Sui/Han Dominate Short Program at NHK Trophy 2025, Aiming for Grand Prix Final
The Olympic champion pair, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, showcased their prowess in the NHK Trophy short program in Osaka on November 7th, 2025. With a score of 74.63, they surpassed their season-best performance from the Cup of China by two points, securing the top spot. This achievement marks their first win in nearly four years, dating back to the Beijing 2022 Olympics, where they claimed gold in their home country before a brief retirement and return for the 2025-26 season.
The Chinese duo, who won bronze at the Cup of China, expressed satisfaction with their improvement but acknowledged that they are still not at their peak. Sui stated, 'I'm happy we completed the short program; it was satisfactory. We have room for growth, and I hope we can deliver our best performance tomorrow for the audience.' Han added, 'This feels like the beginning for us. We're still adjusting to competition, and we see areas we need to enhance.'
The Italian pair, Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii, scored 73.69, while the Hungarian pair, Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko, achieved 73.04. All three pairs are in contention to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in December in Nagoya.
The French duo, Camille and Pavel Kovalev, faced a setback when Camille suffered a right shoulder injury during their program, leading to their withdrawal. The NHK Trophy 2025 continues with Kagiyama Yuma and Ilia Malinin in the spotlight, as they chase their respective goals at their own pace. Stay tuned for more updates and results from this exciting event!
