Malinin in Driver’s Seat After Winning Short Program at Grand Prix de France
Ilia Malinin continued his brilliant skating spree by clinching victory in the short program at the Grand Prix de France, marking the kickoff of the prestigious ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. On Saturday, October 18, 2025, in Angers, France, Malinin’s impressive performance earned him a commanding score of 105.22, putting him in a strong position ahead of his competitors.
With a lead surpassing nine points above the second-place contender, the two-time and reigning World Champion is eyeing his 11th consecutive event victory. This current win streak dates back to November 5, 2023, when he placed second at the same Grand Prix event.
Skating to the captivating tracks “Dies Irae” by Náttúra featuring Vila and “The Lost Crown” by 2WEI, Josnez and Kataem, Malinin performed flawlessly, landing two quad jumps – one a flip and another a Lutz-triple toe loop combination. He scored positive grades of execution on all seven elements, achieving the highest program components marks as well.
In the same competition, Max Naumov, the three-time and reigning U.S. pewter medalist, recorded a short program score of 75.27 while skating to Frédéric Chopin’s “Nocturne No. 20”, finishing ninth in the segment. Though Andrew Torgashev, last year’s Grand Prix medalist from France, finished 12th with a score of 71.52, he continues to build on his experience.
On the women’s side, Isabeau Levito narrowly missed the podium, placing fourth in the free skate despite experiencing initial difficulties with her combination jump. Nevertheless, she maintained composure, completing her routine to “Cinema Paradiso” by Ennio Morricone, ending with a solid two-day score of 212.71.
Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman made headlines with a strong performance, finishing fourth in the free skate at this Grand Prix, their best placement to date. Skate Canada International follows in two weeks as they continue their quest for Grand Prix glory.
The competition wraps up on Sunday with the much-anticipated free dance and men’s free skate, promising more thrilling performances.
