. His step sequence was a highlight, and he navigated the percussive, upbeat and intense section with skill. Brown’s ‘Spiegel im spiegel’ free skate sees him tap into the lyricism of his skating, and he delivered it cleanly. His seamless skating meshes well with the soft, poignant notes of the piece, and his spins as usual were outstanding and earned high grades of execution from the judges.
Other performances of note included Nika Egadze from Georgia, who was ninth overall, and sixth in the short program. European silver medallist Nikolaj Memola was tenth, delivering a clean short program save from edge calls on both of his lutzes; he put out a quad lutz-triple toe combination in the opening of his free skate, and secured level fours on all of his spins.
Latvia’s Deniss Vasiljevs finished just under three points behind Memola, and skated with charisma in his ‘Helix’ short program. He opted for no quad and fell on the triple axel, putting him in sixteenth place going into the free skate. His ‘La Bayadere’ free skate was a highlight of the event; he landed the quad salchow although it was underrotated. Vasiljevs always commits fully to the theme and tonality of his music choices, and delivered his program with balletic poise; the spread eagle positions in time with the music in his choreo sequence, with which he concluded his skate, were standout. European champion Lukas Britschgi of Switzerland finished twelfth; he has an ambitious and innovative short program this year, and his step sequence was very strong. His free skate is similarly an intense choice of music, and he expressed the dynamism and power that it requires. He struggled with some of the jumping passes, popping the toeloop, falling from the triple toeloop in combination, and popping the flip into a double.
Daniel Grassl of Italy finished in thirteenth place, and struggled with the quad lutz, falling on the element in his short program and popping it into a double in his free skate. Tatsuya Tsuboi of Japan popped his salchow into a double in the short program, invalidating the element; he came into the free skate in twenty fourth place, and finished twenty first in his Worlds debut. Andrew Torgashev of the USA had a strong short program, where he scored 87.27 points and was eighth; his dynamism and power work well with Stromae’s music, and his step sequence is a highlight. He had a difficult free skate, falling on the first two quad toeloops, and struggling with other jumping passes, finishing in twenty second place overall.
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