The pairs competition at the Grand Prix de France showcased a thrilling battle for the top spot between two sets of world champions. Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, reigning world champions from 2023 and the current year, impressed in the short program, taking the lead with a score of 79.44. Chasing closely behind were Canada’s Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who secured a score of 74.26, having also delivered a nearly flawless performance.
Hungary’s Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko claimed the third position with a score of 70.15, followed by two American pairs, Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman at 63.31, and Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy at 61.79.
In the women’s event, the competition opened with a surprise as Ami Nakai took the lead ahead of three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto in the short program. Nakai, a former world junior bronze medalist, showcased her skills by executing the only triple axel jump of the competition and earned a score of 78 points on her Grand Prix debut.
Sakamoto from Japan scored 76.20, while Isabeau Levito of the United States, the 2024 world silver medalist, secured the third position with a score of 73.37 heading into the free skate event on Saturday.
The Grand Prix de France is the inaugural event of the six-part Grand Prix series leading up to the final in December. This series serves as a crucial test for elite skaters aiming for success at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February.
The competition will resume on Saturday with the ice dance rhythm dance. For those interested in streaming details for the Grand Prix de France, the CBC Sports broadcast schedule provides comprehensive information.