Meryl Davis and Charlie White‘s post-Olympic plans do not include a return to the World Championships.
The Sochi gold medalists elected to skip worlds in Saitama, Japan, later this month, they said Monday.
“We feel that our incredibly positive Olympic experience is the culmination of and perfect ending to a wonderful four-year cycle,” White said in a press release. “We will leave our options open for the future and are excited to cheer on our American teammates as they compete in Japan.”
Davis and White became the first Americans to win Olympic ice dance gold in Sochi and are also the only American world champions in the event. Davis and White won world titles in 2011 and 2013.
Davis and White’s announcement came shortly after Skate Canada announced 2010 Olympic ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir would not compete at the World Championships.
Davis and White and Virtue and Moir, training partners and rivals, have won every world and Olympic title since 2010.
It’s unknown when Davis and White will skate competitively again, but they will be part of a Stars on Ice exhibition tour beginning April 4 with fellow Olympians Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner, among others.
Here’s the U.S. team set for the World Championships in Saitama from March 24-30:
Women
Polina Edmunds -- seventh at 2014 Olympics
Gracie Gold -- fourth at 2014 Olympics
Ashley Wagner -- sixth at 2014 Olympics
Men
Max Aaron -- 2013 U.S. champion
Jeremy Abbott -- 15th at 2014 Olympics
Pairs
Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir -- ninth at 2014 Olympics
Caydee Denney and John Coughlin -- 2012 U.S. champions
Ice dance
Alexandra Aldridge and Daniel Eaton -- 2012, 2013 U.S. junior champions
Madison Chock and Evan Bates -- eighth at 2014 Olympics
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani -- ninth at 2014 Olympics