Yuna Aoki Leads Short Program at Grand Prix de France
The Japanese skater secured the top spot in Angers ahead of Anastasiia Gubanova and Ami Nakai.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Ice Skating
Yuna Aoki leads the women's competition at the Grand Prix de France after earning 76.13 points in the short program. She outperformed Anastasiia Gubanova and Ami Nakai, who rounded out the top three finishers.
Why it matters
The short program results establish the current standings for the Grand Prix de France, determining the starting order and point pressure for the upcoming free skate event.
Aoki finished first with a score of 76.13, while ice dance leaders Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron posted a score of 82.56 despite a one-point time violation deduction.
The players
Yuna Aoki
Yuna Aoki is a competitive figure skater who currently leads the standings at the Grand Prix de France.
Ami Nakai
Ami Nakai is a figure skater who occupies the third position in the current standings following a technical error.
Anastasiia Gubanova
Anastasiia Gubanova is a figure skater who currently holds second place in the competition standings.
Laurence Fournier Beaudry
Laurence Fournier Beaudry is an ice dancer who leads the rhythm dance standings alongside her partner.
Guillaume Cizeron
Guillaume Cizeron is an accomplished ice dancer who is currently leading the rhythm dance competition.
The details
Aoki performed a triple lutz-triple loop combination to secure her lead, while Nakai slipped to third place after failing to execute her opening triple axel attempt. In the ice dance rhythm competition, Davis and Smolkin earned 77.90 points, narrowly ahead of Carreira and Ponomarenko with 77.83.
Timeline
The Grand Prix de France short program competition took place on October 23, 2026.
The free skate and the start of men's and pairs competitions are scheduled for October 24, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The results from Angers represent a critical stage in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, influencing athlete rankings for the upcoming finals. These scores dictate the momentum heading into the remainder of the season and shift the outlook for participants aiming to qualify for championship events.
Aoki carries a lead of 3.5 points into the free skate, while Nakai faces a deficit that necessitates a perfect performance to climb the podium. The one-point deduction for the leaders in ice dance tightens the margin at the top, leaving them just 0.66 points ahead of their closest competitors.
The takeaway
Technical errors in high-stakes programs often determine final podium placements even for elite athletes. Consistency in execution during the free skate will be the deciding factor for the leaders currently separated by slim margins.
What happens next
The free skate and the men's and pairs competitions are scheduled to begin on October 24, 2026.
Further reading
For more on the latest international competition results, visit the Ice Skating section.
