Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) Kim Yu Na was not infallible. She still was a winner at Skate America.

Reigning supreme: Kim Yu Na greets fans after winning her second straight Skate America title on Sunday in Lake Placid, N.Y. AP PHOTO

Not stumbling at all were Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who swept all three portions of ice dance.

Feeling nervous and "heavy," Kim, the world champion from South Korea, won her second straight Skate America title despite losing the free skate Sunday to American Rachael Flatt.

Kim made two major mistakes, including a fall on the triple flip — the one element on which she has struggled at times. That left enough of an opening for Flatt, the U.S. runnerup last January, to take the free program 116.11 points to 111.70.

But Kim had such a large lead after her surpassing short program that she took the gold medal by more than 13 points.

"Not every skater can achieve what they want every time," Kim said through a translator. "I felt my stamina was not that good. I couldn't move my body like what I thought.

"I got a very good score in my first Grand Prix in Paris and I was feeling the expectations from many people. I was under pressure about that.

"I learned a lot today — always try to focus on the next jump."

Flatt wasn't spectacular, either, and received no points for one of her spin sequences, when she almost seemed to lose her way on the ice. But she hit seven triple jumps and broke out in a huge smile after nailing a triple flip-triple toe loop on her second element.

Kim, meanwhile, landed only three triples cleanly.

"It's pretty exciting, I certainly skated like I train," Flatt said. "Personally, this was incredibly inspiring and a little exhausting at the end."

Flatt skated immediately before Kim, then watched the world champion struggle.

"She's a wonderful competitor and it's an honor to win the free skate," Flatt said. "It shows that everyone makes mistakes . . . though we're all perfectionists."

Kim heads to the Grand Prix Final next month in Tokyo, where she again will be the favorite. Flatt could be there, depending on what happens at Skate Canada next week; she is not competing there.

So Flatt is thinking ahead to January's national championships, where the two-woman Olympic squad will be chosen.

"This was a great performance for me and it gave me a lot of confidence heading into nationals," the 17-year-old Flatt said.

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