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American teenager Malinin and Japan's Mihara star on the ice in Espoo
American teenager Ilia Malinin conjured up his statement quadruple axel to take gold in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Espoo on Saturday as Japan's Mai Mihara claimed her second title of the season.
Frenchman Kevin Aymoz was the surprise leader ahead of 17-year-old Malinin and Japan's Shun Sato going into the men's free skate programme.
But Malinin wooed the crowd and judges who awarded him a score of 192,82 points for a 278.39 point total.
The reigning world junior champion turned up in Finland after landing only the second quadruple axel ever performed in competition last month to become Skate America's youngest-ever men's champion.
Malinin performed the first ever quad axel in a lower level event in September.
Skating to the soundtrack of 'Euphoria' by Labrinth on Saturday Malinin had a hand down on the ice on his unique jump before hitting his first competitive quad flip.
Whilst not the most fluent in places the technical complexity of his programme earned its deserved reward.
Taking second on Saturday was Japan's Sato (262.21) with Aymoz (255.69) in third.
Aymoz was always up against it as his return from a number of injuries has delayed his attempt at quad jumps.
Earlier Mihara, skating to Manuel De Falla's 'El Amor Brujo', shook off some hesitant jumps to produce an overall solid skate and take first place in the women's free programme with 130.56 points.
The 23-year-old from Kobe's winning total of 204.14 gave her a second success of the season after the MK John Wilson Trophy in England two weeks ago.
Like Malinen she set herself up among the favourites for the Grand Prix final in Turin next month.
World silver medallist Hendrickx led after Friday's short programme but looked out of sorts skating to Karl Hugo's 'Heaven' and 'Fallen Angel'.
A popped Axel and a tumble on a triple Lutz, put the 23-year-old Belgian third on the day and second overall with 203.91 points, just 0.23 behind Mihara.
Hendrickx, winner of the Grand Prix in France, joins Mihara in the elite season-ending Grand Prix Final in Turin from December 8-9.
Mana Kawabe finished third overall ahead of compatriot and former Grand Prix winner Rika Kihira who is making her way back from injury.
In pairs, Italy's Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini led all the way to take gold after their free skate to "The Barber of Seville" to finish ahead of Germany's Alisa Efimova and Ruben Blommaert.
The Italians scored 189.74 points to the German's 170.75, to take the first ISU Grand Prix medal, and qualify for the Final in their home country.
The sixth and final round of the Grand Prix series concludes later Saturday with Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier leading the ice dance.
B. Semjonow--BTZ
