Olympic champion Adelina Sotnikova was not at her best in her return to top-level international competition, placing fourth in the Rostelecom Cup short program in Moscow on Friday.
Sotnikova, skating in her first Grand Prix since the Sochi Winter Games, totaled 65.48 points and trails leader and countrywoman Yelena Radionova by 6.31 points going into Saturday’s free skate.
Sotnikova scored 74.64 in her Sochi short program en route to becoming the first women’s Olympic figure skating champion without a prior World Championships medal.
On Friday, Sotnikova performed a triple-double jump combination rather than a triple-triple, wobbled on her double Axel and stumbled on a step sequence.
The leader Radionova, the World bronze medalist, also placed third at Cup of China two weeks ago and will qualify for the Grand Prix Final if she wins Rostelecom Cup after Saturday’s free skate. She could also make December’s six-skater Grand Prix Final if she finishes lower on the podium in Moscow.
Sotnikova can’t compete in the Grand Prix Final because she is not competing in multiple Grand Prix series events.
U.S. Olympian Polina Edmunds is fifth after the Rostelecom Cup short program. Full scores are here.
Icenetwork.com will stream for subscribers live coverage of men’s, women’s, pairs and ice dance short programs and free skates Saturday. NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra will have coverage Sunday from 12-1:30 p.m. ET.
Men’s free skate -- Saturday, 7:35 a.m. ET
Women’s free skate -- Saturday, 11:35 a.m. ET
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@Radlen99 wins the short program with a season best score and a 4 point lead. pic.twitter.com/c7vuBeQlzr
— IFS Magazine (@ifsmagazine) November 20, 2015
Mixed zone #GPMoscow: @sotnickova2014 said it was difficult to compete w/o her coach who is ill. "I'm in this situation for the first time"
— Tatjana Flade (@Tatjana21) November 20, 2015
