Ilia Malinin opened his competitive season with a strong performance at Saatva Skate America in Everett, Washington.
The skater earned 96.74 points during the short program, establishing a 5.45-point lead over Japan’s Sota Yamamoto, according to Yahoo Sports.
Malinin successfully landed a quadruple flip and a triple Axel during his routine.
However, the athlete experienced some technical difficulties, including an under-rotated quad Lutz that resulted in a double toe loop combination instead of a triple, noted NBC Sports.
This competition marks Malinin’s first appearance since finishing his season in March with a third consecutive world title.
His performance follows a difficult outing at the Milan Cortina Olympics, where a 15th-place free skate dropped him to eighth overall despite holding the lead after the short program, as reported by the International Skating Union results.
Rather than participating in lower-level events earlier in September, Malinin opted to begin his campaign directly on the Grand Prix Series.
The skater plans an ambitious schedule, aiming to compete three times over the next month to secure a spot in the Grand Prix Final.
Following the conclusion of Skate America, he is scheduled to travel to the NHK Trophy in two weeks, per broadcast information from Peacock.
The Grand Prix Final has been a successful event for Malinin, who has won the competition for the past three seasons.
Skate America continues on Saturday with the rhythm dance and the women’s short program, followed by the men’s and pairs’ free skates.
Fans can follow the remaining events live on Peacock, according to reports from NBC Sports.
The men’s free skate is slated for Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET.