Mao, Takahashi show stuff at Grand Prix Final in Sochi

SOCHI, Russia — Former world champions Mao Asada and Daisuke Takahashi put Japan on course for a gold medal double as both took the lead after the women's and men's short programs at the Grand Prix Final in Russia on Friday.

Mao, who has won two Grand Prix events this season — the Cup of China and the NHK Trophy — but has had her preparations hampered by back problems, scored 66.96 points to lead American Ashley Wagner, who scored 66.44.

"For the time being I am relieved," said Mao, whose routine to "I Got Rhythm" by George Gershwin was highlighted by a triple flip-double loop combination, a triple loop and three level-four spins.

"The short program has gone well in the two Grand Prix events (this season) so I was careful to make sure I was not just going around in circles."

"I'm very glad that I performed all my jumps well. While preparing for the competition I tried to get rid of negative thoughts and skate the way I always do. The main goal for me is to focus on the upcoming free program and to tackle pre-skate jitters," said the 22-year-old.

The program was designed to "invigorate everybody who sees it, including me," Mao said. "I'm always skating it with a smile on my face."

Wagner opened with a big triple flip, followed in combination with a double toe loop. Like Mao, she didn't try a triple-triple combination, saying her execution of it has been sporadic.

"I prefer to go out on the ice and perform a program I'm 100 percent confident with," Wagner said. "It's almost better to skate a clean, lower-risk short program."

Mao was only 0.07 points ahead of Wagner on technical elements and 0.45 on program components.

Akiko Suzuki, the world bronze medalist, was third with 65.00.

"I landed all my jumps so I am pleased about that," said Suzuki. "I have made a lot of mistakes in the short program this season so I really tried to skate without fear."

Kiira Korpi of Finland under-rotated the second half of her combination and ended in fourth. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia doubled her second triple, placing fifth, and Christina Gao of the United States fell on the opening jump of hers.

In the men's competition, Takahashi, performing to "Rock n' Roll Medley," reeled off a quadruple toe loop, a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination, a triple axel and three level-four spins.

He achieved a season's best with 92.29 points and leads world champion Patrick Chan of Canada and compatriot Yuzuru Hanyu in a six-man field that features four Japanese skaters.

"It was the first time this season that I was able to do my quad in the short program, but after another jump I kind of stumbled. Nevertheless I finally landed the quad and am very happy about that," said Takahashi.

"For the past few days I haven't had the best conditions but I think the outcome is the product of my overall practice and I feel I've grown to do this," the 26-year-old said. "I don't want to lose to the younger guys, but I'm going to focus on my own performance. I don't want to make any mistakes tomorrow. I want to attract the audience's attention to my program and just do my best."

Chan notched 89.27 and NHK Trophy winner Hanyu scored 87.17. Takahiko Kozuka was fourth with 86.39, Spain's Javier Fernandez had 80.19 for fifth and Tatsuki Machida was sixth with 70.58.

Russia's Tatiana Voloszhar and Maxim Trankov lead after the short program in pairs, followed by compatriots Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov and Pang Qing and Jian Tong of China.

Russia's Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smironov are in sixth.

In ice dancing, Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States led after the short dance, nearly two points ahead of world champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada.

The prestigious Grand Prix Final is doubling as a test event for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

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Takahashi, Kozuka guide nation to victory

SAITAMA — Figure skaters Daisuke Takahashi and Takahiko Kozuka both landed quadruple jumps Saturday, leading host Japan to its fifth overall victory in the Japan Open international competition.

Japan outperformed North America and Europe with a high score of 569.25 points at Saitama Super Arena to win the title for the first time in two years, following a third-place finish at last year's meet.

Takahashi topped the men's individual standings, while Kozuka was runnerup. Compatriots Mao Asada and Akiko Suzuki came second and third, respectively, in the women's competition won by American Ashley Wagner.

Russia's Evgeni Plushenko, the 2006 Turin Olympic gold medalist, placed fourth while two-time world champion Patrick Chan of Canada was back in sixth.

Two men's and women's skaters each perform in the free skate with the individual results combined for the team standings.

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Takahashi vows to atone for free skate meltdown

KADOMA, Osaka Pref. — Former world champion Daisuke Takahashi insists his error-littered performance in Saturday's free skate has not dampened his Christmas cheer, and says it has only made him even more fired up to come back with a bang in his next competition.

Takahashi landed a quad in an epic short program to establish a lead of over 10 points over Takahiko Kozuka, but only just about managed to hang on and win his fifth national crown after unraveling in his free program on Saturday.

"I feel really disappointed because that was one of my worst free skates. It was worse than the bare minimum I needed to do and having practiced so much it makes it all the more frustrating," Takahashi told reporters Sunday.

"I did not perform well but that has only made me really motivated for next time. In that sense it was a great Christmas for me."

Although points at the national championships are not officially recognized by the International Skating Union, Takahashi's short program score was 3.03 points better than the world's highest score held by current world champion Patrick Chan of Canada.

But the 25-year-old fell on his quad in the free skate and also tumbled to the ice on a triple axel sequence and a triple flip and finished on 254.60 points, ahead of last year's champion Kozuka, who scored 250.97.

Olympic bronze medalist Takahashi, who finished runnerup to Chan at the Grand Prix Final in Quebec earlier his month, world silver medalist Kozuka and 17-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu were selected Sunday for the world championships in March in Nice, France.

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Takahashi delivers strong performance

KADOMA, Osaka Pref. — Daisuke Takahashi pumped his fists wildly in the air and then gave himself an emphatic round of applause.

Poetry in motion: Daisuke Takahashi skates during the men's short program at the national championships Friday in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture. Takahashi leads the field with 96.05 points. KYODO

Boy did he deserve it.

Takahashi nailed a quad toeloop-triple toeloop that has eluded him for so long in a dazzling performance, taking a commanding lead after the short program Friday at the national championships, a qualifier for the world championships in Nice, France, in March.

Cutting a dashing figure in a shimmering black outfit, the former world champion, skating to "In the Garden of Souls," also nailed a triple axel and a triple lutz to earn 96.05 points and a thundering standing ovation atNamihaya Dome.

Defending champion Takahiko Kozuka was more than 10 points back after scoring 85.60 for second place while Tatsuki Machida was third and 17-year-old Tohoku schoolboy Yuzuru Hanyu was fourth.

"I have surprised myself," said Takahashi, runnerup to world champion Patrick Chan at the Grand Prix Final in Quebec City earlier this month.

"It has been such a long time since I landed the quad that after I made it I kind of lost my sense of urgency."

"Apart from the quad the rest of my skate wasn't as good as it has been this season," added Takahashi, who last made a quad toe-triple toe jump at the 2005 world championships in Moscow.

"Hopefully I can consistently land the quad. It is up to me to make the most of this from this point onward."

Kozuka had a triple flip-triple toe and two more clean triples on the way to what he felt was his best performance of the season.

"I think I skated well and delivered a good performance," said Kozuka, who missed out on a place in the Grand Prix Final after finishing third at the season-opening Skate America and second at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo in November.

"I don't have any boot problems and my condition is good. For me it is more important to do the best I can rather than think about points."

Machida scored 74.64 and Hanyu, fourth in his debut at the Grand Prix Final, scored 74.32. Nobunari Oda is missing the nationals as he continues to recover from an injured left knee.

All eyes will be on Mao Asada in Saturday's women's short program. The 21-year-old star decided to compete here while still coming to terms with the recent death of her mother Kyoko, who passed away on Dec. 9 after a lengthy battle with liver cirrhosis.

Grand Prix Final silver medalist Akiko Suzuki, teenage starlet Kanako Murakami and Haruka Imai are the other top contenders battling it out in the women's event for berths at the worlds.

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