Alina Zagitova scores a runaway victory at home Grand Prix
Sofia Samodurova also dazzles once again, Eunsoo Lim wins her first Grand Prix medal, Mako Yamashita falters, and Gracie Gold withdraws
The house was full on Friday and Saturday for the ladies' event at the Rostelecom Cup, the penultimate stop on the Grand Prix circuit this season.
Alina Zagitova, Russia's darling Olympic Champion, ran away with the victory last weekend with a world record score in the short program as well as winning the free skate.
Fans of Zagitova and of figure skating filled the Megasport arena in Moscow to the rafters. Dozens of Zagitova flags were passed out by spectators, who showered the 17-year-old with giant stuffed teddy bears, bouquets, and other gifts.
If the pressure of the fans got to Zagitova, she didn't show it. She took a commanding lead of over 13 points in the short program, skated to Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Weber. She landed a gorgeous triple Lutz-triple loop combination, a triple flip, and a double Axel. In the entire short program, Zagitova received only one grade of execution (GOE) mark under 3 (out of 5): one judge scored her a 2 (out of 5) on her change foot combination spin.
In the free skate, skated to the Carmen Suite, Zagitova made an uncharacteristic mistake on her triple flip, breaking out of rotation and landing forwards. She received credit for a double. She also received under-rotations on two jumps but was solid otherwise to score the highest free skate score of the night. At the end, she won the competition by almost 25 points.
Sofia Samodurova of Russia answered all questions about her consistency by once again pulling out clean programs in both segments of the competition. She came into this competition with momentum after winning the bronze medal at Skate America earlier this season, and continued to build on that momentum with a silver medal here in Moscow.
Samodurova's only mistake was an under-rotation on the triple toe loop of her first jumping pass in the free skate. She placed second in both the short program, set to Mission Impossible 2, and the free skate, set to Burlesque. With two medals, the 16-year-old has a chance to qualify for the Grand Prix Final.
Eunsoo Lim of South Korea came back from a disappointing short program, where she missed out on a combination after getting close to the boards after a triple Lutz and a poor landing on her triple flip. She came into the free skate in sixth place, a little over five points out of bronze medal position, but pulled off a clean performance to place third in the free skate. Lim's only small mistake was an under-rotation call on a triple flip.
Lim skated her short program to "Somewhere In Time" by John Barry and her free skate to the Chicago soundtrack.
Lim won the bronze medal, the first Grand Prix medal of her career, ahead of Alexia Paganini of Switzerland, who had also skated well and placed third and fourth in her short program and free skate respectively.
Alina Zagitova, Russia's darling Olympic Champion, ran away with the victory last weekend with a world record score in the short program as well as winning the free skate.
Fans of Zagitova and of figure skating filled the Megasport arena in Moscow to the rafters. Dozens of Zagitova flags were passed out by spectators, who showered the 17-year-old with giant stuffed teddy bears, bouquets, and other gifts.
If the pressure of the fans got to Zagitova, she didn't show it. She took a commanding lead of over 13 points in the short program, skated to Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Weber. She landed a gorgeous triple Lutz-triple loop combination, a triple flip, and a double Axel. In the entire short program, Zagitova received only one grade of execution (GOE) mark under 3 (out of 5): one judge scored her a 2 (out of 5) on her change foot combination spin.
In the free skate, skated to the Carmen Suite, Zagitova made an uncharacteristic mistake on her triple flip, breaking out of rotation and landing forwards. She received credit for a double. She also received under-rotations on two jumps but was solid otherwise to score the highest free skate score of the night. At the end, she won the competition by almost 25 points.
Sofia Samodurova of Russia answered all questions about her consistency by once again pulling out clean programs in both segments of the competition. She came into this competition with momentum after winning the bronze medal at Skate America earlier this season, and continued to build on that momentum with a silver medal here in Moscow.
Samodurova's only mistake was an under-rotation on the triple toe loop of her first jumping pass in the free skate. She placed second in both the short program, set to Mission Impossible 2, and the free skate, set to Burlesque. With two medals, the 16-year-old has a chance to qualify for the Grand Prix Final.
Eunsoo Lim of South Korea came back from a disappointing short program, where she missed out on a combination after getting close to the boards after a triple Lutz and a poor landing on her triple flip. She came into the free skate in sixth place, a little over five points out of bronze medal position, but pulled off a clean performance to place third in the free skate. Lim's only small mistake was an under-rotation call on a triple flip.
Lim skated her short program to "Somewhere In Time" by John Barry and her free skate to the Chicago soundtrack.
Lim won the bronze medal, the first Grand Prix medal of her career, ahead of Alexia Paganini of Switzerland, who had also skated well and placed third and fourth in her short program and free skate respectively.
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