The key facts

  • Trusova is third after the short program at the China Grand Prix with 72.37 points
  • Natalia Bestemianova called her the main star of the competition
  • Trusova got into the stage as the first substitute after winning the Denis Ten Memorial

A successful return to a major international competition

Olympic champion in ice dancing Natalia Bestemianova called Alexandra Trusova the main star of the China Grand Prix, RIA Novosti reports.

How the short program went

In the short program, Trusova performed a double Axel, a triple loop, and a triple Lutz–triple toe loop combination. The judges scored her performance at 72.37 points — third place after the first day of competition. The women's free programs at the third stage of the Grand Prix series in Shenzhen will take place on November 7.

The road to the Grand Prix stage

Notably, Trusova did not qualify directly for the stage in China: on October 10 she won the Challenger Series event, the Denis Ten Memorial, in Almaty, scoring 226.01 points across the two programs. This result allowed her to take first place on the substitutes' list and receive an invitation to the Grand Prix stage. Thus, third place after the short program is already confirmation of her level on the international stage after her return. Earlier, according to Gazeta.Ru, the figure skater spoke about how many quadruple jumps she planned to perform at the competition in China.