For her second and final Grand Prix of the season, Amber Glenn put herself at the center of the conversation. The two-time and reigning U.S. champion leads the women’s field at Grand Prix Finland after a confident short program, skating to "Like a Prayer," scoring 75.72 points to top Mone Chiba of Japan and Canada’s Madeline Schizas.

Glenn completed a stunning triple Axel, which had been troubling her in practice and in the warm up. She is one of the few women able to perform the element and Glenn combined 42.08 in technical elements with 33.64 in program components, earning high marks for composition, presentation and skating skills. The 26-year-old, who already has won Nebelhorn Trophy and Grand Prix China this season, came into Finland as a title favorite and delivered under pressure, bolstering both her Grand Prix Final chances and her push toward a potential first Olympic team.

Just behind her is 2025 world bronze medalist Chiba, who scored 72.89 to sit second. The 20-year-old, fresh off her first Grand Prix victory at Skate Canada, posted the highest component score of the event (34.58), with an expressive and high energy short program. A well-rounded skater known for balancing difficult jumps with refined artistry, Chiba has been setting personal bests all fall and is positioning herself as a leading contender for one of Japan’s three Olympic berths for Milan.

Canada’s Schizas is 3rd with 65.16 after a composed skate to music from the Lion King that earned 34.28 in technical and 30.88 in components. She’ll have ground to make up in the free skate, but her placement squarely keeps her in the medal hunt if the leaders leave points on the table.

In fourth is U.S. Olympic team bronze medalist Bradie Tennell, who scored 63.92. The two-time U.S. champion, skating her “Young and Beautiful” short program, recorded a total element score of 31.53 and component score of 32.39, as she continues a long road back from multiple injuries, including a broken ankle that sidelined her for much of the 2023–24 season. After a 4th-place finish at Skate Canada, Tennell remains an outside threat for the podium here — and is using every event to strengthen her case for a second Olympic Games.

Japan’s depth was again on display with Rion Sumiyoshi and Rino Matsuike finishing 5th and 6th. Sumiyoshi scored 61.42 with a one-point deduction for a hard fall during her step sequence. The six-time Grand Prix medalist already has earned bronze at Grand Prix France this season and remains one of the few women regularly attempting a quad toe in competition, a risk that firmly keeps her in the mix for Japan’s crowded Olympic race. 

Matsuike, a former Japanese junior champion, who was a surprise addition to the Grand Prix Final last year, scored 61.26, continuing an up-and-down season in which she has shown flashes of top-tier potential but is still chasing consistency.

The home crowd had plenty of reasons to cheer. Finland’s Olivia Lisko (61.00) placed 7th with a strong technical score of 33.16, while teammates Iida Karhunen (60.03) and Selma Valitalo (43.84) finished 9th and 11th, respectively. Their performances ensured a Finnish presence throughout the starting order in one of the deepest women’s fields of the early Grand Prix season.

Perhaps the biggest surprise on the scoreboard was two-time world medalist Loena Hendrickx, who sits 10th with 54.75 after a difficult short program that included a two-point deduction. The 2024 European champion is returning from right ankle surgery and already has secured a second Olympic quota spot for Belgium this season. Here in Finland, she had targeted a clean short with her new program to Ashes by Celine Dion; instead, she’ll be skating the free from an unusually early starting position, as she continues to rebuild form and confidence.

With less than 12 points separating second from seventh, and proven free skaters like Chiba, Glenn, Tennell, Sumiyoshi, Matsuike, and Hendrickx all capable of big scores, the women’s event remains wide open. Glenn carries the lead and the momentum into the free skate, but Grand Prix Finland’s women’s podium is far from settled.

Jason Brown delivered one of the most polished performances of the men’s singles event at the last remaining Grand Prix of Figure Skating before the Final — Finlandia Trophy. He earned 87.66 points to place 4th but captured the audience with the highest program component score of the entire short program. The American veteran posted marks up to 8.96 for presentation, reaffirming the extraordinary skating quality that continues to define his career. With a season’s-best score and 43.54 in technical elements, Brown remains well within striking distance of the podium heading into the free skate.

France’s Adam Siao Him Fa leads the event with a commanding 92.50. The two-time European champion came out in brand new skates, after his original pair broke — an incredible feat for figure skaters who typically take some time to break in boots. His confident performance nearly put him three points ahead of the field and in strong position to chase the title.

Canada’s Stephen Gogolev sits in 2nd with 89.35, driven by a massive 51.52 TES — the highest technical score of the event. With a breakout performance, Gogolev finally delivered the big elements he is capable of, and despite components (37.83) trailing the top skaters, all eyes will be on the Canadian in the free skate.

Japan’s 2022 Olympic silver medalist, Yuma Kagiyama, is close behind in 3rd with 88.16 despite a one-point deduction. His program balanced strong technical content (45.50 TES) with some of the night’s most refined skating skills, earning 43.66 in components. Largely expected to win the event, Kagiyama will be looking to make up lost ground in the free skate.

Rounding out the top five was Estonia’s Mihhail Selevko with 84.18. His 45.05 TES reflected clean jumping passes and solid control. Canada’s Roman Sadovsky followed in 6th (82.91), delivering elegant interpretation and smooth glide that earned him 39.49 PCS.

Japan’s Sota Yamamoto (81.09), Italy’s Matteo Rizzo (78.75), and Latvia’s Deniss Vasiljevs (75.45) completed the top nine. Vasiljevs’ two-point deduction cost him several places despite strong components approaching 8.0. 

The remaining U.S. competitor, Jimmy Ma, scored 67.99 for 10th, followed by Sweden’s Andreas Nordeback (67.93) and Finland’s Valtter Virtanen (61.92).

With tight scoring from 1st through 5th — and several high-risk free skates still ahead — the men’s event remains wide open. Brown enters the final segment poised for a potential climb as Finlandia’s early-season drama continues.

In just their second Grand Prix event together, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron found themselves at the top of the leaderboard and at the center of a scoring wrinkle in the rhythm dance at Finlandia Trophy. The French team still finished the day on top with 79.89 points, just ahead of Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier at 79.56, but the way they got there had analysts buzzing.

Skating second in the lineup, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron combined 42.79 in technical elements with 37.10 in program components, earning scores over 9.25 in composition and presentation. But the technical panel treated their opening choreography as the official choreographic step sequence — a required element — and tagged it for an issue because it included invalid movements, later invalidating the planned choreographic step sequence the team had planned at the end of the program.

Gilles and Poirier were close behind with 79.56. The reigning world medalists showed the same fluid transitions and intricate holds that have made them rhythm dance specialists, and their PCS also sat comfortably above 9.0 in most categories. With less than four-tenths between first and second, the free dance sets up as another marquee showdown between two of the sport’s highest level teams.

The Americans made their presence felt just behind the top two. Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik posted 78.51 for third, earning the highest technical score of the entire field with 44.04 TES. Their speed and attack through the midline step sequence and pattern was unmatched, while components (34.47 PCS) continue to climb as they cement themselves as a rising force in U.S. ice dance.

Spain’s Olivia Smart and Tim Dieck weren’t far back either; they scored 76.07 for fourth with a confident, crowd-friendly program that has them in striking distance of the podium.

In a much-anticipated return, siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani delivered 71.99 to place fifth in their rhythm dance. Their trademark unison and musical timing were evident, even as they continue settling back into the intensity of top-level competition. 

Just behind them, Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler of Czechia scored 71.65, while Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin of Georgia earned 70.42.

The home crowd had plenty to cheer for as well. Finland’s Yuka Orihara and Juho Pirinen scored 69.39 to finish eighth, supported by 38.74 TES and 30.65 PCS in a lively program that kept the arena fully engaged.

U.S. siblings Oona and Gage Brown (64.21) and Britain’s Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez (62.87) rounded out the top 10, after Gage made an error in the twizzle sequence, each showcasing quality skating skills and choreography in a deeply-competitive field.

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany edged a tightly-packed field in the pairs short program at the 2025 Finlandia Trophy, topping the standings with 70.40 points — but by the slimmest of margins. The German team skated last, earning 36.86 in technical elements and 33.54 in program components, enough for 1st despite a major error on the death spiral required element, resulting in a loss of at least 5 points. 

Right behind them — by just 0.16 points — were Americans Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, who posted a 70.24. They earned the highest technical score of the evening (37.81) with sharp execution on their side-by-side triples and especially strong spins, showcasing the confidence they’ve built since pairing up for the 2024–25 season. Their component marks hovered just above 8.0 across the board, reflecting both an uptick in performance quality and growing chemistry.

The United States continued its strong showing with Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov in third (70.19). Their 38.61 technical score was the event's standout — the highest TES of the entire event — thanks to a dynamic triple twist and well-controlled throw. Efimova and Mitrofanov’s PCS scores in the low-8 range firmly kept them in contention, placing them less than a quarter of a point behind the leaders in what became one of the closest four-way spreads seen at Finlandia in recent years.

Canada’s Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud were right there as well, scoring 70.13 to sit fourth. The team, who had a disappointing result at Skate Canada, dropping off the podium to 4th place overall, will be looking to redeem that free skate in Finland. With fewer than three-tenths separating the top-four teams, the free skate promises major movement.

Japan’s Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi rounded out the top five (67.53), buoyed by a secure technical program and rising component marks that reflect their growing presence on the senior international stage. Italy’s Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini, often fixtures on major Grand Prix podiums, finished sixth with 62.49.

China’s young duo Zhang Jiaxuan and Huang Yihang placed seventh (62.42), while Poland’s Ioulia Chtchetinina and Michal Wozniak ended the event in eighth after a one-point deduction dropped them to 56.55.

With less than a point separating first from fourth, the free skate is poised to be a showdown — and Finlandia may be one of the most unpredictable pairs events of the early season.