Rika Kihira, of Japan, skates during the ladies free skate at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating finals in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Teenage Japanese star Rika Kihira won the Grand Prix Final women's title Saturday.
The 16-year-old had a combined score of 233.12, despite stumbling on a jump in her free skate. The score topped her career best of 224.31 set last month in Japan in her NHK Trophy victory.
"My failures from the past seasons really motivated me to do well," Kihira said through a translator. "I promised myself that I would remember them and never repeat those mistakes again."
Olympic champion Alina Zagitova of Russia, also 16, was second at 226.53 points.
"The first senior season is easier than the second one," Zagitova said through a translator. "Because when you go out the first time, there are no expectations, no one expects anything and you can just got and skate."
Fellow Russian Elizaveta Tuktamysheva was third at 215.32.
The women's competition was made up entirely of skaters from Japan and Russia.
Americans Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue won the ice dance, finishing with 205.35 points. They spent the last five weeks completely revamping their programs.
"We knew that to reach to the highest level and reach that world championship title, we had to stop being afraid and just start going for it when it counts," Hubbell said.
Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia were second at 201.37, and Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri followed at 198.65.
Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres of France came from behind to take the gold in the pairs event.
Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China took silver with 216.90 points, while Russians Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov came in third with a score of 214.20.
On Friday night, American Nathan Chen won the men's event.
Rika Kihira, of Japan, reacts after hearing her scores for the women's free skate at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Rika Kihira, of Japan, celebrates her performance in the ladies free skate at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating finals in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Rika Kihira, of Japan, spins during the women's free skate at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, of Russia, skates during the ladies free skate at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating finals in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, of Russia, skates during the ladies free skate at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating finals in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, of the United States, perform their ice dance free dance at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, of the United States, perform their ice dance free dance at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Gold medalists Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, center, of the United States, celebrate their win, next to silver medalists Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov, left, of Russia, and bronze medalists Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, of Italy, following the ice dance free dance at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, of the United States, perform their ice dance free dance at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, of the United States, perform their ice dance free dance at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, of France, perform their pairs free skate at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, of France, perform their pairs free skate at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Gold medalists Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, center, of France, stand on the podium with silver medalists Cheng Peng and Yang Jin, left, of China, and bronze medalists Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, of Russia, following the pairs free skate at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, of France, perform their pairs free skate at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, of France, perform their pairs free skate at figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
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