Rika Kihira performs her Short Program at NHK Trophy, her Senior Grand Prix debut (Photo Credit: ISU)
This week: A senior debut that took the field by storm, inaugural GP wins for top ice dancers and first qualifiers for the Grand Prix Final are out of the gate…
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Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean Luc Baker (USA) on their way to their first GP win (Photo credit: ISU)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
There have been further updates to the assignments of the Grand Prix.
Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) have withdrawn from NHK Trophy, citing a back injury Guillaume sustained in practice last week. They are still planning to compete at their second GP event, Internationaux de France, in two weeks. (source)
Karen Chen (USA) has withdrawn from Rostelecom Cup (source).
Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) have withdrawn from the Rostelecom Cup (source)
Yuna Shiraiwa (JPN) has been assigned to Rostelecom Cup following Wakaba Higuchi (JPN)’s withdrawal due to ankle injury (source).
Andrew Torgashev (USA) has withdrawn from the Junior Grand Prix Final. He will be replaced by first alternate, Stephen Gogolev (CAN) (source).
Entries for the CS Golden Spin of Zagreb are now available. Notable entries include Alexei Bychenko, Jason Brown, Deniss Vasilijevs, Anna Pogorilaya, Anastasiia Gubanova, Mariah Bell and Bradie Tennell (source).
Don’t forget we’re still sharing photography from GP Helsinki and stay tuned for another platform coming soon…
Men’s Singles podium at NHK Trophy. Shoma Uno qualifies for the Grand Prix Final with two gold medals at NHK Trophy and Skate Canada (Photo credit: ISU)
Competitions
NHK Trophy (2-4 November)
The fourth stop in the 2018-19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating was in Hiroshima, Japan. To see the standings of the Grand Prix Series, including first qualifiers for the Grand Prix Final, please visit the ISU’s website.
Ladies - 1st: Rika Kihira (JPN), 2nd: Satoko Miyahara (JPN), 3rd: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS)
Kihira is the first to land a 3A3T combination in a Senior Ladies competitive program.Pairs - 1st: Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS), 2nd: Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN), 3rd: Alexa Scimeca-Knierim/Chris Knierim (USA)
Ice Dance - 1st: Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean Luc Baker (USA), 2nd: Tiffani Zagorski/Jonathan Guerruiro (RUS), 3rd: Rachel Parsons/Michael Parsons (USA)
Men - 1st: Shoma Uno (JPN), 2nd: Sergei Voronov (RUS), 3rd: Matteo Rizzo (ITA)
NHK Pairs podium - winners Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS) have qualified for the Grand Prix Final with two golds (Photo credit: ISU)
Skaters
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