Chinese pair top short program, Japanese ace Asada makes strong comeback

Newly crowned Skate America winners Sui Wenjing/Han Cong topped the pairs' short program at Cup of China Grand Prix figure skating event while three-time world champion Mao Asada shone in her first international comeback here on Friday.

   Sui and Han looked relaxed in front of the home spectators when they came on the ice in the last performance of the night, scoring 74.40 points, ahead of Russian duo Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov, Russia in 72.45. Another Chinese pair Yu Xiaoyu and Jin Yang came third in 70.06.

   Sui and Han, just coming off their first senior Grand Prix victory at Skate America last month, said they like to compete on home soil.

   "We did well tonight although there were some flaws," said Sui. "We felt no home pressure as we always enjoy being at the center of the stage."

   In men's competition, Chinese teenager Jin Boyang jumped to a fabulous start to his senior international debut when he collected 90.05 points in the short program, following world champion Javier Fernandez of Spain who earned 93.19. Russian Sergei Voronov finished in a distant third in 80.99.

   "It's all about a steady mindset," said the 18-year-old who has been famous for difficult elements in his performance since 2011 when the barely 14-year-old clinched the Asian youth title.

   "I was a bit nervous as it is my senior international debut but I managed to keep up my performance," he said. 

   Japan's figure skating diva became center of the attention in her first Grand Prix in two years after taking a leave following her gold at the 2014 world championships. 

   She started the short program with her trademark triple axels to the soundtrack Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen and thunderous cheers from the Chinese spectators in the Capital Gymnasium where she competed in her first senior Grand Prix 10 years ago and finished second. 

   "Ten years is a very long time but how time flies," said the 25-year-old. "I look at the stadium and it has changed a lot and also the environment."

   Asada earned 71.73 points, leaving another Japanese skater Rika Hongo to a distant second in 65.79. Courtney Hicks was third in 62.38. Chinese Li Zijun stood in fifth, 58.62. 

   "I am pleased with my performance," she said. 

   In ice dance, former world champions Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy had a bad fall in the warm-up but their dance was enough to earn them 66.39 points to lead the field. This year's Shanghai world championship runners-up Madison Chock and Evan Bates stood a close second on 65.36. Russians Elena Ilinykh and Ruslan Zhiganshin came third in 63.54.

   The Italian pair admitted that the little incident just before the competition put a dent on their performance.

   "That was quite an unexpected fall. We both hit our heads. We tried to ingore that but we felt that it affected our performance," said Cappellini. They just missed the podium in Shanghai in March.  Endi