NAGOYA — World champion Daisuke Takahashi won the NHK Trophy for the third time with an inspired performance in the free skate on Sunday afternoon.

Leading by four points after the short program, Takahashi opened his routine to "Invierno Porteno" with an impressive quadruple toe loop, hit six triple jumps, and despite a late fall defeated American Jeremy Abbott by more than 16 points.

Being the first Grand Prix event of the season stamina was certain to be a factor, and Takahashi hit the ice on the back end of his final combination jump (a triple lutz/double toe loop) near the end of his program. But by that point he had victory in the bag and earned 234.79 points.