Monday, Nov. 17, 2008

TROPHEE ERIC BOMPARD

Compiled from Kyodo, AP

PARIS — World figure skating champion Mao Asada settled for a runnerup finish Saturday at the Trophee Bompard after a shaky performance on her jumps in her first competition this season.

Mao Asada KYODO PHOTO

Canada's Joannie Rochette defeated defending champion Asada, dashing the skater's hopes of a sixth Grand Prix title in this season's fourth event in the Grand Prix series.

Asada, who took second place in the short program, racked up 167.59 points in her free skate, but Rochette topped her in both the short and long programs for a winning total of 180.73.

Asada, the winner of the 2008 world figure skating championships in March, succeeded in her opening triple axel but later lost her rhythm, falling after a triple salchow.

"My performance was far from 100 percent. Nothing begins if I can't jump," she said. "My first competition (this season) is something like this. I think I'll be able to gain confidence in the course of having competitions one after another."

In the men's program, Takahiko Kozuka finished second to Canada's Patrick Chan.

Kozuka, who won his first Grand Prix title at Skate America in October, fell on a quad attempt and came up 7.31 short of Chan as he collected 230.78 points. The runnerup result, however, guaranteed Kozuka a place in the elite field of the Grand Prix final to be held next month in South Korea.

"I fell on my first jump but managed to complete other jumps. I've got confidence as I finished (without making any big mistakes) following Skate America," Kozuka said.

"Before this season started, I'd never thought I could compete in the Grand Prix final, so I'd like to produce a good performance."

Chan won his second Grand Prix event of the season, adding to his victory at Skate Canada two weeks ago.

Chan and Rochette are unbeaten in Grand Prix events this season, having won at Skate Canada this month. Rochette said her work with a psychologist has helped her feel more serene.

"My goal at the start of the year was to go on the ice without feeling any nerves and feel calm out there," the 22-year-old Rochette said.

In pairs, world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany won the free skate to clinch the title ahead of Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov of Russia. The Germans had also won at Skate America last month.

"It wasn't too bad, actually, otherwise we wouldn't have a higher score than Skate America," Szolkowy said. "But there's still a lot of room for improvement."

Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin, who needed stitches to his right hand after being cut by a skate, finished third.

"Unfortunately, I kicked him with my heel or toe pick," Duhamel said. "It was a pretty scary moment."

In ice dance, world champions Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France won the free program, adding this title to the Skate America trophy they won last month.

Italians Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali were second, followed by British siblings Sinead Kerr and John Kerr.

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