ALLEN, Texas — Ilia Malinin became the fourth man to win three consecutive Skate America titles, prevailing despite a flawed free skate in his first top-level competition since winning his first world title.
Malinin, a 19-year-old from Virginia, landed six quadruple jumps (two negatively graded, doubling a seventh attempt) between two programs Saturday and Sunday to prevail by 7.24 points over Frenchman Kévin Aymoz. Aymoz won the free skate.
“It was a pretty challenging moment for me, just stepping on the ice I felt way more nervous than usual,” Malinin said on NBC Sports. “That might have played a part in the whole program.”…