Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto showcased a stellar performance in the short program on Friday, positioning herself as the top contender to defend her title at the NHK Trophy, which she disclosed will be her final appearance. Sakamoto confirmed her retirement after the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in June of next year.
Skating to “Time to Say Goodbye,” Sakamoto flawlessly executed a triple lutz, a double axel, and a triple flip-triple toe loop combination, securing a season-best score of 77.05. This impressive score placed her nearly 10 points ahead of Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan, who claimed the second spot with 67.75 points. You Young from South Korea earned the third position with 67.66 points.
Following her three consecutive world championship victories until 2024, Sakamoto achieved a silver medal at this year’s worlds in Boston in March. The 25-year-old also clinched the women’s singles bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.
After finishing as the runner-up to compatriot Ami Nakai at the Grand Prix de France last month, Sakamoto arrived at her home Grand Prix with the aim of reestablishing her dominance. Expressing her feelings, Sakamoto mentioned, “I was a bit nervous upon my arrival here but managed to overcome it and deliver a solid program. I successfully completed all my jumps and aim to maintain this performance in the free skate tomorrow.”
Looking ahead to the Winter Olympics, Japan’s medal hopeful Sakamoto is set to face fierce competition from Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian in Italy. Petrosian, aged 17, has secured two consecutive national titles and remained unbeaten over the past two seasons, triumphing in eight consecutive domestic events. She earned her Olympic qualification by winning the gold medal at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating qualifier in Beijing in September.
Returning to the Grand Prix series after a hiatus in the previous season due to injury, the 2024 European Champion Loena Hendrickx landed her first two jumps but stumbled on her third, a triple flip, ultimately finishing in fourth place with 62.45 points. Hendrickx secured her Olympic qualification by claiming the third spot at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating qualifier.
In the men’s short program, local favorite Yuma Kagiyama took the lead. The 2022 Olympic silver medalist executed a quad lutz at the beginning of his routine, followed by a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination, and concluded with a triple axel, amassing 98.58 points. Reflecting on his performance, Kagiyama expressed satisfaction with his jumps but expressed regret over the mistakes in spins and steps.
Shun Sato from Japan secured the second position with 96.67 points, while South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan claimed third place with 91.60 points.
In ice dance, world bronze medalists Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson from Great Britain excelled in the rhythm dance, earning a season-best score of 81.57 points, leading the competition. They were followed by Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri from Italy. Alex and Maia Shibutani from the United States, making a comeback after a seven-year hiatus, secured the sixth position.
In pairs, the 2022 Olympic champions Wenjing Sui and Cong Han from China took the top spot after the short program. Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii from Italy claimed the second position, while Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko finished third. Sui and Han delivered a strong performance to “Habanera,” achieving a new season’s best score of 74.63.
The ISU Grand Prix Series comprises six international events with a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete or team can earn points in up to two of the scheduled events. The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final scheduled for Dec. 4-7 in Nagoya, Japan.
The Shibutani siblings, known as the “Shib Sibs,” addressed a leaked video showing Alex berating his sister during practice. Competing at the NHK Trophy, they emphasized their commitment to their comeback after a seven-year break and expressed mutual understanding and support for each other. Alex, 34, and Maia, 31, have a long history of skating together, achieving significant success at various competitions. They aim to secure a spot on the U.S. team for the Milan-Cortina Games next year after a period of focusing on personal endeavors and overcoming challenges, including Maia’s health issues.