Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova wins Grand Prix Helsinki
Stanislava Konstantinova wins her first Grand Prix medal, a silver, and Kaori Sakamoto bounces back from a disappointing short program to win bronze
Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova of Russia remains undefeated on the Grand Prix series by winning her first event of the year, Grand Prix Helsinki.
The event was the first of its kind held in Finland after the ISU was left to find an emergency host when China backed out of their commitments to hosting the Cup of China.
Zagitova skated to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack for her short program and selections from the Carmen Suite for her free skate. Both of her programs were choreographed by Daniil Gleichengauz.
Zagitova made an uncharacteristic mistake in her short program on Friday by turning her triple loop in her triple Lutz-triple loop combination into a single. She scored more than 10 points off her season's best. However, she was still more than 5 points in the lead after the short.
She came back to land 5 clean triples in the free skate and win that segment of the competition as well. Both of Zagitova's Lutz and loop in her triple Lutz-triple loop combination were marked as under-rotated. Her total score, 215.29, was more than 23 points lower than her season's best, which she earned at the Nebelhorn Trophy earlier this year.
The Olympic Champion looked demure in the kiss and cry as her free skate scores were announced. Even though her free skate score of 146.39 was the highest of the night, it was still almost 12 points lower than her season's best, which she also earned at the Nebelhorn Trophy in September.
Zagitova's countrywoman, fellow Russian skater Stanislava Konstantinova won a surprise silver medal at the Grand Prix Helsinki after placing 4th in the short program and 3rd in the free skate for 2nd place overall.
She skated her short program to Malagueña and her free skate to the Anna Karenina soundtrack, choreographed by Olga Kliushnichenko.
In her short program, Konstantinova landed a triple Lutz-triple toe loop, but stepped out of a downgraded triple flip.
In the free skate, she landed seven triples, including another triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. Konstantinova was the only skater of the entire event to not receive an edge call or an under-rotation in her free skate.
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan came back from a disappointing 7th place standing after the short program on Friday to win the bronze medal at the inaugural Grand Prix Helsinki.
She skated her short program to Gymnopédies by French composer Erik Satie, choreographed by David Wilson, and her free skate to soundtracks from The Piano, choreographed by Benoît Richaud.
Coming into this event, the top two contenders were seen to be Zagitova and Sakamoto, who had earned the silver medal at Skate America earlier this year. However, Sakamoto fell twice during her short program on Friday, once on a triple flip, and again when she tried to tack on a triple toe loop after a triple loop. The two uncharacteristic but major mistakes left her in 7th place and out of the last group of skaters going into the free skate.
However, she came back firing in the free skate, landing seven triples, including a clean triple flip-triple toe loop combination. Her only mistake was an edge call on her triple Lutz.
She pumped her fists in excitement after her near-perfect skate to a standing ovation from the audience waving a sea of Japanese flags.
In the free skate, Sakamoto earned 2.45 points shy of her season's best score, bringing her to a total of 197.42 points and just 0.15 points shy of second place. She won the bronze medal behind Zagitova and Konstantinova.
The event was the first of its kind held in Finland after the ISU was left to find an emergency host when China backed out of their commitments to hosting the Cup of China.
Zagitova skated to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack for her short program and selections from the Carmen Suite for her free skate. Both of her programs were choreographed by Daniil Gleichengauz.
Zagitova made an uncharacteristic mistake in her short program on Friday by turning her triple loop in her triple Lutz-triple loop combination into a single. She scored more than 10 points off her season's best. However, she was still more than 5 points in the lead after the short.
She came back to land 5 clean triples in the free skate and win that segment of the competition as well. Both of Zagitova's Lutz and loop in her triple Lutz-triple loop combination were marked as under-rotated. Her total score, 215.29, was more than 23 points lower than her season's best, which she earned at the Nebelhorn Trophy earlier this year.
The Olympic Champion looked demure in the kiss and cry as her free skate scores were announced. Even though her free skate score of 146.39 was the highest of the night, it was still almost 12 points lower than her season's best, which she also earned at the Nebelhorn Trophy in September.
Zagitova's countrywoman, fellow Russian skater Stanislava Konstantinova won a surprise silver medal at the Grand Prix Helsinki after placing 4th in the short program and 3rd in the free skate for 2nd place overall.
She skated her short program to Malagueña and her free skate to the Anna Karenina soundtrack, choreographed by Olga Kliushnichenko.
In her short program, Konstantinova landed a triple Lutz-triple toe loop, but stepped out of a downgraded triple flip.
In the free skate, she landed seven triples, including another triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. Konstantinova was the only skater of the entire event to not receive an edge call or an under-rotation in her free skate.
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan came back from a disappointing 7th place standing after the short program on Friday to win the bronze medal at the inaugural Grand Prix Helsinki.
She skated her short program to Gymnopédies by French composer Erik Satie, choreographed by David Wilson, and her free skate to soundtracks from The Piano, choreographed by Benoît Richaud.
Coming into this event, the top two contenders were seen to be Zagitova and Sakamoto, who had earned the silver medal at Skate America earlier this year. However, Sakamoto fell twice during her short program on Friday, once on a triple flip, and again when she tried to tack on a triple toe loop after a triple loop. The two uncharacteristic but major mistakes left her in 7th place and out of the last group of skaters going into the free skate.
However, she came back firing in the free skate, landing seven triples, including a clean triple flip-triple toe loop combination. Her only mistake was an edge call on her triple Lutz.
She pumped her fists in excitement after her near-perfect skate to a standing ovation from the audience waving a sea of Japanese flags.
In the free skate, Sakamoto earned 2.45 points shy of her season's best score, bringing her to a total of 197.42 points and just 0.15 points shy of second place. She won the bronze medal behind Zagitova and Konstantinova.
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