Hendrickx dominates Women at Grand Prix de France
2022 Grand Prix de France Women
Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx dominated the Women’s event at the 2022 Grand Prix de France, taking the gold in Angers, France, on Saturday afternoon. In doing so, she became the first skater in any discipline to win a medal of any color on the Grand Prix series. Yelim Kim of South Korea held on to second overall to earn the silver, while Japan’s Rion Sumiyoshi captured the bronze in her Grand Prix debut.
Hendrickx put out a clean short (72.75), but like many other skaters at this event, received an edge call on a triple Lutz. The over-night leader produced four solid triple jumps in her free skate to “Poeta” and “Fallen Angel” along with very good level-four spins which earned many positive grades of execution (GOE). The only errors were an edge call on the front end of a triple Lutz-triple toe and solo triple Lutz. The 2022 World silver medalist scored a new personal best of 143.59 points for first place in the free skate and maintained first overall (216.34).
“It feels amazing!” said the 22-year-old. “I was a bit nervous because we changed the program last minute, but I felt good after the practice today and I am happy I was able to skate clean. It’s crazy to have so many people wishing me a happy birthday!”
“It’s also a crazy feeling that I just won gold at a Grand Prix,” Hendrickx added. “I am of course proud of what I achieved for Belgium, but it’s not really in my mind.”
#LoenaHendrickx 216.43: “It feels amazing. I was a bit nervous because we changed the program last minute. But I felt good after the practice today and I am happy I was able to skate clean.
It’s crazy to have so many people wishing me a happy birthday.”#GPFigure #IDF22 pic.twitter.com/pUJVptTaWX— Golden Skate (@goldenskate) November 5, 2022
Kim stood in second (68.93) after a solid short with the exception of a edge call on the front end of a triple Lutz-triple toe. In her free skate to music from Summer of 42, the 2022 Four Continents bronze medalist landed three clean triple jumps, but took a fall on a triple Lutz and triple Salchow. The triple Lutz combination also received an edge call, but she showed two good level-four spins to finish fourth in the free skate (125.83). With a total score of 194.76, she maintained second overall.
“I am disappointed with myself today, but I am still happy and grateful I won second place,” said the 19-year-old. “I hope to do better at NHK Trophy.”
#YelimKim #김예림 194.76: “I am disappointed with myself today but I am still happy and grateful I won second place and I hope to do better at #NHKTrophy.”#GPFigure #IDF22 pic.twitter.com/o9eumtuYFR
— Golden Skate (@goldenskate) November 5, 2022
Sumiyoshi earned all new personal best scores throughout this event in her Grand Prix debut. The national junior silver medalist stepped out of an underrotated triple Lutz, but produced a triple flip-triple toe in the short (64.10) for fifth place. The 19-year-old fell on an attempted a quad toe in her free skate to “Enchantress” and underrotated the back end of a triple flip-triple toe, stepped out of a triple flip, and turned out the landing of a triple Salchow, but showed level-four spins and footwork. She finished third in the free skate (130.24) and overall (194.34).
“The skate wasn’t my best, but I was able to enjoy this competition and I am happy I got third place,” said Sumiyoshi. “I started practicing the quad to last summer and my success rate is about 50% that I can at least land it (not necessarily clean).”
“I was very happy that I was awarded with the Grand Prix assignment and it gave me motivation,” she added. “This success gives me more motivation towards the NHK Trophy!”
Sumiyoshi also revealed that her free skate costume is her personal favorite.
#RionSumiyoshi #住吉りをん 194.34 – Tried a 4T, that was brave! Despite a fall there she delivered a clean skate after that! She told us, that her FS costume is her personal favourite costume! pic.twitter.com/V2X9Thh0IY
— Golden Skate (@goldenskate) November 5, 2022
Haein Lee of South Korea took a fall on a planned triple loop in the short, but landed a triple Lutz-triple toe to score 62.77 points for sixth place. In the free skate, the 2022 Four Continents silver medalist gave a strong skate to music from Phantom of the Opera which featured four triple jumps, but she fell on an underrotated triple flip. The 17-year-old finished second in the free skate (130.72) and rose to fourth overall (193.49).
“I was pretty sick during Skate America and didn’t do good there,” Lee shared. “I think my stamina is still not good, but regarding these circumstances, I think I did well today.”
The skater, who is taking a break from the triple Axel for now, will compete next at nationals.
#HaeinLee #이해인 193.49 “I was pretty sick during #SkateAmerica and didn’t do good there and I think my stamina is still not good. But regarding these circumstances, I think I did well today.” pic.twitter.com/OhUw99EzHT
— Golden Skate (@goldenskate) November 5, 2022
USA’s Audrey Shin scored 64.27 points for a fourth-place finish in the short in which the only mistake was an underrotated triple loop. The 2020 Skate America bronze medalist finished fifth (119.66) in the free skate where she showed good level-four spins and footwork, but underrotated several jumps and fell on a triple Lutz. The 18-year-old finished in fifth place overall with a total score of 183.93.
Japan’s Mana Kawabe landed a solid triple flip in the short, but received an edge call on a triple flip and stood in third (68.83) going into the free skate. However, in the free skate the 2020 Skate America bronze medalist struggled with most of her jumps, falling on the triple Lutz-triple toe combo and triple loop to finish eighth (113.67). She slipped to sixth overall with a total score of 182.50.
Teammate Rino Matsuike finished seventh overall (176.52) ahead of Mae Berenice Meite (175.68) and Lea Serna of France (167.89).
Your #IDF22 women’s medalists:
#LoenaHendrickx 216.43
#YelimKim #김예림 194.76
#RionSumiyoshi #住吉りをん 194.34 pic.twitter.com/fT3x9oFVkW— Golden Skate (@goldenskate) November 5, 2022
In the Grand Prix standings, Lee earned nine points for a total of 18 points as she picked up nine points at Skate America. Hendrickx (15) and Kawabe (5) will compete next in Espoo, Finland. Kim (13), Sumiyoshi (11), Shin (7), and Mikutina will share the ice again at NHK Trophy.
Related Info
- Full Results
- GS Forum Competition Threads
- 2022-23 Grand Prix Standings
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