Rika Kihira stuns with a victory in her debut Grand Prix
Satoko Miyahara takes silver with solid skates, and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva falls to third after a slim lead
Rika Kihira of Japan stunned the figure skating world by capturing the NHK Trophy, her debut Grand Prix event, in commanding style. Satoko Miyahara, also of Japan, skated with unending poise and elegance to capture silver, and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia drops her lead from the short program to settle for bronze.
The 16-year-old Kihira from Nishinomiya, Japan landed two clean triple Axels en route to winning the title by almost five points. Kihira was in fifth place after a disappointing short program, where she under-rotated and fell on her triple Axel attempt. However, she was less than one point away from the podium and less than seven points from first place, which she more than made up for with her 11-point lead in the free skate.
Kihira skated to Clair de Lune by Debussy in the short program and Beautiful Storm by Jennifer Thomas in the free skate. She received high grades of execution points for every single element in the free skate, including a triple Axel-triple toe loop, a solo triple Axel, a triple Lutz-double toe loop, and a triple Lutz-double toe loop-double loop combination. Kihira set the second highest free skate score this season at 154.72, behind Russian skater and Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova's record of 158.50 earned earlier this year at the Nebelhorn Trophy. Her technical score in the free skate is also a record for senior ladies' competition.
Miyahara placed second in both segments of the competition to cinch second overall. She skated her short program, set to Song for the Little Sparrow by Abel Korzeniowski, and her free skate, set to Invierno Porteno by Astor Piazzolla, with sumptuous ease, demonstrating her impressive range by effortlessly pulling off the bird-like movements of her short program as well as the flirtatious tango of her free skate.
The reigning World bronze medalist received two under-rotation calls as well as two edge calls. However, she received the highest program component scores for the night and edged out former World champion Tuktamysheva for the silver.
Tuktamysheva's short program, set to Assassin's Tango from Mr. and Mrs. Smith, gave her a very slim lead over Miyahara going into the free skate. The Russian former World champion made few mistakes in her free skate, but the high level of skating seen in Hiroshima this week meant that her small error on the landing of the triple Axel perhaps cost her the title. However, with a third place finish here, Tuktamysheva will qualify for the Grand Prix Final for the first time since she won the event in 2015.
The 16-year-old Kihira from Nishinomiya, Japan landed two clean triple Axels en route to winning the title by almost five points. Kihira was in fifth place after a disappointing short program, where she under-rotated and fell on her triple Axel attempt. However, she was less than one point away from the podium and less than seven points from first place, which she more than made up for with her 11-point lead in the free skate.
Kihira skated to Clair de Lune by Debussy in the short program and Beautiful Storm by Jennifer Thomas in the free skate. She received high grades of execution points for every single element in the free skate, including a triple Axel-triple toe loop, a solo triple Axel, a triple Lutz-double toe loop, and a triple Lutz-double toe loop-double loop combination. Kihira set the second highest free skate score this season at 154.72, behind Russian skater and Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova's record of 158.50 earned earlier this year at the Nebelhorn Trophy. Her technical score in the free skate is also a record for senior ladies' competition.
Miyahara placed second in both segments of the competition to cinch second overall. She skated her short program, set to Song for the Little Sparrow by Abel Korzeniowski, and her free skate, set to Invierno Porteno by Astor Piazzolla, with sumptuous ease, demonstrating her impressive range by effortlessly pulling off the bird-like movements of her short program as well as the flirtatious tango of her free skate.
The reigning World bronze medalist received two under-rotation calls as well as two edge calls. However, she received the highest program component scores for the night and edged out former World champion Tuktamysheva for the silver.
Tuktamysheva's short program, set to Assassin's Tango from Mr. and Mrs. Smith, gave her a very slim lead over Miyahara going into the free skate. The Russian former World champion made few mistakes in her free skate, but the high level of skating seen in Hiroshima this week meant that her small error on the landing of the triple Axel perhaps cost her the title. However, with a third place finish here, Tuktamysheva will qualify for the Grand Prix Final for the first time since she won the event in 2015.
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