In brief
In Kelowna, Japanese debutant Mao Shimada set a personal best to take first place in the women’s short program, while Rio Nakata finished second in the men’s event. The men’s gold was awarded to French skater Kevin Aymoz, who earned a better free skate than Japan’s Nakata. Both Japanese skaters emphasized their excitement and frustration, citing under‑rotated elements and age‑regulation limits as hurdles.
Kyodo reports that Japanese junior champion Mao Shimada was first after her short program at Skate Canada International in Kelowna on Oct. 31, 2026, while France’s Kevin Aymoz captured the men’s title and Rio Nakata finished second.
Shimada opened with a triple axel and landed a triple lutz‑triple toe loop combination, finishing with impeccable spins for 82.11 points—a personal‑best score at the event.
"I'm really surprised by the score," Shimada said after her jump.
She added that the 82‑point score left room to improve as she had under‑rotated a triple flip during the segment.
Shimada, who turned 18 in January, could not compete at the Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics in February because the ISU’s age regulation change in June 2022 made her ineligible.
In the men’s event, Nakata topped the short program, but settled for fourth in the free skate after turning two of his quad toe loops into doubles, which knocked him out of the top spot.
"It's really pathetic not being able to finish things off here. I'm frustrated and I feel I'm weak," Nakata said after the free skate.
His total of 249.25 points was surpassed by Aymoz’s 258.43, who won both the short and free programs to secure the overall victory. Nikita Selevko of Estonia earned third overall with 248.66 points, while Japan’s Kazuki Tomono finished sixth.
Kyodo notes the event highlighted the rise of young Japanese skaters on the Grand Prix circuit and the depth of competition in Canada’s premier international meeting.
