Figure Skating

French Grand Prix Figure Skating: Japan’s Koshiro Shimada Is Second

REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Grand Prix de France – Angers, France – November 2, 2024 Japan’s Koshiro Shimada celebrates after finishing second in the men’s overall Grand Prix de France

REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Grand Prix de France – Angers, France – November 2, 2024 Japan’s Wakaba Higuchi celebrates after finishing second in the women’s overall Grand Prix de France with third placed Japan’s Rion Sumiyoshi

AFP-Jiji

12:07 JST, November 3, 2024

Adam Siao Him Fa leapt from eighth place overnight to claim a third French Grand Prix figure skating title on Saturday

The Frenchman, skating to the theme from “Dune”, claimed victory after a dominant free skate programme, edging out Japan’s Koshiro Shimada and America’s Andrew Torgashev.

Two-time European champion Siao Him Fa scored 171.68 points for a total score of 246.58

“I put too much pressure on myself in the short program,” said the champion, a bronze medallist at this year’s world championships.

Shimada scored 233.84 points overall with Torgashev finishing with 233.64.

Amber Glenn of the United States won the women’s event ahead of Japanese pair, Wakaba Higuchi and Rion Sumiyoshi.

Overnight leader Glenn was only third in the free skate with 132.30 points but overall held on to first place on 210.44.

“I was very nervous coming in today, it was my first time being in first place at a major event in a short program and there was a lot happening, a lot of excitement,” said Glenn.

In the dance competition, France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud came out on top while Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany triumphed in the pairs.