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 ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - Evan Lysacek printed on the back of his left hand: "I Skate Clean Programs." He did so Thursday night, but it was not nearly enough to win the short program at Skate America.
Indeed, as American skaters are learning under the new points system, you need to be versatile and dynamic — and not necessarily clean — to finish on top.
Japan's Daisuke Takahashi fell on a triple axel, but was so lively and precise on his other elements that he took first place with 69.10 points. Belgium's Kevin Van Der Perren, the only skater to land a clean quadruple jump, was second with 68.79, and Lysacek, the world bronze medalist, trailed in third at 67.75. That's hardly insurmountable heading into the free skate Friday at the figure skating season's first Grand Prix event leading to the Olympics.
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