The Albany Gazette - Kagiyama seizes men's title in Finlandia Grand Prix

The Japanese double Olympic silver medallist made up for lost ground with a high-flying free skate. He won with 270.45 points, in the last event before the International Skating Union Grand Prix Finals.

"I was disappointed with my short programme but I wanted to leave nothing on the table and go all out. So I decided to perform today's performance with all I have, all my might," said Kagiyama, who skated to music from Puccini's opera Turandot.

He won despite a fall on his quadruple toe loop and a few inaccuracies.

"There were some jumps mistakes so that is a disappointment," he said.

France's Adam Siao Him Fa, who was in the lead after an inspired and masterful short programme dropped one place after a routine marred by messy landings for a total of 256.98 points. Canada's Stephen Gogolev took third with 253.61 points.

Kagiyama and Siao Him Fa secured their qualification for the Grand Prix Final in early December in Nagoya, Japan, which will be their last opportunity to compete against the world's best before the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.

Earlier, Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin won the pairs event with 206.88 points, ahead of two American duos: Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, and Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea.

The German pair, who skated to music by Max Richter, qualified for their third consecutive Grand Prix Final. Their only glitch came when Volodin missed the triple Salchow.

"It means a lot to us to have won this event," Hase said. "It's a big relief to see that the free skating is improving from competition to competition. We are gaining more confidence and the programmes are getting better, choreography-wise, and emotionally."

Saturday's programme continued with the women's free skating and then the free dance.

(N.Miller--TAG)