Sapporo, Japan

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Yelim Kim (KOR) performs a season's best to lead the Women's Short Program at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo. © ISU

Yelim Kim (KOR) beat World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) to take the lead in the Women’s Short Program as the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy in Sapporo (JPN) continued on Friday.

Performing to “Mercy” by Max Richter, Kim nailed a triple Lutz-triple toe combination, triple flip and double Axel as well as three level-four spins to post a season’s best of 72.22 points. Rion Sumiyoshi, also from Japan, sits third.

“I am so happy for a clean program today,” Kim, the Grand Prix de France silver medalist, said. “In France I lost some points in the spin and step sequences and I’ve trained not to lose levels. In the free skating I made a big mistake. Maybe (I worked on) my mental focus just to do what I train.”

World Champion brought back down to Earth

Sakamoto skated last and opened her program to “Rock With U” and “Feedback” by Janet Jackson with a high double Axel, but then had to fight for the landing of the triple Lutz and of her triple flip-triple toe combination. She underrotated the combination. The Olympic bronze medalist scored 68.07 points.

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World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) was 'nervous' to perform in front of her home crowd. © ISU

“Today’s performance was not something that I expected,” the 2018 ISU Four Continents Champion said. “All my jumps were unsatisfactory. There are a lot of things to work on.

“Of course, this is one of the major events in Japan and this makes me nervous. In Japan there are still restrictions in place – you cannot cheer loudly and in the performance it hit me, ‘I am skating in Japan’. Nationals is the one I am really nervous at and the NHK Trophy is almost the same.”

Sumiyoshi’s romantic program to “White Flowers Take Their Bath” featured a double Axel and triple Lutz. However, the Grand Prix de France bronze medalist slightly underrotated the back end of her triple flip-triple toe combination (q) on her way to a new personal best of 68.01.

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Rion Sumiyoshi (JPN) 'stays focused' on her wat to a new personal best. © ISU

“In the short program in France I nailed the first two jumps but then my focus was lost and I made mistakes on the spins and the third jump,” Sumiyoshi commented. “This time I made sure to stay focused, I did my jumps and spins. This was my major improvement.”

Audrey Shin (USA) came fourth on 65.87 points, just ahead of Skate Canada silver medalist Starr Andrews (USA) on 64.13. Seoyeon Ji (KOR) ranked sixth (62.92). Skate Canada Champion Rinka Watanabe (JPN) fell on her triple Axel and singled her loop to place ninth (58.36 points).

Schedule of the event

The schedule is as follows:


Friday, November 18:              Pairs & Women’s Short Programs, Rhythm Dance, Men’s Short Program
Saturday, November 19:         Pairs & Women’s Free Skating, Free Dance, Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, November 20:            Exhibition Gala

 

The NHK Trophy in Sapporo (JPN) November 18-20, 2022, is the fifth of six events in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.

More than 150 Skaters/Couples representing 29 ISU Members have been invited to the Series. The maximum number of entries for each event is 12 Ladies, 12 Men, 8 Pairs and 10 Ice Dance couples.

The General Announcement of the 2022/23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series is available here. The individual announcements are published under the respective events. Full entry lists and further information are available on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series page.

Selection Criteria

In order for a Skater/Couple to be eligible to compete at an ISU Grand Prix event, a minimum total score must have been achieved in the 2021/22 or current 2022/23 season in an ISU event (Grand Prix, Junior Grand Prix, Championships) or a Challenger Series event. Exceptions apply to host country Skaters, previously ranked Skaters or split ranked Couples who return with new partners. The minimum total score is 3/5 of highest score per discipline at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2022 and are as follows: Women: 141.65, Men: 187.49, Pairs: 132.65, Ice Dance: 137.89.

Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).

 

Grand Prix Standings

Men                  Women             Ice Dance         Pair Skating

 

Where to Watch

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events will be live streamed on the official ISU YouTube Channel in most countries. Find out where to watch the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating competitions.

Subscribe to the ISU YouTube Channel to receive all the latest videos and follow the conversation with #GPFigure.

 

ISU Grand Prix Schedule

The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events are available below:

21 - 23 Oct, 2022          Skate America, Norwood (USA)

28 – 30 Oct, 2022          Skate Canada International, Mississauga (CAN)

04 - 06 Nov, 2022         Grand Prix de France, Angers (FRA)

11 - 13 Nov, 2022          MK John Wilson Trophy, Sheffield (GBR)

18 - 20 Nov, 2022          NHK Trophy, Sapporo (JPN)

25 - 27 Nov, 2022          Grand Prix Espoo, Espoo (FIN)

08 - 11 Dec, 2022          Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Torino (ITA)

 

About ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series started in 1995 (previously known a s the ISU Champions Series) and consists of six invitational international senior events and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The top six of the past World Championships are seeded. Competitors collect points in their Grand Prix events towards the qualification for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Only the top six Skaters / Couples in each discipline can qualify for the Final.