phée Bompard, didn’t prove to be as solid in So- chi. Following an uncharacteristic mistake on a triple Salchow, Wagner suffered a hard fall on a double Axel that left her with a hip pointer, an extremely painful, acute injury to the iliac crest of the pelvis. “Over the next couple days, I’m going to be
pretty sore,” Wagner said after her free skate. “It’s been a long season and I knew a down compe- tition was going to happen sooner or later. I’m happy it happened here instead of at the U.S. Championships.
“Te team doctor said that I have a hip
pointer. I don’t know what that is, but I can tell you it hurts. For the most part, I think it’s one of those things where I got myself pretty good. I’ll be fine by the time the U.S. Championships come around.”
After the injury, Wagner fought through the
rest of her program, landing a beautiful triple flip, to earn 181.93 total points and the silver – her first Grand Prix Final medal. “I’m really proud of myself,” Wagner said. “I was able to pull myself together after a fall like that. Going into the next jump, you’re pretty much terrified that you’re going to do that again. I knew I could either give the competition away
or at that point I could continue to fight. I’m happy that I really pushed through.” Wagner’s teammate, Christina Gao, was in- vited to compete at her first Grand Prix Final one week prior to the event after Russia’s Julia Lipnits- kaia withdrew due to a concussion she suffered in practice. Making the most of her last-minute opportunity, Gao placed sixth in both segments, admitting the chance to compete was worth the stress.
“It was hurried and I did not skate as well as
I would like to,” Gao said. “I was better trained than that. I am just honored to be here.” Gao struggled through her short program, leaving out the jump combination required for the segment. Rebounding in her free skate to “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, Gao completed five triple jumps in the event’s final segment, in- cluding a triple toe-double toe-double loop jump series, which netted 7.92 points. Gao finished the week with a total score of 154.54 points. “In Paris [at 2012 Trophée Eric Bompard] I also skated poorly in the short and then came back with the stronger long,” Gao said. “I did the same thing today. I still have to figure this out. I have to stop coming from behind after the short.” Asada, a two-time World champion, won
her third Grand Prix Final title with 196.80 points. Japan’s Akiko Suzuki earned the bronze medal with 180.77 points.
Christina Gao performs in the ladies short program event during her first appearance at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.
Ashley Wagner awaits her free skate scores with coach John Nicks in Sochi, Russia.
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Ashley Wagner performs her “Red Violin” short program on her way to the silver medal at the 2012 Grand Prix Final.