Defending champion Ashley Wagner opened her title defense exactly as she wanted to, winning the short program with a strong and confident skate today at the 2013 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The ladies followed the pairs earlier on the first day of competition on the senior level.
Ladies' short: Play-by-play/Videos
Wagner, skating the most technically conservative program of the top ladies, relied on her superb execution and strong components to take the lead with a 67.57. She opened with a triple flip-double toe and hit a solo triple loop and currently holds a two-point advantage over the rest of the field. Wagner has been suffering the lingering effects of food poisoning, which has taken a toll on her preparation this week. But she showed no signs of that today with the best skate of the night.
Right behind is defending bronze medalist Agnes Zawadzki, who gave away the lead after a fall on her double axel. But she landed a big solo triple lutz and a triple toe-triple toe combination, which kept her close to Wagner.
Skating second in the event, 2008 U.S champion Mirai Nagasu set the early standard that beat the next 17 skaters before Wagner, and then Zawadzki, overtook her late in the competition. After two years off the World team, Nagasu has been rejuvenated this season, and the short program she skated today was the best effort she has put forth in a long time. She hit a triple toe-triple toe and a solo triple loop to score a 64.39, putting her in third.
2011 U.S. junior champion Courtney Hicks had her best performance since breaking her leg last season in the Junior Grand Prix, hitting a triple flip-triple toe on her way to a 59.72 and a fourth place standing going into the free skate. Skate America silver medalist Christina Gao finds herself in a familiar spot, fifth, after botching a spin midway through her short program. Gao has been fifth each of the past three years at the U.S. Nationals.
LADIES (after the short program)
1. Ashley Wagner - 67.57
2. Agnes Zawadzki - 65.31
3. Mirai Nagasu - 64.39
4. Courtney Hicks - 59.72
5. Christina Gao - 58.74
6. Yasmin Siraj - 57.88
7. Samantha Cesario - 55.74
8. Hannah Miller - 54.47
9. Gracie Gold - 54.08
10. Angela Wang - 52.06
11. Ashley Cain - 50.83
12. Caroline Zhang - 49.99
13. Kiri Baga - 46.66
14. Joelle Forte - 45.82
15. Haley Dunne - 44.96
16. Amanda Hofmann - 42.25
17. Becky Bereswill - 38.46
18. Morgan Bell - 37.78
19. Sophia Adams - 37.54
20. Laney Diggs - 28.57
WD Leah Keiser
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