Nagoya / Japan

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 Russia’s Alexandra Trusova prevailed in what was high-level Junior Ladies Short Program with six clean performances at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in Nagoya on Thursday. Trusova’s teammates

Alena Kostornaia and Anastasia Tarankova, who also train with her under the same coaches, came second and third in the Short Program.

Skating to ‘Big Spender’ and ‘Jumpin’ Jack’, Trusova reeled off a triple flip-triple loop, a triple Lutz, double Axel as well as three level-four spins and level-four footwork. The 13-year-old from Moscow posted a new personal best with 73.25 points. “I was hoping to get over 70 points, but I didn’t know what the score would be. I never had such a high score,” the Muscovite said. “At the end, my music is fun and the audience clapped along and I wanted to show even more emotions. My spins could be faster and there is always something to improve,” added Trusova who wants to show the quadruple Salchow in the Free Skating: “I hope to do finally a clean one.” 

Kostornaia landed a triple flip-triple toe, triple Lutz and difficult spins in her Tango program. The 14-year-old set a new personal best with 71.65 points. “I was a little nervous only during the warm-up which is just before the competitions because it is my first so serious competition. In general, I did everything I could. I was ready to get such scores because I work really hard. It is the result of our coaches' work and I'm just a performer. Now I want to skate my free program as well as I was skating today,” the JGP Baltic Cup Champion said.

Tarakanova’s performance to ‘Fly’ and ‘Experience’ by Ludovico Einaudi featured a triple flip-triple toe, triple Lutz and a double Axel. The Cup of Austria Champion picked up a personal best of 67.90 points. “I did all my elements so I was looking forward to the points, maybe more up to 68 or 69 today. But 67.9 is my best score. I would like to skate more relaxed in free skating and to make the crowd enjoy my skating. I was first to skate in the team of Russia so that made me more nervous,” the 13-year-old shared.

Rika Kihira (JPN) placed fourth on 66.82 points. Daria Panenkova (RUS) is not far behind in fifth on  65.65 points followed by Sofia Samodurova (RUS) on 65.01 points.