Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) win the Pairs Free in the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama (JPN) © ISU
History was made in the Pairs event when Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara claimed the first title in this discipline for Japan at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama (JPN) on Thursday.
Miura/Kihara (JPN) win historical Pairs gold
Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara wrote figure skating history – again – by winning the first World Pair Skating title for Japan. 2022 ISU World Champions Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier (USA) earned an emotional silver medal while Italy’s ISU European Champions Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii took the bronze – another historical first for their country.
Overnight leaders Miura/Kihara skated last. Although they had a six-point lead following the Short Program, there was not much margin for error as Knierim/Frazier had put on a strong season’s best performance.
Miura/Kihara started well into their routine to “Atlas Two” and “Shared Tenderness” with a triple twist, a triple toe-double toe-double Axel sequence and a difficult lift. However, Miura doubled the side by side Salchow, and while she hit the throw triple Lutz, she went down on the throw triple loop.
Tension was high when the couple waited in the Kiss & Cry for their score, but relief and happiness took over once the scores came up: a personal best of 141.44 points for the Free Skating and 222.16 points for the total. The Japanese team dominated this season and claimed a “Grand Slam” with gold at the ISU Grand Prix Final, ISU Four Continents and now ISU World Championships.
“After the Four Continents, we worked really hard to have no regrets, and in the short program we were able to show what we’ve been working on, but today in the free skate my weakness came out and I feel regret, but I am happy,” Miura said.
“I am really happy to win here in my home country,” said Kihara. “The first half of the season was a bit difficult for us, because Riku got injured, however, because of that we were able to acknowledge how strong our bond is.
“Our trust for each other grew, but during this season our weakness came out a few times in our free skate, so for next season we hope to come back stronger.”
Knierim/Frazier gave an emotional performance to “Sign of the Times”, skating for their coach Todd Sand who had suffered a serious heart attack on March 2. The 2022 ISU World Champions produced a triple twist, throw triple loop and flip as well as level four lifts. However, their side by side jumps triple toe (in combination) and triple Salchow were somewhat shaky.
Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier (USA) take silver in the Pairs in the World Figure Skating Championships © ISU
The US Champions won the Free Skating segment with a season’s best of 142.84 points and overall remained in second place at 217.48 points.
“This whole week, this whole time, this program, it was all for our coach - and that’s what our hearts are,” Knierim said. “(I felt) fulfillment because I gave it everything I could and, for me, that's always enough when you know that you've exhausted all of yourself to make the best opportunity.
“I was very proud of us. We never dreamed that we would have two World medals and for us this is an achievement and the color is beautiful,” she continued.
“It’s just been a Worlds with emotion,” said Frazier. “I’m so proud of our fight in the two performances. It took a lot of courage to come here this week, and do what we needed to do, and I'm just proud of Alexa and I.”
Performing to “Cinema Paradiso” Conti/Macii completed a triple twist, triple toe-double Axel, triple Salchow as well as throw triple loop and Salchow, but their death spiral garnered only a level one. The ISU European Champions nevertheless achieved a new personal best of 134.84 points in the Free Skating and took bronze at 208.08 points, in what was their World Championship debut.
Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (ITA) take bronze in the Pairs in the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama © ISU
“This is a great achievement for Italy and I think it will give a lot of power to the Italian movement. We are very happy to make this historical medal,” Macii said.
“We have created a beautiful program. We have held on with our teeth, we had aching legs, we were nervous, very, very nervous. But we’ve done it! Let’s say that we finished on a perfect stage.
“We have won the bronze medal in our first participation (at Worlds). Last year we were not able to participate in the end because I had caught Covid. It was our first Worlds and we won a medal!”
2023 ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN) remained in fourth place after he fell on the side by side Salchow while she doubled (199.97 points). 2023 ISU Four Continents silver medalists Emily Chan/Akira Spencer Howe (USA) came fifth on 194.73 points followed by Lia Pereira/Trennt Michaud (CAN), who compete in their first season (193.00 points).
Skaters/Couples need to have obtained a minimum total technical score in Short Program and Free Skating in order to compete at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
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).
Schedule of the event
The schedule of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships is as follows:
Wednesday, March 22: Pairs & Women’s Short Programs
Thursday, March 23: Pairs Free Skating & Men’s Short Program
Friday, March 24: Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, March 25: Free Dance & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, March 26: Exhibition Gala
For full entries and results, please see the ISU event page and the official website. Follow the discussion on social media using #WorldFigure and #FigureSkating.
Where to watch the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023:
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list on the Where to Watch webpage here.
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