Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto delivered a nearly flawless free skate to successfully defend her title at her final NHK Trophy competition. Sakamoto, who announced her retirement plan after the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, aimed to leave a lasting impression at her home Grand Prix event in Osaka, Japan. Skating to music by Edith Piaf, Sakamoto flawlessly executed seven triple jumps, securing a Grand Prix season-high score of 227.18.
Expressing her joy at performing in front of her local fans, Sakamoto stated, “It was a great experience for me to be able to perform in my hometown. This was an international competition close to my local fans, and I feel great I was able to put in such a strong performance.” With her stellar performance at NHK Trophy and a second-place finish at the Grand Prix de France, Sakamoto secured a spot in the upcoming Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan.
In the women’s competition, teenager Sofia Samodelkina from Kazakhstan marked her Grand Prix debut with a second-place finish, earning 200 points, followed by Loena Hendrickx from Belgium. Meanwhile, Ottawa’s Katherine Medland Spence, the sole Canadian participant, finished 11th among the 12 skaters in her Grand Prix debut, scoring 146.63 points.
On the other hand, Loena Hendrickx, the 2024 European Champion, returned to the Grand Prix series after a break due to ankle surgery, scoring a total of 198.97 points. Hendrickx’s qualification for the Olympics came after finishing third at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating qualifier in September.
In the men’s singles event, 2022 Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama overcame an early mistake to secure his third consecutive NHK Trophy victory. Despite a fall on his quadruple toe loop, Kagiyama showcased a strong performance, landing all other jumps to finish with an overall score of 287.24. Shun Sato, Kagiyama’s Japanese compatriot and winner of the Cup of China, earned a personal-best score of 189.04 in the free skate, totaling 285.71 points. Kagiyama and Sato both confirmed their spots in the upcoming GP Final in Nagoya, Japan.
Furthermore, British ice dance duo Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson clinched the gold medal with a total score of 205.88, securing a place in the Grand Prix Final. Italian pairs Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii outperformed the 2022 Olympic champions in the pairs event, claiming the gold medal. Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko of Hungary took the silver, while Sui Wenjing and Han Cong from China settled for bronze.
The performances at NHK Trophy set the stage for upcoming competitions, including the Grand Prix Final and the Winter Olympics, promising more thrilling moments for figure skating fans worldwide.