Japanese teenager Ami Nakai stunned favourite Kaori Sakamoto to capture her maiden ISU Grand Prix de France title on Saturday, leading a historic Japanese sweep of the women’s podium.
The 17-year-old, competing in her first senior season, built on her strong short programme from Friday and sealed the win with a graceful free skate to Lexi Walker’s What a Wonderful World.
Despite placing a hand on the ice during her triple Axel attempt, Nakai scored a combined 227.08 points across both routines—2.85 points clear of three-time world champion Sakamoto.
Sakamoto, 25, suffered her first Grand Prix defeat in two years. The Olympic bronze medallist, who plans to retire after this Winter Games season, earned 224.23 points with a moving routine to Edith Piaf’s music performed by Patricia Kaas, but it wasn’t enough to reclaim the top spot.
Rion Sumiyoshi (216.06) finished third, while American Isabeau Levito dropped to fourth.
Japan’s dominance may continue, as reigning world champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara are also eyeing pairs gold later on Saturday in western France.
— British ice dancers turn up the charm —
Earlier, British ice dancers Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson electrified the crowd with their Spice Girls-themed rhythm dance, earning 84.38 points to take the lead heading into Sunday’s free skate.
“We’ve worked really hard on the technical side this season,” Fear said. “But for us, it’s always about performance—it’s what we love and what we do best.”
France’s Guillaume Cizeron, skating with new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry, sits third after an error during their Vogue routine cost them key points.
Cizeron, an Olympic champion in 2022, has returned this season with Fournier Beaudry as his new partner, setting their sights on the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics less than four months away.
Meanwhile, two-time world champion Ilia Malinin of the US begins his Olympic campaign in the men’s short programme, aiming to end France’s Adam Siao Him Fa’s winning streak in Angers.
