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Post by Admin on Mar 27, 2014 23:24:00 GMT
Mao Asada of Japan set a world record on Thursday to finish first in the short program at the World Figure Skating Championships. Skating to Chopin's Nocturne, Asada hit her trademark triple axel at the start of her routine and completed all her remaining jumps to finish with 78.66 points, surpassing the previous record of 78.50 set by Yuna Kim at the Vancouver Olympics. "As the last competition of this season, I am happy to skate the best short program," said Asada, a two-time world champion. "My mission here is to perform both programs perfect so already half is done and tomorrow I want to focus on showing everything I have practiced." Carolina Kostner of Italy was second with 77.24 points followed by Julia Lipnitskaia of Russia, who had 74.54 points. Kim, the defending champion, has retired and Olympic gold medalist Adelina Sotnikova of Russia isn't competing at the worlds. "I was very nervous," Kostner said. "But this is my 13th world championship so I just kept telling myself not to be nervous."
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Post by Admin on Mar 28, 2014 1:43:09 GMT
Also bouncing back from a relatively disappointing Olympics was Russia's 15-year-old star Julia Lipnitskaia, who won the team gold with her country but came fifth in the singles. A season's best of 74.54 puts her within striking distance of the top two for Saturday's free program. Her compatriot Anna Pogorilaya performed worthily in place of Sotnikova, who skipped the event to recover from last month's achievement, scoring 64.26 for sixth place.
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Post by Admin on Mar 28, 2014 6:30:45 GMT
Gracie Gold was the top finishing American in fifth-place. Ashley Wagner finished in seventh, while Polina Edmunds landed in 12th.
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Post by Admin on Mar 28, 2014 23:18:55 GMT
@polinaedmunds Cherry Blossoms! with Anna Pogorilaya (:
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Post by Admin on Mar 29, 2014 16:24:19 GMT
Mao Asada of Japan topped the free skate on Saturday to capture her third world figure skating title. Asada, who held a slim 1.42-point lead after the short program, under-rotated three jumps but finished with 216.69 points, 9.19 ahead 15-year-old Julia Lipnitskaia of Russia. Italy's Carolina Kostner, the 2012 world champion, took the bronze with 203.83 points despite only placing sixth in the free program. Skating to Sergei Rachmaninov's "Piano Concerto No. 2," Asada opened with her trademark triple axel but under-rotated that one as well as a triple flip and double loop, but she earned high style points after impressing the judges. "I was able to control myself and I have done what I had to do," Asada said. "I was much more nervous than I was for the short program but the cheering from the fans was with me and made me relax."
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