Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu owns the last two Olympic gold medals. No man has won three in a row. American Nathan Chen owns the last two world titles. No U.S. man has won three straight since Scott Hamilton in the early 1980s. Hanyu, the world's most popular figure skater, and Chen, his biggest rival, face off at the Grand Prix Finals this week in Turin, Italy.

Teenager Alena Kostornaia won the women’s free skate on Saturday to claim her second title of the season at the NHK Trophy and complete a sweep of the International Skating Union’s Grand Prix series by Russian women.

Alexandra Trusova landed three quads on Saturday to win the Rostelecom Cup, continuing Russian women’s dominance of this year’s Grand Prix series where they have taken gold in all five preliminary events. Trusova, 15, was behind compatriot Evgenia Medvedeva after the short program, but her quads in the free skate put her well clear at the end with 234.47 points.

Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier earned their first career victory on the ISU Grand Prix circuit on Saturday.

Olympic gold medallist Alina Zagitova was beaten by fellow Russian Alena Kostornaia in the short program at the Internationaux de France on Friday, while world champion Nathan Chen led the men.

Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier sit second after the short dance at Skate Canada. Toronto's Gilles and Poirier, from Unionville, Ont., scored 82.58 points and narrowly trail Americans Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (83.21 points) heading into Saturday's free dance.

It came as no surprise to see two-time world champion Nathan Chen of the United States top the short program with 102.71 points Friday at Skate America, the first of six events in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.

The Canadian figure skating scene underwent a dramatic change last season after several high-profile athletes left the team. It put a brighter spotlight on many of the skaters who remained, including the pairs duo of Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro.

World junior champions Marjorie Lajoie Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., placed fourth in ice dancing on Sunday at the Finlandia Open figure skating competition.

Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen of Montreal earned their first international victory on Saturday, winning the ice dance event at the Nebelhorn Trophy figure skating competition.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir knew they were taking a huge risk when they came out of a two-year retirement, setting their lofty sights on a gold medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Almost no one was happy with the news. Not their families. Not fellow skaters. Not friends, nor their national federation.

Canadian ice dancing stars Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir say they are "stepping away" from the sport. Their retirement was revealed late Tuesday night in a video message posted on their separate Twitter accounts.