KELOWNA, Canada - Japan's Grand Prix Series debutant Mao Shimada scored her personal best short program score to sit top at Skate Canada International on Saturday as Rio Nakata finished second after his free skate in the men's competition.
Four-time reigning world junior champion Shimada, who turned 18 on Thursday, opened with a triple axel and landed a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination before rounding off with impeccable spins for 82.11 points in Kelowna.
"I'm really surprised by the score," said Shimada, who could not take part at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February after the International Skating Union's age regulation change in June 2022.
"It was 82 points with still room to improve after I under-rotated my triple flip, and that made me even happier," added Shimada, who landed a quadruple toe loop in competition when 12.
Isabeau Levito of the United States placed second on 78.50 and Niina Petrokina of Estonia third on 77.24, followed by Japan's Saki Miyake in fourth on 71.95.
Men's two-time reigning junior world champion Nakata was top after Friday's short program but settled for fourth in the free skate on 156.61, and his total of 249.25 was bettered by Kevin Aymoz's 258.43 as the French winner came second in both segments.
Nakata, also 18, nailed his opening quad salchow but turned his next two quad toe loops into doubles with the mistakes proving too much to recover from.
"It's really pathetic not being able to finish things off here. I'm frustrated and I feel I'm weak," Nakata said. "I've only been aiming for first place and frankly second doesn't make me happy. I want to push myself more."
Mihhail Selevko of Estonia finished in a narrow third on 248.66 after topping the free skate with 169.08, while Japan's Kazuki Tomono came sixth overall on 222.85.
