Canadians in Medal Position at ISU Grand Prix

SOCHI, Russia – Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., and Montreal ice dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen are both in third place after Friday’s short programs at the Rostelecom Cup,the sixth stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

In men’s competition, Kazuki Tomono of Japan is first after the short with 95.81 points. Morisi Kvitelashvili of Georgia follows closely at 95.37 and Sadovsky, 12th at Skate Canada International last month, earned a season’s best 84.59.

‘’Overall, I am very pleased with what I was able to put out there today,’’ said Sadovksy, 22. ‘’I had a little bit of struggle internationally this year so far. I hope that my efforts and adjustments we did in practice will reflect in my free skate.’’

In ice dancing, world champions Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia lead after the rhythm dance with 86.81. Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy are second at 79.56 and Fournier Beaudry and Sorensen are third at 76.39.

‘’We felt pretty good today, it wasn’t perfect,’’ said Soerensen, third with his partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry at Skate America, last month. ‘’We improved a lot on the performance and also on the technical side since Skate America.’’

Also in the medal hunt is Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., who is fourth after the short in women’s competition with a season’s best 67.49. Schizas, 18, was eighth at Skate Canada International and ninth at the Finlandia Trophy.

Russia is 1-2 with Kamila Valieva first with 87.42 and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva second at 80.10. Mariah Bell of the U.S. is third at 69.37.
In pairs, Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., are seventh after the short.

All four free skates are on Saturday.
Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season2122/gprus2021/CAT004RS.htm