Canada in sixth spot after Day 1 of ISU World Team Trophy

OSAKA, Japan – Team Canada is in sixth spot after the opening day of the 2021 ISU World Team Trophy.

Canada accumulated 23 points on the first of three competition days and is two points behind Italy and three points back of fourth-place France.

Russia set the early pace with 49 points, followed closely by the United States at 47. Japan is in third spot with 42 points.

Competitors perform two programs each, and team points are awarded based on finishing positions (12 points for finishing first, 11 points for second, etc.…) Each team member’s scores are added together to calculate the total team score.

Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., the 2020 Canadian men’s champion, scored 89.61 in the men’s short program and is in sixth spot. Two-time national champion Nam Nguyen of Ajax, Ont. tallied 66.89.

Three-time world champion Nathan Chen of the United States leads with 109.65, followed by Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu (107.12) and American Jason Brown (94.86).

Competition kicked off Thursday with the rhythm dance, with Carolane Soucisse (Montreal, Que.) and Shane Firus (North Vancouver, B.C.) in sixth spot at 65.06. World champions Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia lead with 86.66.

In the women’s short program, 2020 Canadian silver medallist Alison Schumacher (Tecumseh, Ont.) scored 59.19 and is in ninth place. Two-time national champion Gabrielle Daleman is tenth with 57.22 points. A pair of Russian skaters hold down the top two spots, with Anna Shcherbakova leading followed by Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.

Canada’s last medal at the World Team Trophy was in 2013, when the team captured silver. The event, which began in 2009, is held every two years.

Competition resumes Friday with the pair short program, free dance, and men’s free program. For full results, please visit the ISU website.