The 2025 Grand Prix de France Women’s podium (from L to R): Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, Ami Nakai, and Rion Sumiyoshi.
Grand Prix de France: Women
Ami Nakai led a Japanese sweep in the Women’s event in her Grand Prix debut in Angers, France, on Saturday night. It was an exciting competition with three-time World champion Kaori Sakamoto coming in a close second, followed by Rion Sumiyoshi who claimed her fourth consecutive bronze at this event.
Ami Nakai
Nakai reeled off a perfect triple Axel followed by a triple Lutz-triple toe in her classical short program to La Strada by Nino Rota. She followed up with a strong triple loop, and all jumps received positive grades of execution (GOE). All three spins were graded a level four, and the 2023 World Junior bronze medalist earned a new personal best of 78.00 for first place going into the free skate.
The 17-year-old was thrilled to have improved her personal best by 10 points but was “most happy” about landing her triple Axel.
“That was my primary goal!” she said. “I was very happy with my skate but after seeing this big score I was so excited that I jumped!”
Nakai is also excited to be skating in the senior ranks with “so many great skaters” in her international senior debut this season.
The skater shared that choreographer David Wilson chose the music as he felt it matched her where she was at in her career.
“Also, that the Olympics are in Italy influenced this choice,” Nakai revealed. “I worked very hard on the triple Axel over the summer, but I also worked a lot on my expressions. I got a lot of help in this area from Daisuke Takahashi.”
The 2024-25 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist earned a new personal best of 149.08 with her joyful, but technically difficult, free skate to “What a Wonderful World.” She put a hand down on the triple Axel, but went on to land seven solid triple jumps, including a triple Lutz-triple toe. All jumps, except for the triple Axel, received positive GOEs, as well as her level-four footwork and two final spins. The skater finished first in the free skate with a new personal best and obliterated her previous personal best total score by nearly 20 points with 227.08 points.
“I never expected to win,” said Nakai. “I’m extremely happy, but I don’t want this to create any strange pressure for me going into my next event. I just want to enjoy the moment. To be totally honest, I came here hoping for a podium finish. After realizing I was first, my brain completely froze, then tears came, and my coach gave me some comfort, it slowly sank in what had just happened.”
Nakai will compete next at Skate Canada in two weeks.
Kaori Sakamoto
Sakamoto placed a close second in the short program with a new season’s best of 76.20. Her poignant routine to “Time to Say Goodbye” included a triple Lutz, double Axel and triple flip-triple toe. Unfortunately, she received an edge call on the Lutz, but all other jumps received high GOEs, including her quality level four spins and footwork.
“Six years ago, my experience at the GP France was a bitter one,” the 2022 Olympic bronze medalist recalled. “Today, I was a bit nervous, and I was close to making a mistake at some points during the performance. I got this good score today while being in the process of building up for being even better, so I am pleased with how today went.”
Regarding the choice of music, the skater said that it was chosen by choreographer Benoît Richaud.
“I could choose between two versions, and I chose the one that is partly Italian because of the Olympics being in Italy,” she said.
The five-time and current Japanese champion gave a nostalgic free skate to a Édith Piaf medley which featured seven triple jumps. Only the triple Lutz received an edge call on the front end of a double toe. All other jumps, including a triple flip-triple toe, garnered high GOEs in the +3 to +5 range. However, she lost a few points on her final two spins which both received a “V” for missing requirements. Still, she scored a new season’s best in both the free skate and total score, placing second in the free skate and overall (148.03 / 224.23).
“Even though I wasn’t able to skate like myself today, I was able to put together a beautiful program, so I am happy about that,” said Sakamoto.
During the press conference, Sakamoto said that every event she came in second was “somehow significant for me.”
“This one has already been significant. I’ll make sure I get better and better as the season continues,” said the 25-year-old.
Sakamoto had mentioned that she “didn’t feel like herself” at this event and explained that she didn’t get her “normal speed” and didn’t have as much “flow” as she is used to.
“When I came into this venue with my coach, we reflected that I’ve had so many experiences from Grand Prix events, including Finals,” she summed up. “This is my 20th Grand Prix event, and that experience definitely helps me in a positive way. I know how to handle these events and what to do. But on the other side, sometimes it also leads me to overthinking.”
Sakamoto will compete again on home ice at NHK Trophy in three weeks.
Rion Sumiyoshi
Japan’s Rion Sumiyoshi showed good interpretation in her lyrical short program to “Alba Lullaby” which featured a solid double Axel and triple flip. The only minor glitch was a slightly underrotated triple toe on the back end of a triple Lutz.
“I was a bit surprised about the “q” call on the combination,” the skater later said. “It actually felt very good when I landed it.
However, all three spins and the footwork were graded a level four, receiving high GOEs, and Sumiyoshi earned a new personal best of 71.03.
The 22-year-old said she didn’t feel any nerves going into her routine and stayed focused.
“I heard from the crowd’s reaction that Ami, who skated before me, had a great performance, but it didn’t influence me,” she said. “I just tried to do a good job myself. After checking the protocol, I think I’d like to have a little higher GOE on my double Axel; I’ll work on that.”
Despite the music being soft, Sumiyoshi said she is working hard to maintain the feel of the program while attacking the jumps.
“But I realized that if I put all my emotions into the skate, I can make this possible,” she said. “I love that so many skaters have big elements now, and I want to follow in Ami’s footsteps tomorrow. And of course, attempt the quad.”
Skating to selections from Adiemus, Sumiyoshi opened with a solid double Axel-triple toe, but underrotated the quad toe. She went on to land a five more clean triple jumps, including a triple Lutz-triple toe and triple flip-double Axel-double Axel sequence. All spins and footwork were graded a level four, with the footwork receiving high GOEs. The five-time ISU Grand Prix bronze medalist placed third in the free skate with a new personal best of 145.03 and rose to third overall (216.06)—another personal best.
“I was aiming for a higher placement, but I’m very happy with my performance, so it’s like a positive frustration,” said the 2025 World University Games champion. “Even though I keep finishing third in this competition, my scores are getting higher every year.”
Sumiyoshi will compete again in five weeks at Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy.
Isabeau Levito
USA’s Isabeau Levito delivered a flawless short program which featured a triple flip-triple toe, double Axel and triple loop. Her playful routine to a “Sophia Loren” medley also featured strong spins and footwork, and the 2024 World silver medalist picked up a season’s best of 73.37 points.
The skater said she was “really excited” that she had a “good clean skate.”
“I enjoy this program so much!” said the 18-year-old. “It’s so much fun, especially the first part.”
Levito said she likes to start the Grand Prix season early and have her two events close together.
“Because I usually change my boots after the Grand Prix,” she explained. “It gives me a little break to focus and concentrate on the next competitions coming up. I also have great memories of this event from two seasons ago.”
She added that being on tour and performing in shows this summer helped her a lot with nerves.
Levito delivered an elegant free skate to “Se” from Cinema Paradiso but not without mistakes. She underrotated the back end of a triple flip-triple toe, stepping out and putting a hand down, and later received an edge call on a solo triple Lutz. Four other triple jumps were solid, however, and she picked up a level four on two spins and the footwork. The five-time Grand Prix medalist still earned a new season’s best of 139.34 for fourth place in the free skate, but slipped off the podium to fourth overall with 212.71 points.
She is scheduled to compete at Skate Canada next.
Lorine Schild
France’s Lorine Schild delivered a solid short program to “Stairway to Heaven” performed by Beth Hart, earning a season’s best of 62.45 for fifth place. Here jumps included a triple Lutz-triple toe, double Axel and triple loop, and all spins and footwork were graded a level four.
“I am very happy with my skate today because I landed all my elements cleanly with a positive GOE,” she pointed out. “Also, I got all the level fours—at my last competition, I had two level threes, so I’m happy it worked out for me that I could improve that.”
When asked what helps her to keep her nerves together, Schild said: “I’m thinking competition by competition. I’m not thinking about the Olympics or anything like that. I’m approaching this season the same as any other season.”
The 20-year-old earned a new personal best of 126.86 for fifth place with her free skate to music from the Woman soundtrack—a French documentary. The only flaw was an edge call on a triple flip, but she produced a triple Lutz-triple toe as well as four more triple jumps. Again, all footwork and the spins were graded a level four. She finished fifth overall with another personal best of 189.31.
“I’m very happy!” said the 2024 French champion. “Throughout my performance, I gained more confidence as I was landing the jumps. During my program, I didn’t really notice the audience that much because I was focused on myself, but when I finished, I heard them very loudly. That was a really nice moment.”
The skater from Tinqueux shared that she had wanted to skate to this music for the past three years.
“I didn’t even know that Kaori had skated to this music,” said Schild. “I just watched the documentary and really liked the song. I usually don’t like to skate to music that other skaters have used. So far, I haven’t gotten any reaction from Kaori yet, I haven’t talked with her about it.”
Scheduled to compete at Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy in November.
Chaeyeon Kim
South Korea’s Chaeyeon Kim placed sixth (62.24) in the short after a fall on a triple flip. She also underrotated the back end of a triple Lutz-triple toe in her routine “Qui a le droit” by Santa,
“I was very nervous today, but I also tried to keep enjoying my performances more this season,” said Kim, adding the fall on the flip was “unusual” for her. “I was a bit nervous to perform a French program for the French crowd, so I didn’t know if I could do it correctly, but I also enjoyed it.”
Kim revealed that she’s been working “hard” on recovering from an ankle injury.
“The jumps are still a bit harder than they used to be,” she admitted. “It’s not totally healed yet, but it’s much better than at my last competition.”
In the free skate, Kim tripped on a transition into a loop in a triple flip-triple toe-double toe combination.
“I felt like I hit a hole in the three-turn, so I ended up not doing the loop,” she later explained. “I was thinking about how I could add an additional Axel—it was a bit stressful, but I think I did okay with that.”
The 2024 World bronze medalist also underrotated the back end of a triple Lutz-triple toe and slightly underrotated a triple flip in her routine to “Whisperers from the Heart” by Karl Hugo. However, she earned a level four on all spins and footwork. She finished sixth in the free skate and overall (125.35 / 187.59)
“Today I wasn’t as nervous as yesterday,” the 18-year-old summed up. “Now, I want to fully heal my ankle injury. Then I really want to work on my cardio and also on more jumps.”
She will compete at Skate America next month.
Jia Shin
Jia Shin of South Korea lost valuable points after popping her opening triple Lutz in the short program for eighth place (59.30). The following night the 17-year-old underrotated and stepped out of a double loop and double Salchow-both meant to be triples, placing seventh in the free skate and overall (123.10 / 182.33).
“In preparation for the Grand Prix, I really worked on my skating skills, because I’m competing with these very strong senior skaters,” said the two-time South Korean champion. “I’ll fly home to Korea tomorrow, and then on Wednesday I’ll go to China. It will be my second time in China, but this time it will be in a new city. I’m very excited about that, and I’ll try to show my strongest performance there.”
USA’s Elyce Lin-Gracey finished eighth overall (172.07), followed by South Korea’s Young You (171.82).
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