Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan secured victory in the pairs event at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships on Friday in Seoul, reclaiming the title they first won two years ago.
The 2023 world champions led after the short program and delivered a season-best 142.59 in the free skate, finishing with 217.32 points. Reigning world champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps of Canada, who placed fourth after the short program, surged to second with a season-best 141.26, totaling 210.92 points.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud of Canada earned bronze with a personal-best 198.40, marking their first ISU championship medal as a team.
Miura and Kihara’s free skate featured a level-three triple twist lift, a throw triple loop, and flawlessly executed triple salchows. The Japanese duo debuted at the Four Continents five years ago in the same venue, finishing eighth.
“We had to overcome many challenges,” Kihara said. “So to be here today and win the gold medal, we are elated that we were able to accomplish this. This medal represents how far we’ve come in the past five years.”
Miura and Kihara also claimed the Four Continents title in 2023 when the event was held in Colorado Springs.
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps’ “Ocean” program included a triple toe-single axel-double axel sequence, a triple salchow, and triple throws. They are using the Four Continents as preparation to defend their title at the upcoming World Championships in Boston from March 25-30.
“We needed some kind of a breakthrough and we feel like we got it here,” Stellato-Dudek said. “At least, we know that it’s possible and we can take that with us to Boston.”
Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea of the United States, second after the short program, dropped to fourth following multiple errors.
In the women’s short program, local favorite Kim Chae-yeon took the lead with 74.02 points, landing a double axel, a triple lutz-triple toeloop combination, and a triple flip. Defending champion Mone Chiba of Japan followed closely with 71.20 points. Sarah Everhardt of the U.S. placed third with 67.36, narrowly edging out compatriot Alysa Liu, who scored 67.09.
Source: Swifteradio.com
