Chiba was victorious on the Finland Trophy 2025 to get a ticket for next month’s Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan.
World bronze medalist Chiba, who finished second to Glenn at the Final Grand Prix 2024 last season, now gets a chance to win the title – this time on home ice in Nagoya. Her result in Helsinki was a big confidence boost on the way to that goal.
Chiba was second going into the free skate, but jumped to first place with a top-scoring performance, earning her 144.33 and increased her total to 217.22.
The 20-year-old figure skater was written off for a quarter under rotation on the toe loop of her opening triple flip-triple toe loop combination and the following triple toe loop, but was otherwise clean in the skate, nearly matching her personal best. She seemed to know it too, pumping her fists in celebration after she was done “Romeo and Juliet” free skate.
“Looking back on today’s performance there were not so perfect jumps and the two achieved quarter points (under rotation),” she said through an interpreter. “However, I was able to complete the rest of the jumps cleanly as I practiced, and the quality was good. And I was able to convey and convey emotions through the step sequence and choreo sequence, so I’m happy.”
Glenn, who had been battling illness during the competition, landed her signature triple Axel to start, but doubled her triple Lutz and missed the second jump in the triple Lutz-double toe loop combination, also under-rotating a triple toe loop and losing points on the triple flip.
Her segment score of 137.69 And 213.41 overall, dropping her from first place after the short program to second. Combined with her victory at the Cup of China, she will have the opportunity to defend her title at the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya.
“It’s still a decent score,” she thought. “A lot of mistakes have been made and I only feel at about 80 percent now. Taking all that into account, I’m very happy with where I am mentally. Of course it’s disappointing when I’ve had four Grand Prix wins in a row. Coming second is obviously difficult, but it’s not ‘oh my God, I should have been first’. Mone was absolutely incredible. But I didn’t feel at my best and I was happy that I could still do something.”
Japanese Matsuike Rino jumped from sixth place after the short program to third place, closing the podium with a total of 193.21 points.
“Today’s performance had some levels that I couldn’t reach, and there were some under-rotations. However, the step and choreo sequence allowed me to reach this score and that was completely unexpected,” she said through an interpreter.
Belgium Loena Hendrickxwho struggled on Friday and finished 10th in the short program, withdrew from the free skate citing “medical reasons”.
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