Kozuka sweeps past Hanyu at Skate America

Takahiko Kozuka turned the tables on teenaged compatriot Yuzuru Hanyu as he led a Japanese podium sweep at the Skate America Grand Prix at Kent, Washington. Kozuka fell once in his free skate but his score of 166.12 was still good enough to make up a nearly 10-point deficit on Hanyu, who could not come close to matching his dazzling short programme of a day before. Kozuka won with a total of 251.44 points. Hanyu, third in the free skate, was second overall on 243.74 and Tatsuki Machida was third on 229.95. Hanyu had earned 95.07 points for a flawless short routine on Friday, the highest score ever recorded for a short programme in competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union. In the deciding free skate, however, he fell three times. Pairs medals were also on offer on Saturday, while ladies competition and ice dance got under way with short programmes. Ashley Wagner of the United States, hoping to build on a breakthrough season, delivered a solid short programme to lead the women with 60.61 points. Russia's Adelina Sotnikova was second with 58.93 and American Christina Gao third on 56.63. "The triple loop was not exactly the quality I was looking for," Wagner admitted, but otherwise she had little to regret. "That was my first short program out under the spotlight and the crowd so I'm pleased with how it went." Wagner won the US national title last season and her fourth-placed finish at the world championships in March was the best for an American woman since 2007. She also beat Japanese star Mao Asada to win the Four Continents crown. Olympic silver medallists Meryl Davis and Charlie White comfortably won the short dance with a total of 71.39 points. The elegant Americans put themselves in position for a third consecutive Skate America crown. Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were second on 65.79 followed by Russians Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev with 62.91.