Suguri wins Gold at NHK,
earns way into GP Final

Nov. 30, 2003

Fumie Suguri won the ladies Gold at the NHK Trophy in Asahikawa, Japan. Suguri’s first place finish earned her third place overall following the ISU Grand Prix qualifying series that culminated in Japan.

Suguri skated a technically secure program to Mozart’s Symphony No. 40. Her only miscue was a double salchow that was scheduled to be a triple, but Suguri earned 165.52 points under the new scoring systems used in Grand Prix events.

"I’ve worked very hard since the Cup of China," Suguri said. "I prepare for each competition, but then not everything works. Maybe it has mental or physical reasons. I have to find out."

Joining Suguri and at the GP Finals are MCE skaters Evgeni Plushenko and Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin in pairs.