Grand Prix Final 2023: Key takeaways from figure skating's elite mid-season event as Malinin, Sakamoto shine
The event saw four first-time winners in Beijing, with Ilia Malinin and Sakamoto Kaori capturing the singles crowns. Here's what we learned as the skating season hits its halfway point.
Figure Skating
Four disciplines, four first-time winners at the Grand Prix Final in Beijing.
The elite figure skating event marked the halfway point of the 2023-24 season, with the Grand Prix Series giving way to national championships over the coming weeks - and the World Championships in March in Montreal looming in the distance.
Reigning world champions Sakamoto Kaori (women's singles) and Madison Chock and Evan Bates (ice dance) were victorious in what was their fourth (Sakamoto) and seventh (Chock/Bates) appearances at the GP Final, respectively.
American teenager Ilia Malinin made history with the first-ever quadruple Axel in a short program and then recorded a personal best score (314.66) for the biggest title of his career, beating two-time and reigning world champion Uno Shoma for the first time en route.
In pairs, the new German duo of Minera Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin capped a golden season - three wins on three GP outings - with a victory in Beijing.
Grand Prix Final 2023: What we learned
- Ilia and the quad Axel - After not doing the quad Axel at his two Grand Prix assignments, Malinin went for the jump in the short program, something he had never tried last year (when did the the quad Axel six times). He landed it, making it the first time the jump had appeared in the short - ever. "I just decided to go for it and see if it works out," he said. "I'm just really glad that I was able to pull it off. Since it was the first time trying it in the short, it was a lot of pressure for me." More: Ilia Malinin exclusive
- Steely Sakamoto - A year ago at the Final, Sakamoto was leading after the short program only to disintegrate in the free, finishing in fifth place. This week in Beijing, she called that "my worst performance ever" off the ice, while flipping the script on it: Sterling from the start of the short to the finish of the free, the two-time and reigning world champ now has a GP Final gold to her name, too. Sakamoto exclusive, too
- Going golden - It's Sakamoto who skates away from the Grand Prix season with three finishes atop the podium (France; Finland; Final). Who else accomplished such a feat? That would be Hase/Volodin (Finland; NHK Trophy; Final) and Chock/Bates (Skate America; Finland; Final).
- An eye on Japan - Individual medallists at the Olympics, both Uno and Kagiyama Yuma earned hardware on this trip to Beijing, too, and keep themselves near the top of men's skating as the focus shifts to the second half of the season. Their first focus? The Japanese nationals in Nagano in two week's time. It's one of the most competitive events in all of skating for the year, and also when Japan will name its team for Worlds.
- The free skate bounce back - After disastrous short programs for Adam Siao Him Fa of France and American Isabeau Levito, the two were spurred to fantastic free skates, Siao Him Fa leaping from sixth to fourth and Levito climbing to fifth. Sadly it was the opposite for Frenchman Kevin Aymoz, who came undone in the men's free.
- Tight-as-can-be battle - While Hase/Volodin emerge as the pair to beat from the Grand Prix, both world bronze medallists Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy as well as Canadians Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps are within striking distance. In fact, the three top teams were separated by just 2.13 points in total. And keep an eye out for the return of reigning world champs Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi, who missed the first half of the year due to injury (KIhara, back).
Ilia Malinin: 'Quad God' certified
- Grand Prix rookie honours go to... - Has to go to Nina Pinzarrone. The 17-year-old from Belgium medalled at both of her Grand Prix stops in her first year at the senior level, then comported herself well alongside veteran countrywoman Loena Hendrickx (who took silver) to finish fourth. Belgium: Skating's new powerhouse?
- Quad God certified - Malinin may have stumbled on his quad Axel in the free skate, but he did a quad loop for the first time in competition in the program, making him the first man in history to do all six quads - ever: Axel, Lutz, flip, loop, Salchow and toe-loop. Wow - times four!
- Skating back in Beijing - We saw top-level international skating in the Chinese capital for the first time since last year's Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. China has a busy skating season: After hosting Shanghai Trophy and the Cup of China, it put on the GPF for the first time since 2010. The nation is also set to host Four Continents (in February) in Shanghai.
- To nationals we go - All eyes will be on Nagano in a couple weeks for Japanese nationals, which sets off a slew of domestic national championships across the next six weeks. The U.S. has its the latest: 25-28 January in Columbus, Ohio.
- Junior Grand Prix Final - In the junior event, which was held alongside the seniors, Shimada Mao of Japan successfully defended her Final title from 2022, while her countryman Nakata Rio won in the junior men's.