The Republic of Korea’s Kim Yuseong leapt from fourth place to win the Nepela Memorial 2026 in Bratislava on Sunday (27 September), landing a triple Axel en route to equalling her personal-best total of 202.70 points.
Skating to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita soundtrack, the 17-year-old Kim delivered the highest-scoring free skate of the women’s competition – and of her career – with 141.43 points to finish 12.15 ahead of compatriot Lee Haein.
Lee, the 2023 world silver medallist, scored 127.43 in the free skate to take finish second with 190.55 points overall, completing a Republic of Korea one-two.
The home crowd had plenty to celebrate, too. Slovakia’s 17-year-old Olivia Lengyelova skated to the ever-epic Game of Thrones soundtrack to finish third in her senior international debut. She recorded personal bests in both segments to finish with 182.99 points.
It was a different story for overnight leader Julia Sauter of Romania, who had set a personal best of 64.03 points in Friday’s short program but scored just 99.20 in the free skate, tumbling to seventh overall with 163.23. Sauter fell on a triple Lutz, singled a loop, and had an invalid spin element in her routine.
The USA’s Sophie Joline von Felten climbed one place to finish fourth with 175.64 points, followed by Canada’s Gabrielle Daleman (166.69) and Belgium’s reigning world bronze medallist Nina Pinzarrone (164.89).
Kim leaves Bratislava with an early-season Challenger Series title as attention turns towards the autumn Grand Prix circuit. The teenager is assigned to the season-opening Grand Prix de France in October as well as the Finlandia Trophy in November.
A day earlier on Saturday (26 September), Evgeni Semenenko landed four quadruple jumps to win the men’s title with 292.09 points, ahead of Italy’s Daniel Grassl and reigning Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan.
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read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/isu-cs-nepela-memorial-2026-kim-yuseong-womens-title
