Trusova, 15, continues Russian skating dominance

MOSCOW (AP) — Alexandra Trusova landed three quads on Saturday to win the Rostelecom Cup, continuing Russian women’s dominance of this year’s Grand Prix series where they have taken gold in all five preliminary events.

Trusova, 15, was behind compatriot Evgenia Medvedeva after the short program, but her quads in the free skate put her well clear at the end with 234.47 points.

Olympic silver medalist Medvedeva thrilled the crowd with a return to form after a disappointing spell but didn’t try a quad.

Trusova had aimed for four quads but fell on her opening salchow and fell again later in the second part of a triple lutz-triple loop.

The win qualifies her for the Grand Prix final in Turin next month. Maria Bell of the United States was third, her second Grand Prix bronze of the season.

Russians swept the medals in the men’s competition led by Alexander Samarin. Dmitri Aliev won silver and Makar Ignatov picked up the bronze on his first Grand Prix appearance.

Samarin and Aliev are also through to next month’s final.

Samarin opened with a solid quadruple lutz-triple toe loop and turned his next two quad tries into triples. His total points for the short and free skates was 264.65.

Aliev landed a quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop combination and ended on 259.88.

Ignatov hit two quads, neither in combination, to total 252.87 points, 0.6 ahead of Japan’s Shoma Uno.

In ice dancing, Russia’s Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov won gold with 212.15 points to qualify for Turin.

Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier took silver and also made it through to next month’s final. Sara Hurtado and Kirill Khaliavin of Spain were third.

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