A clean, fifth-place performance in Saturday’s free skate was enough for Canada’s Keegan Messing to hold off Russia’s Andrei Mozalev for the win at figure skating’s Golden Spin of Zagreb in Croatia.
, earned 255.07 points overall to edge Mozalev (252.15) and American Jimmy Ma (250.97) at the ISU Challenger Series circuit competition.
“It was a fantastic week, I’m confident and more motivated than ever” said the 29-year-old Messing, who led after Thursday’s short program and was sixth at the world championships this past spring. “We’re going home happy. The season started slow, and it is still not perfect but no we’re on the up and up and hopefully towards the Olympic Games..”
Conrad Orzel of Woodbridge, Ont., was 10th and Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., climbed to 16th from 24th.
Three weeks ago, at the ISU Grand Prix in Grenoble, France.
He at Skate Canada International in late October in Vancouver. He was fourth earlier in the month at the Finlandia Trophy event, Messing’s first international competition of the season.
WATCH l Messing 5th at Skate Canada International:
Keegan Messing was the top Canadian following the men’s free program, finishing in fifth place overall at Skate Canada International in Vancouver.
On Friday, Canadians Vanessa James and Eric Radford were fourth in pairs with Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., eighth and Evelyn Walsh of London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., in ninth.
There were no Canadian entries in women or ice dancing.
