HELSINKI, Finland — Yuma Kagiyama delivered what he believed might have been his “worst program” of the season but still clinched victory at the Finlandia Trophy, a key event in the Grand Prix series held on Saturday. This win secured his spot at the upcoming Grand Prix Final next month.

The Japanese Olympic silver medalist had established a considerable lead following his strong performance in the short program on Friday. However, during his free skate, Kagiyama stumbled on his first quadruple flip and had to make adjustments by placing a foot down during his second quad jump to regain balance. Despite these setbacks, Kagiyama expressed gratitude for the supportive crowd, which he credited for helping him complete the routine successfully. He managed to land two more quads, ultimately finishing with a score of 263.09, narrowly defeating France’s Kevin Aymoz by just under four points. Aymoz had trailed by almost 19 points after the short program.

Reflecting on his free skate performance, Kagiyama conveyed mixed emotions. “Rather than feeling happy, I have regrets about how I skated in the free skate, and I think it may have been the worst program that I’ve done this season,” he stated through an interpreter. “I regret not being able to deliver my best to everyone here today.”

With this victory, Kagiyama joins the ranks of elite skaters, including Ilia Malinin of the United States, who have won at least two Grand Prix titles this season. Kagiyama’s successes came in quick succession, having won at the NHK Trophy in Japan just a week prior.

Aymoz earned his fourth career Grand Prix silver medal and his second of the current season, still in search of a gold. He encountered challenges during his performance as well, falling during his opening quad toeloop, yet he managed to recover and finished with a total score of 259.15, closely edging out Italy’s Daniel Grassl, who scored 258.55.

Grassl showcased remarkable improvement, moving up from sixth place in the short program to secure a podium spot in the free skate, marking his second consecutive week of rising in the rankings after a similar jump at the NHK Trophy.

Additionally, 2023 world championship silver medalist Cha Jun-hwan from South Korea withdrew from the competition due to an unspecified injury after scoring seventh in the short program.

The day also witnessed the women’s free skate and the rhythm dance segment of the ice dance competition scheduled to take place later on Saturday.