The ISU Grand Prix and Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final kicked off Thursday in Tokyo, Japan, with the Junior Pairs and Men’s Short Programs, the Pairs Short Program and the Original Dance. For the second consecutive season, both Finals are held together.  A total of 84 skaters (56 entries) from 11 ISU members are competing in the two Finals.

Shen/Zhao (CHN) capture Pairs Short
Three-time World Champions Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao (CHN) captured the Pairs Short Program on Thursday night in Tokyo and set a new record score of 75.36 points en route. With a clean and emotional performance to “Who Wants to Live Forever” they upset two-time and reigning World Champions Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER), who came in second. Szolkowy had touched down with his hand on the side by side triple toe, but the other elements in their lyrical routine to “Send in the Clowns” were solid. Maria Mukhortova/Maxim Trankov (RUS) finished third with another strong performance to “Appassionata” in the high-level competition. The Russians achieved a new personal best score of 69.78 points.
“Today we felt very good out there on the ice. We almost felt like we were in Beijing! All our elements were beautiful today, and also our emotions were strong. So we feel this was a better performance than at our previous Grand Prix events in Beijing and in the USA. Therefore we are very happy today. The audience was great too, it was almost like at home”, Zhao said.
“It was a weird feeling today. It felt more like a practice than a competition”, Savchenko explained. “The elements felt better than in the other competitions, except for my triple toe obviously”, added Szolkowy.
“It was not easy, because it's a very big time change and we prepared for this competition in the United States and the ice rink there is smaller than this one and we didn't feel so comfortable. But we just tried to skate and make it work and are finally happy”, Trankov told the press, referring to the fact that the couple had stayed in North America following their second Grand Prix HomeSense Skate Canada International last month.

Defending Grand Prix Champions Qing Pang/Jian Tong (CHN) came in fourth. Their pair spin received no value as they had lost touch during the change of foot. Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang (CHN) and Yuko Kavaguti/Alexander Smirnov (RUS) are following in fifth and sixth place.

 

Davis/White (USA) dance to the lead in Original Dance
2009 Four Continents Champions Meryl Davis/Charlie White (USA) danced to the lead in the Original Dance ahead of reigning World bronze medalists Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN). The two couples are separated by less than two points. Davis/White put out an exotic Indian Dance that featured intricate footwork and scored a seasons best of 65.80 points. Virtue/Moir had chosen a Flamenco routine for this year’s Folk/Country Dance theme and left some technical points on the table as their elements had mostly lower levels than those of their main rivals. They, too, posted a sesaons best with 64.01 points.
“We skated pretty good, not our best, but we’re pretty happy with it. To be awarded with a score like that is always is always a good thing. Especially at this point in the season, we’re trying to build and build and it’s good to see our score building with us”, White commented.
“Overall everything was very good, but we want to make it perfect. We are still striving for that. It’s the key, the key to success – never be content, keep striving”, he continued. 2We are actually pretty happy with today's performance. This is a program that we're really happy to bring with this week. Not that we were unhappy with OD in the GPs, it's just that we felt we could do a lot better, so we feel like this is a good step in the right direction”, Moir said.
Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat (FRA) came in third with an upbeat American Country Dance. They received 56.93 points, which was also a sesaons best. “We could have done better. It was just the same as in the practice. I think we did a better performance in Skate Canada even though we got the season’s best today”, Bourzat noted.
European bronze medalists Sinead Kerr/John Kerr (GBR) placed fourth with another entertaining American Country Dance. Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA) and Vanessa Crone/Paul Poirier (CAN) finished fifth and sixth.

Nan Song (CHN) takes Junior Men Short Program
Nan Song (CHN) grabbed the lead in the Junior Men’s Short Program with a strong performance, edging out Ross Miner (USA) by less than one point. Song hit a triple Axel and a triple Lutz-triple toe to score a new personal best of 71.70 points. Miner landed the same combination but put down his hand on the triple Axel. He earned 70.85 points. “Today’s program was better than at previous competitions. I make some changes after every competition, and I try to keep improving with each competition”, Song said. Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) finished third after wobbling on the triple Axel and his final combination spin (69.85 points). All three leaders compete for the first time in the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

Sui/Han (CHN) win Junior Pairs Short Program

Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) wrapped up a successful day for China by winning the Junior Pair’s Short Program ahead of Narumi Takahashi/Mervin Tran (JPN) and Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov (RUS). Skating last out of the eight pairs to Russian Folk music, Sui/Han delivered a flawless program that included a side by side double Axel and a throw triple Salchow. The couple was awarded 56.80 points, just slightly below their personal best score. ”I think our performance was lacking in expression today. Our elements were rather solid”, Han commented. “It is very exciting (to compete in their first Junior Grand Prix Final). Takahashi struggled on the landing of the double Axel, but all the other elements got a positive grade of execution. The team picked up 54.44 points. Stolbova/Klimov produced a solid program as well that featured a double Axel and a throw-triple Salchow to score 48.90 points.

For full results, please refer to www.isu.org.

The ISU Grand Prix and Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final continues Friday with the Junior Men, Junior Pairs Free Skating, Men and Ladies Short Programs and the Free Dance.