Figure Ice Skating – ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final – Ladies Short Program – Nagoya, Japan – December 8, 2017. Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond is seen in action. REUTERS/Issei Kato
December 8, 2017
NAGOYA, Japan (Reuters) – Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond took a surprise lead in the women’s short program at the Grand Prix Final on Friday, edging ahead of Russian teenager Alina Zagitova by less than a point.
Osmond hit a seasonal best with 77.04 after her sultry, sassy routine to “Sous le Ciel de Paris” that had the audience at the packed arena in the central Japanese city of Nagoya clapping along.
Zagitova, at 15 making her Grand Prix Final debut, skated a routine at turns lyrical and powerful to “Black Swan” but a mistake on a jump cost her, capping her score at 76.27.
U.S. skater Nathan Chen edged hometown favorite Shoma Uno to take the lead in the men’s short program on Thursday after Uno fell on a triple axel, but both said they were hoping to improve in Friday’s free skate.
(Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
