Znotiņš sets notable personal best at Riga Grand Prix junior figure skating
At the Riga Grand Prix junior figure skating event, Latvia's Jānis Znotiņš significantly improved his personal best in the short program, finishing seventh. Among the girls, Latvia's top performer was Kira Baranovska, who placed eighth.
At the ongoing Grand Prix figure skating event in Riga, Latvian skater Jānis Znotiņš of JLSS stood out in the junior men's competition, which features 27 athletes. In the short program he scored 72.34 points, placing seventh and substantially improving his previous personal best of 57.68 points. Japan's Sena Takahashi won the men's short program with 83.75 points.
Other Latvian competitors in the men's field, Ratmirs Bekisbajevs and Deniels van Lubeks, scored 35.98 and 26.47 points respectively, finishing 26th and 27th. The men's free skate is scheduled for August 29 at 11:00.
Women's competition
Thirty-six skaters are competing in the junior women's event. Japan's Mei Okada topped the short program with 72.47 points. Latvia's best-placed skater was Kira Baranovska of "Kristal Ice," who scored 59.11 points — a personal best — but received a time-violation penalty and finished eighth.
Other Latvian skaters, Nataša Jermoļicka and debutante Mia Kasparoviča, also set personal bests, scoring 56.64 and 45.52 points respectively. The women's free skate is scheduled for August 28 at 16:30.
