OSAKA, Japan -- Canadian Kevin Reynolds upstaged local favourite Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan on Saturday to win the figure skating Four Continents with a near-flawless free skate.
Reynolds, of North Vancouver, B.C., was only sixth after Friday's short program but landed three quads and finished with 250.55 points in the final at Osaka Municipal Gymnasium. Hanyu led after the short program but settled for second with 246.38 points, while China's Han Yan was third with 235.22.
U.S. national champion Max Aaron, who was 10th after the short program, finished fourth with 234.65 after a strong free skate to Westside Story.
The 22-year-old Reynolds, who is a crowd favourite in Japan, opened with a quad salchow and also landed two quad loops in his routine. His only deduction was on a triple lutz.
"This is beyond anything I could have imagined," Reynolds said. "Going into the free program I was in sixth place so I knew I had a chance if I did everything right in the free skate."
Andrei Rogozine of Richmond Hill, Ont., finished 10th while Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que., was 18th.
Reynolds said finishing second at the national championships gave him confidence heading to the Four Continents.
"I was able to do two strong performances at the nationals so that gave me a lot of confidence coming here," Reynolds said. "But like I said, this is beyond anything I could have imagined."
World silver medallist Daisuke Takahashi of Japan had a disappointing free skate and finished in seventh place.
