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Ando wins second Grand Prix in Nagano
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Miki Ando (JPN) captures her second Grand
Prix title of the season at the NHK Trophy.
Photo: AP/Koji Sasahara
2007 World champion Miki Ando secured her spot in the Grand Prix Final with a second win in the series today at the NHK Trophy. The names on the podium were exactly the same as they were at Rostelecom Cup two weeks ago, except with silver and bronze medalists Alena Leonova and Ashley Wagner switching places from their standings in Moscow. But as with yesterday’s short program, there was no clean skate to be found amongst the ladies today.
Unusually conservative in her technical elements this season, Ando skated a steady free skate with four clean triple jumps. She opened with an underrotated triple lutz and later had a double loop downgraded by the technical specialist. But her other jumping passes were clean, giving her a 106.33 in the free skate and a total score of 162.55. With this win, Ando becomes the first in the ladies’ field to book her trip to Tokyo in December for the Grand Prix Final.
In fifth after a fall in the short program, World junior champion Leonova came back to win the free skate with six clean triple jumps, showing the consistency and form that took her to the top ten at her first World Championships last season. She was almost successful in her triple toe-triple toe attempt, stepping out of the backend of the combination. Her free skate score of 108.51 was her best effort so far this season, earning her the silver medal and a good chance at the Grand Prix Final in December.
Also with a good chance at qualifying for the Final is Wagner, who earned the bronze medal to add to her silver at Rostelecom Cup. After a strong opening, she made a series of errors in the second half of her free skate. A hand down on the salchow, turnouts on two double axels that were the backend of jump sequences, and a singled triple lutz took her off the top spot on the podium. She finished third with a total score of 155.99
Defending NHK Trophy bronze medalist Yukari Nakano continues her streak of uneven performances this season, with two downgraded jumps and a fall. She has been struggling with her triple lutz, only one successful attempt out of four during the Grand Prix series. She was clearly disappointed with her effort in front of the home crowd. With her fourth place finish here, she will likely not be making a return trip to the Grand Prix Final.
European champion Laura Lepisto had no falls, but her base value was significantly lower than those of the other ladies because she popped four of her six triple jumps. Her program is strong choreographically, but without the technical elements to back it up, she was unable to make much of a statement today in Nagano. Her total score of 152.19 puts her just behind Nakano in fifth place.
American Becky Bereswill finished in eighth in the free skate and moved up to 11th place with a total score of 118.42.
LADIES (final standings)
1. Miki Ando JPN – 162.55
2. Alena Leonova RUS – 160.85
3. Ashley Wagner USA – 155.99
4. Yukari Nakano JPN – 152.35
5. Laura Lepisto FIN – 152.19
6. Cynthia Phaneuf CAN – 142.03
7. Yan Liu CHN – 126.49
8. Annette Dytrt GER – 126.01
9. Oksana Gozeva RUS – 123.97
10. Shoko Ishikawa JPN – 119.63
11. Becky Bereswill USA – 118.42
WD Sarah Meier SUI
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