Akiko Suzuki of Japan performs during the ladies' free skating of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2009/2010 in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 31, 2009. Akiko Suzuki claimed the title of the event with a total score of 176.66 points. (Xinhua/Wang Qingqin) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Taking advantage of some strong rivals' errors, Japan's nobody Akiko Suzuki surprised many to claim an overall victory at Cup of China figure skating Grand Prixafter the ladies free skating here on Saturday.

Akiko Suzuki of Japan celebrates after the ladies' free skating of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2009/2010 in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 31, 2009. Akiko Suzuki claimed the title of the event with a total score of 176.66 points. (Xinhua/Wang Qingqin) Photo Gallery>>>

    Suzuki, who came in fourth after Friday's short program, continued with a solid performance to West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, upgrading most of her spins to level four, though missing a double loop at the beginning.

    The 24-year-old's strong play, with the highest base value Saturday afternoon among the ladies, earned herself a comfortable free skating lead with 117.14 points, which led to a title-winning total score of 176.66.

    Finland's Kiira Korpi, the 2007 European bronze medalist, managed to keep her second place after Friday's short program, settling for the runner-up with a season best of 102.07 points in free skating and 163.27 in total.

    Joannie Rochette of Canada, the world runner-up of this year who only finished the seventh on Friday, made the other stunning improvement, collecting 111.06 points to lift her rankings to the third with 163.18 overall.

    Dark Horse of the short program, Mirai Nagasu, however, messed up her relatively easy routine on Saturday, taking away only 42.90points from the base value of 43.32, getting one point deduction for falling at a triple loop, and giving up her lead with a disappointing result of 93.18 for the free skating.

    The two-time world Junior medalist, 16 years old, could only finish in the fifth with a total score of 155.38, more than two points deficit to the fourth-placed fellow American Rachael Flatt.

    Italy's Carolina Kostner, who twice won the European title and came up the runner-up this year, was another disappointing skater here, sitting in the sixth with 154.18 overall.

    Host China's Liu Yan was the ninth on 132.80, while her compatriot Geng Bingwa at the bottem at 121.20 among 11 ladies as teammate Xu Binshu withdrew.

    It has been the first ever Grand Prix title for Suzuki, who won the bronze medal at the 2001-2002 Junior Grand Prix Final and whose former best result in senior level was the silver medal at 2008 NHK Trophy at home.

    "I'm really glad to win, and I'm much more glad that my performance here today was so good," commented Suzuki. "The surprising win will obviously be a boost for me."

    The second-placed Korpi, however, still felt a little shaking at a post-match press conference. "I'm quite nervous. it's very pleasant that I can stay in the second place," said the 21-year-old. "It's not easy for me to come here, 'cause in Paris, I had really bad results, and now I can get back with confidence."

    Rochette, on the contrary, shaked off the burden by Friday's disappointing result and made a successful comeback in free skating.

    "For me, Friday's short program is a disappointing start of the season...of course I went back to my room sadly, but after regretting, I thought, 'All right, I'm not a hundred percent, but I feel good enough.'" The top lady skater of Canada then built up herself and got what she could.

    Talking about the pressure on her shoulders, especially as the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games are to be on by the end of the 2009-2010 skating season, Rochette said: "I will go back home to practice with my people...and the next Grand Prix in Canada will help me find my rhythem."

    The yearly Cup of China Grand Prix was the third stop out of six figure skating events in an ISU season. Skaters will compete for a global prize money of 180, 000 U.S. dollars per individual event and receive points according to their placements.

    Top six skaters/couples of the series will proceed to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Tokyo, Japan in December.