Japan's Miura Kao wins first career Grand Prix title in Espoo, answering call from teammate Sato Shun
Miura skated last, following a nearly flawless performance from Sato. The 18-year-old secured his spot in next month's Grand Prix Final. Kevin Aymoz rallied for bronze.
Figure Skating
Miura Kao answered the call from teammate Sato Shun on Saturday (18 November) at Grand Prix Espoo in Finland.
Leading after the short program, Miura skated last and was forced to follow a brilliant free skate from Sato with one of his own, his 182.93 score giving him a 274.56 overall, edging out Sato by just 1.22 points, at 273.34.
It gives the 18-year-old Miura, the reigning world junior figure skating champion and Four Continents winner earlier this year, his first-ever Grand Prix title - and stamps his ticket to next month's Grand Prix Final in Beijing, People Republic of China.
"In the past I've expereienced many losses," Miura said via an interpreter. "[Here] I have won. With this, I have my ticket to the Grand Prix Final. I want to get back to Japan to practice and get ready [for it]."
Veteran Kevin Aymoz rallied for bronze, the 26-year-old Frenchman bouncing back from fifth to claim a podium spot with a 250.03.
Italians Matteo Rizzo (241.47) and Nikolaj Memola (221.25) rounded out the top five.
Miura won silver at Skate Canada last month having been second at both of his Grand Prix assignments last season. He won the ISU Challenger event in this same venue six weeks ago at Finlandia Trophy, and was just shy of his personal best scores in his free skate and overall.
In pairs, Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany 192.72 won their first Grand Prix title, as well, making their GP debut as a team, having just joined forces this season. They leapt from third after the short program to win the free skate and claim gold.
Grand Prix Espoo 2023: Miura Kao locks up GP Final spot
It was a dramatic finish to the men's event, with Sato winning the free skate with a beautiful performance to "Four Seasons", executing across three quadruple jumps and receiving positive GOEs (Grades of Execution) on all of his elements.
Sato puts himself on the cusp of the Final, too, though he will have to sit and wait to see what happens next week at NHK Trophy, where both two-time and reigning world champion Uno Shoma and 2022 Olympic silver medallist Kagiyama Yuma could leap-frog him.
Aymoz, too, is in the GPF running, thanks to another mesmerizing performance of "Bolero", this one coming a month after his chilling free skate at Skate America. After popping his opening quad attempt in the short program, Aymoz fought hard for a quad toe to start before settling in for his long, his 90.51 program component score (artistry), winning the day in the men's free skate.
He joins Sato in the wait for a Grand Prix Final call-up or not.
There will be no such wait for Miura, who pumped his fist in celebration as his winning scores came up. He worked especially hard in his free, fighting to save landings on a trio of quads himself. He was at the Grand Prix Final as a junior a year ago, finishing fifth.
It was a strong Saturday for Rizzo, too, the Italian bouncing from sixth place to finish in fourth. His teammate Memola celebrated his 20th birthday with a strong free of his own, landing in fifth.
American Jimmy Ma, who was third after the short program, sunk to 11th overall as he struggled through his free skate.
Pairs: Hase/Volodin emerge atop crowded podium
Another new pairs team in China's Peng Cheng and Lei Wang looked poised to win gold just a week after their bronze-medal performance at Cup of China in their Grand Prix debut.
But the short program leaders failed to get off a successful side-by-side jumping pass, knocking them to fourth in the free and fourth overall - missing the podium by just 0.03 points.
Reigning world bronze medallists Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy finished second with a 188.60, while it was Hungary's Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko who edged out Peng/Wang for bronze at 186.19 (to 186.16).
Both Conti/Macii (with two silver medals) and Pavlova/Sviatchenko (with a silver and bronze) are in the mix for the GP Final, while Peng/Wang have an outside shot.
Hase/Volodin go to NHK Trophy next week, where they will look to make the Beijing field with another strong outing.
"We can be even better," Volodin said after their win. "We're going to try and improve next week."
Added Hase: "We want to try and qualify for the Grand Prix Final."
The team also said it's eyeing the European podium in January.