Olympic skaters Zingas and Kolesnik lead US ice dance sweep at Four Continents

Olympic ice dancers Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik tuned up for the Milan Cortina Games in the best possible way Friday.

The up-and-coming duo won the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, leading the first U.S. ice dance sweep at the event since 2005. Zingas and Kolesnik ended with 202.86 points after the free dance to top Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, while Oona Brown and Gage Brown rounded out the podium.

Zingas and Kolesnik are not among the favorites at the upcoming Winter Games in Italy, though their performance in the last major international competition before the Olympics underscores the strength of the American squad.

Their teammates and reigning world champions, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, are favored to win the Olympic gold medal.

In the women's competition at Four Continents, rising star Yuna Aoki led a Japanese podium sweep with 217.39 points after her free skate. Ami Nakai, the leader after the short program, wound up second while Mone Chiba finished third.

There are usually few Olympians at Four Continents in an Olympic year because it takes place so close to the opening ceremony, but the short travel distance from Japan to China made it a natural tune-up event for the Japanese women. They are considered the stiffest competition for the American team of Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito when they arrive in Milan in two weeks.

None of those U.S. women were at Four Continents. Bradie Tennell, the first alternate for the Olympic team, ended up fourth while Sarah Everhardt finished eighth and Starr Andrews finished 15th in what is likely her final singles competitions.

Andrews is planning to switch to pairs competition next season.

Four Continents continues Saturday with the pairs free skate and the men's short program.

In pairs, the Chinese team of reigning Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong led after the short program. Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi of Japan were second and the American team of Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov were in third.

Efimova and Mitrofanov are the American champions but are unable to compete at the Olympics because she is not a U.S. citizen.

The men, who will conclude Four Continents with their free skate Sunday, feature several skaters who will be headed from Beijing to Milan. Among them are Kao Miura of Japan, Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan and Junhwan Cha of South Korea.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Bradie Tennell of the United States competes in the Women Free Skating of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Oona Brown and Gage Brown of the United States compete during the Ice Dance Free Dance in the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Caroline Green and Michael Parsons of the United States compete during the Ice Dance Free Dance in the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik of the United States compete during the Ice Dance Free Dance in the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

From left silver medalists Caroline Green and Michael Parsons of the United States and gold medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik of the United States celebrate after the Ice Dance Free Dance of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

A PWHL official said Wednesday that there have been constructive conversations in potentially teaming with the NHL's Ottawa Senators to secure its women's hockey franchise a long-term future in the Canadian capital.

The discussions center on the Ottawa Charge playing home games at the Senators' arena, the Canadian Tire Centre, PWHL senior VP of business operations Amy Scheer told The Associated Press. The Charge’s future is in Ottawa is uncertain beyond this season due to the city going ahead with renovations that will reduce the team’s current home’s capacity by about 2,000 seats.

“We’ve got a long ways to go to figure out where we are for the future of Ottawa, but the relationship with the Senators has blossomed,” Scheer said during a video conference call.

She referred to Senators president and CEO Cyril Leeder as being “a gem to work with.” Scheer and league officials also met with Senators owner Michael Andlauer while attending the women’s tournament at the Milan Cortina Games last month.

The PWHL has already established a partnership with the Senators, with the Charge scheduled to play Montreal at the Canadian Tire Centre on April 3.

“The game is selling really well, so hopefully that’s the first of a really positive road for us to skate down,” Scheer said.

Leeder looked forward to the Senators hosting the game, and further discussions with the PWHL.

“We can confirm we’ve had positive dialogue with the PWHL and the Ottawa Charge, which is consistent with our desire to grow the game for women, men and youth in our Ottawa-Gatineau community,” Leeder said in a statement the Senators released to the AP.

The Charge were one of the PWHL’s original six franchises, and have spent the first three seasons playing at the city’s centrally located TD Place, which is also home to the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67s. The aging facility has a capacity of about 8,500 for hockey but the renovation will reduce seating to about 5,700, with an additional 900 standing-only spots.

The PWHL said the cuts make it financially unfeasible to stay at the arena. The Charge averaged about 7,000 fans per outing over the first two seasons, with that number jumping to 7,225 over the team’s first nine home games this year.

Scheer previously said the league was exploring all options, including the possibility of relocation. “We will not go backwards,” Scheer said in November.

The PWHL expanded to eight teams this season, with plans underway to add 2-4 teams for next season.

The Senators' home arena is located about a 40-minute drive outside of downtown. The team, however, is in the early planning stages of building a new home closer to downtown.

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Ottawa Charge's Kathryn Reilly, left, celebrates her teammate Alexa Vasko's goal during the first period of an PWHL hockey game in Ottawa, Ontario, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Charge's Fanuza Kadirova (centre) spins around as she celebrates her goal on Seattle Torrent goaltender Hannah Murphy (83) during the first period of an PWHL hockey game in Ottawa, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)