Kim Yu-Na wins women's title at Four Continents figure skating event
Jonathan Hayward / Associated Press
Kim Yu-Na of South Korea performs her long program Friday night in Vancouver.
The South Korean skater's artful program, rebounding from a fall on a triple loop jump, takes first in the competition at Vancouver.
By Helene Elliott
February 7, 2009
Reporting from Vancouver, Canada -- If the women's event at the Four Continents figure skating championships was a glimpse of the future, peeking ahead one month to the world championships in Los Angeles and peering at the Vancouver Olympics from a year away, women's figure skating may be in better shape than some of its critics contend.

Kim Yu-Na of South Korea, regal in red and gold and quick to regain her poise after falling on a triple loop jump early in her free skate Friday, won the talent-laden event and positioned herself to unseat reigning world champion Mao Asada of Japan when they face each other again at Staples Center.


Asada, unruffled after "popping" her first triple axel attempt, demonstrated her mastery of that 3 1/2-revolution jump on her next try, the focal point of a strong performance to "Masquerade Waltz." Sixth after an uncharacteristically flawed short program, she had the top-ranked free skate and moved up to third overall.

Even Caroline Zhang of Brea, who finished one spot too low at the U.S. championships to qualify for the world team, emerged a winner with a fourth-place finish.


Although her triple flip-triple toe loop combination was downgraded by the judges she had the highest total element score of the night -- 60.02 -- and a season-best 113.06 for her long program to "Ave Maria." She also topped both the women who had defeated her at the national championships: Rachael Flatt of Del Mar was seventh and Alissa Czisny of Bowling Green, Ohio, was an uninspired ninth.

As the test event for the Vancouver Games, this competition got excellent grades for quality and drama.

"I was a little tired today," Kim said, "so for me to have first place in Vancouver is good."

Asada acknowledged she had "problems to conquer" but was proud of landing that triple axel. She's among the few women in the world who have successfully landed them.

"I was already determined to do at least one good triple axel and I made a mistake on the first," she said. "But I was really determined to do the next one better."

Both said they drew energy from the large Asian community here. "They gave me power," Asada said.

Kim, who trains in Toronto, said it was "really helpful" to see so many of her compatriots. "For the next Olympics I hope a lot of Koreans will cheer for me," she said. "That would be nice."

Zhang, 15, could be part of the U.S. Olympic team. She was mad at herself for not fully rotating the end of her triple flip-triple toe loop combination but came away wiser for having been here. Next up for her is the world junior championships later this month in the Czech Republic, and competing here was the best possible way to prepare for that -- and whatever else might come in her bright future.

"I'm going to have the experience of skating with the top skaters and I really hope I can learn from them and be able to express myself better and skate faster," she said. "So I hope it will affect everything next year."

Kim, the leader after the short program, finished with 189.07 points. Rochette had 183.91 after performing the second-ranked free skate, and Asada finished with 176.52. Zhang had 171.22, well ahead of Flatt (162.63) and Czisny (159.81).

Flatt did a triple-double combination instead of a triple-triple and reduced a triple salchow to a double. She was also slow on her spins, a frequent problem for her.

"I'm a little disappointed about the triple-triple and the salchow and I definitely think I could have done better," she said. "I'm still happy with the experience that I gained from this. I had a lot to learn."

Czisny's triple flip was downgraded and she did a triple toe loop-double toe loop instead of a triple-triple, costing her points. "It started out a little bit shaky, but I tried to stay with the program and not worry about what I did but think about what I'm supposed to be doing," she said.

"It was a good experience to get out in front of the judges internationally. It was a little bit close after nationals but for worlds, we'll have more time to prepare."

Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S. won the ice dance title in an upset, passing their suburban Detroit training mates, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada, with an emotional and fleet-footed free dance to "Samson and Delilah." Davis and White won the free dance by 2.23 points to win by .58 over Virtue and Moir, last year's world silver medalists. Virtue touched her opposite leg to the ice during a spin, a small mistake that cost the duo dearly.

The Canadians earned 47.31 points for the program components of their free dance (skating skills, transitions, linking footwork, movement, performance, execution, composition, choreography, interpretation and timing). Davis and White earned 46.84.

But the Americans more than made up for that with an element score of 49.90, to 47.20 for Virtue and Moir. Davis and White were rated at Level 4 (the best) for all but one element, a circular step sequence that was rated Level 3, while Virtue and Mori were rated at Level 3 for three elements: a combination spin, a circular step sequence and a diagonal step sequence.

Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates, second at last month's U.S. championships, finished third here with 180.79 points, 11.60 behind Davis and White.

Virtue graciously downplayed suggestions she might have been hampered by soreness in her legs, the residue of surgery on both of her shins in early October to correct chronic exertional compartment syndrome.

"There's no doubt Meryl and Charlie were the winners today. They worked hard for that," said Virtue, who had to visit the medical office to put ice packs on her legs before she attended the medal ceremony.

That ceremony inspired many skaters to picture themselves standing in the same spot a year from now with Olympic medals draped around their necks. Davis said she and White have pictured standing on the Olympic medals podium since they began skating together 13 years ago.

"We've been dreaming big since we were really little," she said. "Things have really come together for us this season. We saw ourselves on podiums and saw ourselves representing the U.S. all over the world so it's been something that's been in the works for us for a long time."

helene.elliott@latimes.com