Two-time world champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara wound up on top of the podium at Skate America on Saturday night, just as the Japanese pairs skaters have so often on the Grand Prix stage throughout their illustrious careers.

Kevin Aymoz topped the men's podium for the first time after a long, difficult journey of his own.

The six-time French champion has competed in figure skating's biggest events more than a dozen times, and four times Aymoz had come away with a silver medal at a Grand Prix event. But with a strong free skate in Lake Placid, N.Y., he was able to edge out Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov and Japan's Kazuki Tomono for gold.

“It's just beautiful,” Aymoz said through tears in the kiss-and-cry area.

He finished with 253.53 points — a good score, albeit one well off th

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