By james art
ASSOCIATED PRES
ANGERS, France — Amber Glenn is on track for her first Grand Prix figure skating victory after taking a big lead in the short program of the French round of the series on Friday.
Glenn of the United States was the only skater in the women’s competition to land a triple axel on her way to 78.14 points, more than seven points ahead of South Korea’s Kim Chae-yeon with 70.90.
Japan’s Wakaba Higuchi, winner at Skate America last month, is third in 66.98. Former European champion Anastasia Gubanova of Georgia dropped to ninth place after a fall.
Jin Boyang led the men’s short program in search of his first Grand Prix win since his home Cup of China in 2020. Jin hit a quadruple toe loop with a score of 88.12, with Estonia’s Alexander Selevko 85.73 and Japan’s Kazuki Tomono 83.45.
There was a flurry of falls among the top contenders, with two-time European champion and home favorite Adam Hsiao Him Fa of France only eighth in 74.90 after falling on his last two jumps.
Last season’s world championship bronze medalists Minerva Fabiana Hasse and Nikita Volodin of Germany led the pairs with 73.72, ahead of Italy’s Sara Conti and Nicolo Macchi and Canada’s Leah Pereira and Trent Michaud.
In ice dancing, two-time European champions Charlene Guinard and Marco Fabri from Italy took the lead with 82.20, followed by Frenchmen Evgenia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissot, and third by Lithuanians Alison Reid and Saulius Ambrulevicius.
All four disciplines conclude with a free skate on Saturday.