MONTREAL (Canada) — French veteran Kevin Aymoz won the Skate Canada men’s title, capturing his second grand prix title as short programme leader Rio Nakata faltered.
Aymoz overcame miscues on his opening quadruple toe loop and triple Axel to deliver a characteristically suave free skate performance that garnered 168.17 points for a winning total of 258.43.
Nakata, the two-time defending world junior champion, had led after the short programme as he vied to capture gold on his senior grand prix debut.
But the 18-year-old from Japan was fourth in the free skate, doubling two of his three planned quadruple jumps, to drop to second overall on 249.25 points
Estonia’s Mihhail Selevko was third on 248.66 after topping the final free skate.
Aymoz, 29, claimed his second grand prix title, having ended a long wait for his first at Skate America last year — eight years after making his grand prix level debut.
Canada’s world bronze medallists Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud won pairs gold, finishing first in the free skate after topping the short programme for a total of 202.17 points.
Americans Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov were second with 191.90 points, and Switzerland’s Oxana Vouillamoz and Tom Bouvart were third with 183.12 points.
