SATO, who contributed greatly to Japan’s 2nd place overall in the World Figure Trophy in Figure Skating
(Photo：Tokyo Sports/AFLO)
At the ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating 2025 held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium (Shibuya City) from Thursday, April 17 to Sunday 20, SATO Shun (a fourth-year student, School of Political Science and Economics), a member of the skating club, contributed greatly to Japan’s 2nd place overall.
The World Team Trophy in Figure Skating has been held since 2009 as the only team figure skating competition organized by the International Skating Federation (ISU), and competitors compete in four overall categories: men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, and ice dancing. Only the top six countries in the world rankings can compete in the international competition, and this was the last team competition before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Cortina, to be held in February 2026.
SATO, who was not in top condition owing to a fever of 38.4 degrees Celsius during the men’s short program held on the 17th, opted to skip the quadruple Lutz and made some adjustments to his routine. However, he successfully landed the opening quadruple toe loop and gave it his all, delivering a satisfying performance that earned him 93.68 points and a fifth-place finish. In the free skating event held on the 18th, he executed the opening quadruple Lutz flawlessly, earning a Grade of Execution (GOE) score of 3.12 points. He also successfully landed the quadruple-triple toe loop combination, scoring 169.62 points and significantly contributing to Japan’s overall second-place finish.