Canada’s Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro are third in pairs at NHK Trophy

HIROSHIMA, Japan — Canada’s Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro were in third place after the pairs short program Friday at the NHK Trophy.

Moore-Towers, from St. Catharines, Ont., and Marinaro, from Sarnia, Ont., had 67.70 points. Natalia Zabiiako and Alexander Enbert of Russia were first with a season-best 73.48 points and Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China were second with 70.66.

The Canadians, who won bronze last month at Skate Canada, opened with a strong triple twist but weren’t as smooth on the side-by-side jump and the throw triple loop. 

”We are a little disappointed with the performance today,” said Moore-Towers. ”We’ve been practising very well all week. It was a little bit off in many places and here you have to be perfect to stack up.”

Russian figure skater Elizaveta Tuktamysheva led after the women’s short program. She received 76.17 points for her routine that included a triple axel and a triple lutz.

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Satoko Miyahara was 0.09 points behind, and fellow Japanese Mai Mihara was third with 70.38 points.

The free skate is on Saturday.

Shoma Uno of Japan finished first in the men’s short program despite falling during a combination jump.

The Pyeongchang Olympics silver medallist received 92.49 points, 1.12 ahead of defending champion Sergei Voronov of Russia.

Uno landed his opening jump, a quadruple flip, but fell during a combination after over-rotating on a quadruple toe loop.

Voronov landed all of his jumps to finish ahead of compatriot Dmitri Aliev, who scored 81.16.

Kevin Reynolds of Coquitlam, B.C., was 12th.

”After a good start it didn’t finish up well so that’s disappointing,” Reynolds said.

Many of the skaters in this weekend’s fourth Grand Prix event are aiming to qualify for the Dec. 6-9 Grand Prix Final in Vancouver.

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With files from The Canadian Press.

The Associated Press