Japan’s Rika Kihira landed triple Axels in both programs to open her international figure skating season with a victory over Olympic silver medalist Yevgenia Medvedeva at the Autumn Classic in Oakville, Ontario.
Kihira, a 17-year-old who went undefeated last fall before taking fourth at the world championships, totaled 224.16 points after landing two triple Axels in her free skate (one called under rotated). Medvedeva, without the high-scoring triple Axel, finished 6.63 points behind while beating Kihira in artistic scores in both programs.
Medvedeva, the 2016 and 2017 World champion, last won an international event in November 2017. Training partner Alina Zagitova surpassed her for the Olympic title, and last year Medvedeva took third at worlds after moving from Russia to Toronto to train under Brian Orser.
“I’m feeling almost that comfortable, that confident [sic] in myself that I was two years ago, three years ago, four years ago,” Medvedeva told media after the short program.
American Karen Chen took fourth at the Autumn Classic in her first international competition since the Olympics. Chen, the 2017 U.S. champion, missed all of last season with a stress fracture in her foot.
Earlier Friday, two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu opened his season by falling on a quadruple Salchow but recovered to top the men’s short program at the Autumn Classic.
Hanyu, beaten by Nathan Chen for last season’s world title, tallied 98.38 points to lead by 3.62 over Frenchman Kevin Aymoz. The field lacks any of the other top 10 men from worlds. Hanyu and Chen aren’t expected to go head-to-head until December’s Grand Prix Final.
The Autumn Classic finishes Saturday with the men’s free skate.
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