“Quad God” changes the air in Nagoya with a new four-minute free skate
The atmosphere inside IG Arena in Nagoya changed the instant a 22-year-old American took centre ice. In the men’s free skate at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2025 (4–6 December / Nagoya, IG Arena), Ilia Malinin delivered a performance that felt like pure history in motion.
Skating to his free program “A Voice”, Malinin landed an unprecedented layout of seven quadruple jumps in six different types – including a quad flip, the signature quadruple Axel, two quad Lutzes, a quad loop, quad toe loop and quad Salchow. He hit every one of them, then even had enough left to throw in a backflip near the end of the program.
The result was a free skate score of 238.24 points, a new world record, and a total of 332.29 points for his third straight Grand Prix Final title. Coming from third place after the short program, his comeback win left everyone in the arena feeling they had just witnessed “a moment that will be talked about for years”.
In the press conference afterwards, Malinin called it “one of the best skates of my life” and thanked the Japanese crowd for the energy that pushed him. Standing at the start of the Milano–Cortina Olympic season, the “Quad God” showed that he has stepped into yet another dimension.
“A Voice”: a concept program that tells Malinin’s story
“A Voice” is a concept program built around three pieces of music and Malinin’s own narration. Long-time choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne created a layout that condenses his 14 years in figure skating into a single program.
On paper the jump content is almost unbelievable. But what made this night special was that the program was not just a list of quads. From the quiet opening, through the rush of quadruples, and finally into the dramatic backflip, the entire rink was slowly drawn into his story. It was the kind of performance that suggested a new way forward for men’s skating, where ultra-high difficulty and storytelling can fully coexist.
Malinin has often said that he sees the Grand Prix Final as a place to test new elements and layouts. This seven-quad configuration was both an experiment for the Olympic season and a message to the world: “This is how far I can go.”
Two Japanese men find their own answers – Kagiyama Yuma and Sato Shun
Of course, Nagoya’s unforgettable night was not only about Malinin. Japan’s Kagiyama Yuma and Sato Shun each came away with strong results and new confidence.
Kagiyama opened with a brilliant short program score of 108.77 points to lead the field. In the free skate to “Turandot”, he avoided any major mistakes, scoring 193.64 points for a total of 302.41 points. At last, he broke the 300-point barrier at senior level and finished second overall. There is still technical room to grow, but the fact that he cleared 300 even with that room remaining will surely give him huge belief as Japan’s leading man.
Sato, meanwhile, earned 98.06 points in the short program and 194.02 points in the free, finishing with 292.08 points and the bronze medal. In the tense atmosphere of a major championship, he stayed true to his own skating. Especially in the free, the way he gradually took control of the rink and made the performance “his” was striking – and the numbers now prove that he is skating at a level where the world podium is a realistic target.
Malinin with 332.29, Kagiyama over 300 and Sato close to 290. On paper the gap is still significant, but it no longer feels like a distance that Japanese skaters can never reach. That subtle “not so far, not yet close” impression might be the biggest takeaway from this men’s event.
Men’s final results (based on ISU official results)
Based on the official ISU protocols for the Grand Prix Final 2025 men’s event (6 December 2025), the final standings were as follows.
| Rank | Skater | Country | SP | FS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ilia Malinin | USA | 94.05 | 238.24 | 332.29 |
| 2 | Yuma Kagiyama | JPN | 108.77 | 193.64 | 302.41 |
| 3 | Shun Sato | JPN | 98.06 | 194.02 | 292.08 |
| 4 | Daniel Grassl | ITA | 94.00 | 194.72 | 288.72 |
| 5 | Adam Siao Him Fa | FRA | – | – | 258.64 |
| 6 | Mikhail Shaidorov | KAZ | – | – | 242.19 |
*Scores compiled from the ISU official results (ISU Grand Prix Final 2025 Men, 6 December 2025).
Reliving “that night” through official posts
On social media, the ISU’s official account summed up the men’s free skate in Nagoya with lines like “Record score. Third title. Quad God status confirmed. Ilia Malinin reigns again in Nagoya.” The post linked to the full recap and photos, and the replies were full of astonished reactions from fans worldwide.
Japan’s Kagiyama Yuma also posted his thanks: he wrote about how much confidence he had gained from skating in Nagoya, how the cheers made the experience feel “like a dream”, and how his goals are still set even higher as he continues to work hard.
The official Team Japan account, meanwhile, introduced the Grand Prix Final as “a summit meeting where only the top six skaters from the six Grand Prix events compete” and urged fans to watch the world’s very best battle it out on home ice. All of these posts together help us relive the special atmosphere of that December weekend.
Homework on the road to Milano–Cortina
Men’s singles has truly entered an era where, in one and the same competition, you can see seven quads in a single free skate and Japanese skaters scoring over 300 points. Malinin’s otherworldly performance in Nagoya has raised the baseline for what it will take to win Olympic gold at Milano–Cortina 2026.
At the same time, for Kagiyama and Sato this Grand Prix Final was also a chance to clarify where their strengths lie and what they need to sharpen – whether in technique, presentation or mental toughness. How much can these two close the gap and, someday, even pass the “Quad God”?
The scene we saw in Nagoya is only the prologue. As part of WINTER NOTE, we will continue to follow the journeys of Japan’s skaters – and keep an eye on Malinin’s evolution – as the story heads toward Milano.
