A solid performance from Bradie Tennell helped the United States to another victory in the ISU World Team Trophy competition, ending Saturday in Fukuoka, Japan.
Where the locals had hoped for another sensational performance from 16-year-old Rika Kihira, who won the Short Program with a record score, it was instead Russia’s Elizaveta Tuktamysheva who won the Free Skate at 153.89, the second-highest score this season (and all time, under the new scoring system).
Tennell had her best score of the season at 150.83 – no. 3 on the world list – and popped up to second, assuring the U.S. win as Japan’s duo of Kaori Sakamoto and Kihira finished third and fifth. Mariah Bell of the U.S. finished fifth.
France’s Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres again outclassed the Pairs field, winning by more than 10 points and scoring 152.52, second-highest on the season.
The U.S. totaled 117 points to 104 for Japan and 102 for Russia. In the six editions of the World Team Trophy, the U.S. has won four times and Japan twice. This edition of the event showcased not only the U.S. depth, but also the continuing emergence of Vincent Zhou as a contender for all honors in the future. Summaries:
ISU World Team Trophy
Fukuoka (JPN) ~ 11-14 April 2019
(Full results here)
Men/Short Program: 1. Nathan Chen (USA), 101.95; 2. Vincent Zhou (USA), 100.51; 3. Shoma Uno (JPN), 92.78; 4. Keiji Tanaka (JPN), 89.05; 5. Andrei Lazukin (RUS), 88.96.
Men/Free Skate: 1. Chen (USA), 199.49; 2. Zhou (USA), 198.50; 3. Uno (JPN), 189.46; 4. Keehan Messing (CAN), 178.04; 5. Matteo Rizzo (ITA), 172.89.
Women/Short Program: 1. Rika Kihira (JPN), 83.97; 2. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS), 80.54; 3. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), 76.95; 4. Bradie Tennell (USA), 76.95; 5. Mariah Bell (USA), 70.89.
Women/Free Skate: 1. Tuktamyskeva (RUS), 153.89; 2. Tennell (USA), 150.83; 3. Sakamoto (JPN), 146.70; 4. Sofia Samodurova (RUS), 138.84; 5. Kihira (JPN), 138.37. Also: 6. Bell (USA), 135.17.
Pairs/Short Program: 1. Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS), 75.80; 2. Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres (FRA), 73.48; 3. Nicole Della Monica/Matteo Guarnise (ITA), 69.77; 4. Kirsten Moore-Towers (CAN), 68.38; 5. Ashley Cain/Timothy LeDuc (USA), 66.91.
Pairs/Free Skate: 1. James/Cipres (FRA), 152.52; 2. Zabiiako/Enbert (RUS), 141.32; 3. Moore-Towers/Marinaro (CAN), 131.84; 4. Della Monica/Guarise (ITA), 130.85; 5. Cain/LeDuc (USA), 125.24.
Ice Dance/Rhythm Dance: 1. Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA), 87.31; 2. Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS), 84.57; 3. Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA), 82.86; 4. Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA), 80.25; 5. Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN), 79.60.
Ice Dance/Free Dance: 1. Papadakis/Cizeron (FRA), 135.82; 2. Sinitsina/Katsalapov (RUS), 130.63; 3. Hubbell/Donohue (USA), 127.11; 4. Weaver/Poje (CAN), 124.18; 5. Guignard/Fabbri (ITA), 122.29.
Final Standings: 1. United States, 117; 2. Japan, 104; 3. Russia, 102; 4. France, 75; 5. Canada, 73; 6. Italy, 69.
