Scottish ice dancer set to qualify for Grand Prix final after season’s best performance in Japan

Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear finished less than half a point behind their first place rivals

CORRECTS DATE - Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Britain perform in the ice dance rhythm dance program during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - NHK Trophy in Kadoma, near Osaka, Japan. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Scottish ice dancer Lewis Gibson and partner Lilah Fear look set to qualify for a spot in the Grand Prix final after scoring a season’s best in the rhythm dance at the NHK Trophy in Japan to finish less than half a point behind their European champion rivals.

The couple scored 84.93 to come second in the event at the Grand Prix in Osaka – the last of six competitions on the Grand Prix circuit this season.

The rhythm dance was won by Italians Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, who just beat the British pair with a score of 85.27.

“We were both very happy with the performance and felt like we have continued to build upon our rhythm dance this season so far,” said Gibson, from Prestwick.

The ice dance competition continues on Saturday with the free dance final.

Gibson and Fear are aiming to qualify for the Grand Prix final in China, next month. They scooped silver at the Skate Canada International event in October in the third Grand Prix silver medal win of their career – their other Grand Prix assignment. A podium finish in Japan will give them enough points to qualify.

“For us a big project this season has been skating skills and I think that every competition is a great opportunity to put that to the test and to allow the program and performances to grow and expand,” Fear added.

“Turns have been a big focus for us over the past few weeks, just building that consistency, that technical strength. And I'm really proud that we implemented that today.”

Gibson and Fear qualified for the final for the first time last year – the first British ice dance pair in 13 years to do so - finishing fourth overall.

A Grand Prix event was assigned to the UK for the first time last year after competitions usually held in China and Russia were relocated due to the war in Ukraine and Covid travel restrictions respectively. However, the Chinese competition was reinstated this year.

The first stages of the women’s, pairs and men’s competitions are also taking place today in Japan, however, no other British skaters have been assigned any Grand Prix slots.

Lindsay Thorngren from the US claimed a surprise win in the women’s short programme, beating Grand Prix de France silver medallist Nina Pinzarrone of Belgium by more than five points.