Red hot Tuktamisheva lands second gold

Russian starlet Elizaveta Tuktamisheva danced a red hot latin selection to seal her senior debut with a second ISU Grand Prix figure skating gold here on Saturday. The 14-year-old from Glasov in the Urals region of eastern Russia took the Trophee Eric Bompard title ahead of two skaters ten years her senior - Italy's Carolina Kostner and two-time US champion Alissa Czisny. Tuktamisheva beat three-time European champion Kostner by 3.57 points with Czisny taking bronze a mere 0.17 points behind the Italian. After winning Skate Canada last month, the Russian books a spot in the elite six-skater ISU Grand Prix final in Quebec City from December 8-11. But as she turns 15 next month she is too young to compete in next year's European and world championships. "I'm not sad about that. I think I can use this year in order to get my skating to a higher level so next year I'll be able to go to European and world chamionships not as a junior but as a senior," explained Tuktamisheva, who is Russia's hope of a figure skating gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Czisny also gets to defend her Grand Prix title after winning Skate America with world bronze medallist Kostner already through after adding the Cup of China to her runners-up spot in Skate America. Taking to the ice last Tuktamisheva showed no signs of nerves as wearing a suitable red for her latin themed routine she nailed six triple jumps including a superb opening triple lutz-triple toeloop combination. The world junior silver medallist scored second highest in the free skate behind Czisny with 120.85 points for an overall 182.89. "Today I didn't skate badly but there were still a few minor mistakes that I can improve," she said. Czisny gave a solid performance to Valse Triste which included five triples, but she singled her planned double axel, and doubled her triple toeloop, scoring 121.90 and 179.15 overall. "I've learned a lot here," said Czisny. "I had a strong short programme in Skate America and a strong long programme here. I want to go home and put both of them together to have a strong overall programme." Kostner, who lost out at Skate America by just 0.13 to Czisny, admitted she was tired after competing on three continents in as many weeks, as she nailed just four clean triples to score 119.62 and 179.32 overall. "I thought it would be easier to compete here but it wasn't I was actually more nervous," she said. "I know I can do better and have a lot to improve on." The trio meet again in the Grand Prix final with Japanese veteran Akiko Suzuki also through ahead of the last in the six-leg Grand Prix series at the Cup of Russia in Moscow next weekend.