Fernandez Wins the Men’s Gold at Rostelecom Cup Grand Prix

Javier Fernandez has added another title to his resume…

The 24-year-old Spanish figure skater won the men’s gold at the Rostelecom Cup Grand Prix on Saturday, after powering back from a disappointing short program.

Javier Fernandez

Fernandez, the reigning world champion, wasn’t able to do a quad in his short program on Friday, but opened his free skate with two of them, tacking a triple toeloop onto the second one in his cheerful program to music from Guys and Dolls.

But his aim of doing three failed when he launched badly and fell after two rotations.

“I was just so excited that the program was going so well, and I went into that third quad and made a mistake,” he said.

Russian Adian Pitkeev picked up silver, his first Grand Prix medal, despite a troubled free skate that placed him fifth in the segment and dropped him from the lead after the short. Skating last because of that lead, he was unnerved by watching others do well.

“I must admit it was hard to get my act together,” said Pitkeev, who tried only one quad and then took a hard fall on a triple axel. Toward the end I played it safe and conservative after that fall.”

Ross Miner won bronze, to his surprise because he thought he had been outdone by fellow American Adam Rippon. But Miner’s score was revised to upgrade the level of one of his spins.