Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto showcased a stellar performance in the short program at the NHK Trophy, positioning herself as the frontrunner to defend her title in what she has declared will be her final appearance at the event. Sakamoto, who announced her retirement after the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, skated to “Time to Say Goodbye,” executing a flawless triple lutz, double axel, and a triple flip-triple toe loop combination to earn a season-best score of 77.05. This placed her nearly 10 points ahead of Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan, who secured the second spot with a score of 67.75, while South Korea’s You Young claimed the third position with 67.66 points.
Having clinched three consecutive world championships until 2024, Sakamoto settled for second place at this year’s worlds in Boston. The 25-year-old athlete had earlier won the women’s singles bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Despite finishing as the runner-up to 17-year-old compatriot Ami Nakai at the Grand Prix de France last month, Sakamoto arrived at her home Grand Prix with determination to regain her competitive edge.
Expressing her satisfaction with her performance, Sakamoto shared, “I was a little nervous since arriving here but was able to put that behind me and skate a solid program. I completed all my jumps successfully and will look to continue that in the free skate tomorrow.” As Japan’s top hopeful for an Olympic medal, Sakamoto will face stiff competition from Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Petrosian, a 17-year-old prodigy, has clinched two consecutive national titles and maintained an unbeaten streak over the past two seasons, winning eight consecutive domestic events.
Meanwhile, 2024 European Champion Loena Hendrickx returned to the Grand Prix series after sitting out the previous season due to injury. Despite landing her first two jumps successfully, Hendrickx stumbled on her third, a triple flip, finishing in fourth place with 62.45 points. She qualified for the Olympics by securing the third spot at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating qualifier.
In the men’s competition, local favorite Yuma Kagiyama claimed the top spot after the short program. The 2022 Olympic silver medalist impressed with a quad lutz, a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination, and a triple axel, amassing 98.58 points. Reflecting on his performance, Kagiyama expressed contentment with his jumps while acknowledging disappointment with errors in spins and steps. Kagiyama’s compatriot Shun Sato followed in second place with 96.67 points, with South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan securing third place with 91.60 points.
In ice dance, world bronze medalists Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain led the pack after the rhythm dance, scoring 81.57 points. They were trailed by Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy in second place. The pair of Alex and Maia Shibutani of the United States, making a comeback after a seven-year hiatus, placed sixth.
The pairs event saw 2022 Olympic champions Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China topping the short program. Sui and Han delivered a strong performance set to “Habanera,” earning a season-best score of 74.63 with impressive jumps and throws. Han expressed their eagerness to continue improving as they return to competition.
The ISU Grand Prix Series, comprising six international events, operates on a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete or team can earn points in up to two of the scheduled events, with the top six point-earners in each discipline qualifying for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final scheduled for Dec. 4-7 in Nagoya, Japan.
In another development, Alex and Maia Shibutani addressed a leaked video showing Alex berating his sister during practice. The siblings emphasized their commitment to each other and the comeback journey they are embarking on to secure a spot on the U.S. team for the Milan-Cortina Games next year. Known as the “Shib Sibs,” the duo, who claimed the 2018 Winter Olympic bronze medal, are navigating challenges and intense training as they strive to excel together in competitive ice dance.