On March 17th, 2019, Americans Maia Chock and Alex Shibutani, better known as the “ShibSibs”, made history by becoming the first American ice dance team to win the World Ice Dance Championship title. The ShibSibs have been skating together since 2004 and have been competing in the World Championships since 2011.
The ShibSibs’ victory was a long time coming. They had previously placed 2nd in the World Championships in 2016 and 2017, and 3rd in 2018, but this year they finally earned the gold medal. Their performance was flawless and they earned a total score of 206.07 points, which was more than enough to beat out their closest competitors, Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who earned a score of 203.16 points.
The ShibSibs’ win was a huge moment for American figure skating. Not only did they become the first American ice dance team to win the World Championships, but they also became the first American team to win a gold medal in any ice dance event since Meryl Davis and Charlie White won gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The ShibSibs’ victory was also a huge moment for the sport of ice dancing itself. Their win showed that ice dancing is no longer just a sport dominated by European teams. It showed that teams from other countries can compete at the highest level and be successful.
The ShibSibs’ win is sure to inspire many young ice dancers around the world to pursue their dreams of becoming world champions. It is a testament to their hard work and dedication that they were able to achieve such an incredible feat.
Congratulations to Maia Chock and Alex Shibutani for becoming the first American ice dance team to win the World Ice Dance Championship title!
