Sakamoto Kaori completes Grand Prix sweep with title in Espoo, securing GP Final spot
The two-time and reigning world champ Sakamoto ruled over a roller coaster women's event, with Sumiyoshi Rion second and Amber Glenn roaring back for bronze. Madison Chock/Evan Bates won the ice dance event.
Figure Skating
Less than two years after claiming Olympic bronze at Beijing 2022, Sakamoto Kaori is set for a return to the Capital Indoor Stadium.
Sakamoto secured said return for next month's Grand Prix Final on Saturday (18 November) with a win at Grand Prix Espoo in Finland, completing a season sweep after claiming the Skate Canada title last month.
The 23-year-old registered a 135.52 in the free skate to total 205.21 overall, giving her a 15-point margin of victory.
She will be favoured at the Final, as figure skating's reigning and two-time world champion, a status she further cemented on the outskirts of Helsinki this weekend even as she struggled to find her best form.
Japanese compatriot Sumiyoshi Rion claimed the silver medal with a steady weekend, scoring 190.21, while American Amber Glenn soared back from a disastrous short program to jump from 11th to claim bronze (185.39) - her first Grand Prix medal outside the U.S.
Republic of Korea teenager Kim Chae-yeon (181.42) and Lorine Schild (175.71) of France rounded out the top five.
It marks the fifth Grand Prix win of Sakamoto's career, who said she didn't show her "complete" skating in Espoo but aimed to "get back home [to Japan] and practice for the Final," she said via an interpreter.
Sakamoto recently told Olympics.com that she has grown more comfortable in her role as "the one being chased" in women's skating.
In ice dance, Sakamoto's fellow 2023 world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. won their sixth career Grand Prix title, scoring a 209.46 to beat Canada's Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen, 206.32.
Grand Prix Espoo 2023: Sakamoto finds path to top
Sakamoto was some 20 points south of her 226.13 at Skate Canada, a fact she was clearly aware of as her scores came through in Espoo. She made several small errors that compounded in the free, including an edge call on her first triple Lutz, an under-rotation on her Salchow and a q (quarter of a rotation under) for her final jump, a triple loop.
But she nonetheless was the most in-command skater on the weekend, her Lauryn Hill medley free still skated with moving artistry and ice coverage.
That helped her to a 68.73 in program components for the free, five points ahead of Glenn, who was second best on that mark (63.15).
There would be no triple Axel for the American like a month ago at her home Grand Prix (she singled her attempt to start), but perhaps that was the best for Glenn, who skated with overt determination thereafter, landing seven triple jumps - including four in combination.
Her unlikely jump from 11th to bronze helped salvage her Grand Prix season after being fifth at Skate America.
Sumiyoshi skated just before Sakamoto and fought through several of her own issues, but stood up on a huge quadruple toe-loop, which was called under-rotated by the technical panel. She'd later fall on a triple loop, but held herself together well to claim the silver.
She remains in the Grand Prix Final running having won bronze at Grand Prix de France.
It was disappointment for 16-year-old Kim of Korea, who fell on a triple Lutz early and never fully recovered, getting marked down on four other jumping passes. The Skate Canada silver medallist - like Sumiyoshi - now waits for NHK Trophy next week to see if she gets an invite to Beijing.
Ice dance: Chock/Bates securing GP Final spot, too
It's a double-gold season for the American veterans in ice dance, too, Chock/Bates adding to their win at Skate America with a victory in Espoo.
Chock struggled some on their twizzles, receiving a Level 2 (of 4) and impacting the team's GOEs (Grades of Execution). They were out-scored by the Canadians on their technical marks, but won the day in program components (artistry) to have a slim edge in the free dance, 123.85 to 123.70.
Finland's Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis captured a bronze for the home fans, scoring a 195.80.
"For the most part we're very proud of our performances here and we'll head back home and there's lots of hard work there," Chock said.
Added Bates: "We want to build on this strong performance and do even better at the Final... The passion is still burning strong."