World champ Nathan Chen leads U.S. squad to Japan for World Team event

Two-time reigning world champion Nathan Chen will lead a U.S. squad into next month's ISU World Team Trophy event in Japan.

The American lineup announced Thursday night by U.S. Figure Skating also included fellow 2018 Olympians Vincent Zhou and ice dancers Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, who took bronze in their respective events at this month's World Championships in Saitama, Japan.

Teams from the U.S., Canada, Japan, France, Italy, and Russia will compete between April 11 and 14 in Fukuoka. Each squad features two men, two women, one pairs duo and one ice dance pairing with points combined across the four disciplines to decide a champion.

American ice dancing duo Madison Hubbell (L) and Zachary Donohue perform during the exhibition gala at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan, March 24, 2019. /VCG Photo

Japan is defending champion and has won the event twice with the Americans collecting the other three titles since the event's inception in 2009. All previous World Team Trophy competitions have been staged in Tokyo.

Chen, 19, defended his crown last week with world record free skate and total score points, taking his 11th triumph in 12 competitions over the past two years.

Chen was part of the bronze-medal U.S. squads at last year's Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the 2017 World Team Trophy.

Mariah Bell of the U.S. competes in the ladies free skating event during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan, March 22, 2019. /VCG Photo

Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell, who had top 10 women's showings at worlds, and reigning U.S. pairs champions Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc complete the American lineup.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)