ANGERS, France (AP) — The figure skating Grand Prix season started with a surprise when Ami Nakai took the lead ahead of three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto in the women’s short program at the Grand Prix de France on Friday.

On her Grand Prix debut, former world junior bronze medalist Nakai landed the competition’s only triple axel jump at the start of her program on her way to a score of 78 points.

Nakai’s fellow Japanese skater Sakamoto could manage only 76.20, while 2024 world silver medalist Isabeau Levito of the United States was third on 73.37 ahead of Saturday’s free skate.

The pairs event was set for a fight for the Grand Prix gold between two sets of world champions after Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, world champions in 2023 and this year, led the short program ah

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