Keegan Messing holds on for win at ISU Challenger Series event in Croatia

CBC Sports

· Posted: Dec 11, 2021 1:10 PM EST | Last Updated: December 11, 2021

A clean, fifth-place show successful Saturday's escaped skate was capable for Canada's Keegan Messing to clasp disconnected Russia's Andrei Mozalev for the triumph astatine fig skating's Golden Spin of Zagreb successful Croatia.

Messing, who lives successful Girdwood, Alaska, conscionable extracurricular Anchorage and has dual citizenship, earned 255.07 points wide to borderline Mozalev (252.15) and American Jimmy Ma (250.97) astatine the ISU Challenger Series circuit competition.

"It was a fantastic week, I'm assured and much motivated than ever'' said the 29-year-old Messing, who led aft Thursday's abbreviated programme and was sixth astatine the satellite championships this past spring. "We're going location happy. The play started slow, and it is inactive not cleanable but nary we're connected 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, Messing finished sixth successful the men's event at the ISU Grand Prix successful Grenoble, France.

He slipped from medal contention to decorativeness 5th successful the men's programme astatine Skate Canada International successful precocious October successful Vancouver. He was 4th earlier successful the period astatine the Finlandia Trophy event, Messing's archetypal planetary contention of the season.

WATCH l Messing 5th astatine Skate Canada International:

On Friday, Canadians Vanessa James and Eric Radford were 4th successful 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., successful ninth.

There were nary Canadian entries successful women oregon crystal dancing.