Sapporo, Japan

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Gold, silver and bronze: Yelim Kim (KOR, centre), Kaori Sakamoto (JPN, left), Rion Sumiyoshi (JPN, right). © ISU

Yelim Kim skated to women’s gold in Sapporo, winning the first ISU Grand Prix title for Korea in 13 years. Japan’s reigning ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto had to settle for the silver medal while her teammate Rion Sumiyoshi claimed bronze.

Kim opened her Free Skating performance to “Summer of 42” and “Summer Arabesques” with a triple Lutz-triple toeloop combination and followed up with a double Axel, triple loop and two more triple jumps. However, she struggled with her triple flip, touching down on the first one and falling on the second one. The Grand Prix de France silver medalist ranked second in the Free Skating with 132.27 points, but overall remained on top at 204.49 total. She won the first ISU Grand Prix gold for Korea since the legendary Olympic Champion Yuna Kim competed for the last time in the ISU Grand Prix series in 2009.

“I can’t believe I just won an ISU Grand Prix event. I think I’m going to cry,” Kim said.

The 2022 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist was in the lead following the Short Program at a major event for the first time, but she held her nerve so the fall did not affect the rest of her performance. “I tried to imagine my last training skating; not to think about anything special,” she said. “The (second) Flip (that she fell on) was planned in a sequence with the double Axel and so I did the double Axel with the triple Salchow like I do in practice.”

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In a spin: Yelim Kim (KOR) holds her nerve to win her first ISU Grand Prix gold. © ISU

Sakamoto fought back from her faulty Short Program, nailing a double Axel, triple Lutz and three more clean triples, but she wobbled on her triple flip-triple toe combination and singled the last jump – a loop – which was a costly mistake. The 2018 ISU Four Continents Champion ranked first in the Free Skating segment with 133.80 points, but her total score of 201.87 was not enough to overtake Kim.

“I popped the very last jump but overall I did everything I could at this moment this season,” Sakamoto said, revealing that she had overcome a cold following her first ISU Grand Prix Skate America.

World Champion ‘overcomes the devil’

As the reigning World Champion, the Japanese skater has had to find new motivation: “Coming into this season, I really wanted to do my best. Inside myself there were an angel and a devil fighting each other. I want to overcome the devil. It tells me: ‘you gave your best last year, this season you can relax.’” 

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Close, but not close enough. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) rues the mistake that cost the World Champion gold. © ISU

Kim and Sakamoto qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final with a gold and silver each from their events.

Sumiyoshi’s performance to “Enchantress” included six clean triples, but she went down on a downgraded quadruple toeloop attempt and on a downgraded triple Salchow. The Grand Prix de France bronze medalist scored 125.11 points for a total of 193.12.

“Considering that this is my first senior Grand Prix and I got third place in both competitions, I am happy. However, regarding my performance today, there were so many regrettable points,” Sumiyoshi told the post-event press conference.

She will have to wait and see what happens next week whether her two bronze medals are enough to get her to Torino for the Final.

Audrey Shin (USA) came fourth on 189.00 points. Skate Canada Champion Rinka Watanabe (JPN) landed a somewhat wobbly triple Axel to pull up from ninth to fifth on 188.07, followed by Seoyeon Ji (KOR, 184.14).

Overview of the competitors

Women’s Category:

Reigning ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) is the hot favorite, but she has to watch out for teammate Rinka Watanabe who came out of nowhere to beat her earlier this season at the ISU Challenger event Lombardia Trophy. Both women won their first ISU Grand Prix and aim at making the Final. Grand

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.