Japan¡¯s Mone Chiba moved into first ahead of world champion Alysa Liu after the Grand Prix Final short program on Friday, as a tearful Kaori Sakamoto had a night to forget.

Chiba, the only woman to qualify for the final with two grand prix wins, stamped her class on the competition with a score of 77.27 in Nagoya.

Liu, the U.S. skater enjoying a triumphant comeback to the sport she retired from in 2022, was second on 75.79, with Japanese teenage rookie Ami Nakai in third on 73.91.