At the Budapest Trophy, Shcherbakova led after the short program, but was later overtaken in the free skate by training-mate after falling on her opening quad flip and receiving a number of edge and quarter calls.
After gold medal favourite Valieva failed to deliver a clean free skate, Shcherbakova won the event with an overall score of 255.
She won the short program with a score of 80.
Assigned to the in , Shcherbakova placed fourth in the short program after falling on her triple Lutz and failing to execute a jump combination.
Shcherbakova, and Trusova's podium placements made this only the second time, after the United States in , that a single country had swept the ladies' podium at the World Championships.
The emotional well-being of minors callously disregarded.