Amber Glenn’s Gritty Triumph: Seizing Gold at the 2025 Nebelhorn Trophy

Amber Glenn © Pinterest

On a crisp September evening in Oberstdorf, Germany, where the Bavarian Alps cast a dramatic backdrop, American figure skater Amber Glenn carved her name into the annals of the 57th Nebelhorn Trophy on September 27, 2025. Despite placing second in both the short program and free skate, the 25-year-old U.S. national champion clinched the women’s singles gold with a total score of 214.49 points, narrowly edging out Japan’s Mone Chiba (213.64) and South Korea’s teenage prodigy Shin Jia (208.45). This victory, Glenn’s third ISU Challenger Series title, underscores her resilience and sets a commanding tone for the 2025-26 Olympic season, with the Milano Cortina Games looming in February 2026.

The Nebelhorn Trophy, a cornerstone of the ISU Challenger Series since 1969, is more than a competition—it’s a crucible for Olympic hopefuls. Held at the Eissportzentrum Oberstdorf, this fifth stop in the 11-event series awards critical world ranking points that shape Grand Prix assignments and World Championships seeding. For Glenn, who trains under Kathy Bird in Plano, Texas, this win—her first at Nebelhorn after a fifth-place finish in 2016—marks a career milestone. “This feels like a turning point,” Glenn shared post-podium. “The Olympic season’s pressure is real, but I’m proving I can handle it.”

The Short Program: A Tight Battle Sets the Stage

The women’s event kicked off on September 25 with a short program that crackled with intensity. South Korea’s Shin Jia, a 17-year-old in her second senior international outing, stunned with a personal-best 74.47 points. Her pristine triple Lutz-triple toe combination, seamless spins, and emotive footwork to a piano medley edged her ahead of Glenn by a mere 0.78 points. Glenn, skating to a sultry remix of Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” landed her signature triple Axel but saw her triple flip-triple toe loop under-rotated, earning 73.69. Fellow American Isabeau Levito, the 2024 world silver medalist, held third at 71.10, while Japan’s Mone Chiba, a 2025 world bronze medalist, trailed in fourth with 69.24.

Shin’s joy was palpable: “Skating with the best feels like a dream,” she told reporters. For Glenn, the reigning 2025 U.S. champion and 2024-25 Grand Prix Final victor, the tight margin was a call to arms. “I knew I had to bring everything to the free skate,” she later said, reflecting on her mindset.

Fascinating Fact: Glenn’s triple Axel in the short program marked her 50th competitive landing of the element, joining an elite club of five women who’ve mastered it at the senior level—a feat she first achieved at age 20 in 2020.

The Free Skate: Overcoming Pain for Glory

Saturday’s free skate was a masterclass in grit. Mone Chiba, skating third in the final group, unleashed a season-best 144.40 for her lyrical “Swan Lake,” choreographed by 1998 Olympic champion Yuka Sato. Her seven triples, including a triple Lutz-triple toe and a flawless Biellmann spin, vaulted her from fourth to second overall. “It’s an Olympic season, so I’m pushing harder than ever,” Chiba told Golden Skate, her ambition clear at just 20 years old.

Glenn, skating last, needed 140.71 to overtake Chiba. Her program to “El Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge opened with a soaring triple Axel-triple toe, but a mid-program cramp during a layback spin nearly derailed her. “Oh my god, it was brutal,” Glenn confessed to Golden Skate. “I cramped during my spin, and I still had the loop combo to go. I just told myself to breathe and push through. Next time, I’m chugging water before I skate!” Her 140.80 narrowly bested Chiba by 0.85 points, securing gold despite the physical toll.

Shin Jia, needing 140.3 to challenge for first (well above her personal best of 117.85), delivered a valiant 133.98 but stumbled on a triple Salchow, settling for bronze. Isabeau Levito, rallying to fifth in the free skate with 136.55, finished fourth overall at 207.65—a solid marker for the 18-year-old Olympic hopeful.

Fascinating Fact: Glenn’s 2025 Nebelhorn win makes her the oldest U.S. women’s champion there since Michelle Kwan in 1996, at age 25 bridging the gap in a sport often ruled by teens.

Amber Glenn’s Journey: From Texas Prodigy to Olympic Contender

Born October 28, 1999, in Plano, Texas, Amber Glenn burst onto the scene as a junior with her historic triple Axel in 2018, the first American woman to land it internationally. Her career, a tapestry of triumphs and trials, includes a 2022 U.S. Championships silver, a 2022 Olympic team event bronze, and a breakout 2024 season with Grand Prix golds in France and China, plus the Grand Prix Final title—the first for a U.S. woman since Alissa Czisny in 2010. Coached by Kathy Bird after stints with Lori Alimonti, Glenn has battled anxiety and injuries, making her Nebelhorn triumph a testament to perseverance. “I’ve doubted myself this season,” she admitted. “But moments like this show my work is paying off.”

This gold, her second Challenger Series win of 2025 after August’s Cranberry Cup, nets 15 ISU points, bolstering her case for top Grand Prix assignments. As the Olympic cycle intensifies, Glenn’s edge over prodigies like Shin (2024 world junior silver medalist) and Chiba (a quad-jumping threat) proves veteran savvy can outshine youthful promise.

What It Means: A U.S. Surge Toward 2026

Glenn’s victory, the third U.S. women’s Nebelhorn win this decade, signals America’s growing depth. With Levito nipping at her heels and young stars like Elyce Lin-Gracey rising, the U.S. is poised for a strong Olympic push. As Oberstdorf’s ice cools, Glenn’s cramp-defying performance echoes beyond the rink—a reminder that champions are forged not just in jumps, but in heart. Next stop? The Grand Prix circuit, where Glenn aims to cement her Olympic dreams.

Source: article by Ockert de Villiers on olympics.com, published September 27, 2025.

Achieve More With VSA: Boost your skills with world-class coaches for just $29/hour. Perfect for skaters, hockey players, dancers, and athletes, VSA offers personalized training 24/7, 365 days a year, anywhere in the world.

By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer