BANGKOK – Team USA's Rachel Parsons and Michael Parsons won the silver medal at the 2018 ISU CS Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy, the first competition of the 2018 ISU Challenger Series, in Bangkok, Thailand.
The sibling team scored a total of 157.13 points and won the rhythm dance segment with 64.47 points. Despite one fall in their free dance to the Cinematic Orchestra's "To Build a Home," the Parsons received three Level 4s to win their second international medal of the season.
In the ladies competition, Starr Andrews finished fifth in her international season debut with 159.76 points overall. She had the second highest short program score of the ladies event with 62.60 points after opening with a triple flip-triple toe loop combination.
Prior to the Challenger Series opener, skaters competed in the junior, advanced novice, intermediate and basic novice levels in the 2018 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy. The United States won four medals.
Alysa Liu highlighted the American performance, winning the gold medal in the advanced novice girls division. At age 12, Liu became the youngest woman to land a triple Axel in international competition en route to her 138.45-point total score. She won both the short program and free skate.
Indi Cha and Ellen Slavicek, also skating in the advanced novice girls competition, finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
In the advanced novice boys division, Ilia Malinin won the title, scoring 116.71 points. He also won both segments.
In the junior ladies division, Gabriella Izzo took the silver medal with 168.03 points total. Izzo won the short program. Ashley Lin finished fifth.
In the junior men's division, Nicholas Hsieh took bronze with 138.73 points.
For full results, visit the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone.
