ASAHIKAWA, Japan, 1 December 2003 — Canadian skater Jeffrey Buttle clinched his first gold at an ISU Grand Prix event yesterday as he edged out world silver medalist Timothy Goebel of the United States in the NHK Trophy.

Buttle, who was second in Saturday’s short program in the men’s singles, was far from perfect in the free skating, failing on a quadruple toeloop jump, stepping out of a triple axel and falling on a triple lutz.

But Goebel, who was first after the short program, failed to capitalize after himself falling twice and double-footing a triple axel.

Buttle, who won silver on his home turf, Skate Canada, garnered a total of 211.00 points here against 205.51 points for Goebel.

Gao Song of China rose to third from fifth with a near-perfect free-skating performance.

The NHK Trophy victory brought Buttle his first ticket for the ISU Grand Prix final.

“I really enjoy skating in Japan,” Buttle said, recalling it was also in Japan when he won his first Grand Prix medal and landed a quadruple jump for the first-time ever.

Buttle was silver at the 2001 NHK Trophy and landed a quad-toeloop in Japan last year.

He also said he was happy he was able to skate “a relatively decent short program” Saturday although he was not feeling particularly well. “I’m just actually recovering from a cold ... I wasn’t sick but I still wasn’t feeling very well.

Goebel admitted he was surprised to be on the podium as he definitely did not skate to his best.

When asked if food poisoning Saturday, believed to be by “sashimi” raw-fish slices, affected his free skating, he said: “I really don’t feel it was a factor today.”

The NHK Trophy at the Asahikawa Taisetsu Arena in this northern Japanese city is the last leg of the six-round qualifying series for the Grand Prix final in Colorado Springs.

World bronze medalist Fumie Suguri of Japan captured the women’s crown Saturday, while the ice-dancing title went to Bulgarian duo Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski.

Russians Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov, world bronze medalists, clinched the pairs crown on Friday.