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Asada, Joubert take lead at Grand Prix

Japanese teenager Mao Asada gave warning of her intention to defend her title at the ISU Grand Prix figure skating final on Friday by dominating the short program, as France's Brian Joubert took pole position in the men's event.

Asada, 16, scored 69.34 points to lead 18-year-old compatriot Miki Ando (67.52) with South Korean teenager Kim Yu-na, 16, in third position (65.06) going into yesterday's free skating final.

The six competitors took to the ice late after spending two hours stuck in traffic between their hotel in downtown St. Petersburg and the rink in the suburbs.

But Asada, who upset world number one Irina Slutskaya of Russia at last year's final, showed no signs of being bothered by the delay to give a faultless presentation to Sheherazade.

"The first thing my coach said after I came off the ice was that I skated brilliantly," Asada said.

"I was nervous this morning in practice but not when I came to the competition. My goal here is to skate better than I did at NHK Trophy," she said.

Skate America winner Ando, who finished second to Asada at the NHK Trophy, said that she was hampered by nerves: "I had to skate last and it made me nervous. I wanted to do everything cleanly, but I stumbled once."

"My foot has been hurting a little bit since the practice this morning, but I have been working with Nikolai Morozov for a year and he can prepare me mentally," she said.

Earlier Joubert dominated the men's event.

Despite touching the ice on his opening quadruple jump, he scored a personal best 80.75 points to open up a narrow advantage on Japan's Daisuke Takahashi (79.99). France's Alban Preaubert is third (71.63).

Two-time world silver medalist Joubert was the only competitor to attempt a quadruple jump in his performance to the James Bond Die Another Day soundtrack.

"I made a small mistake but the rest was very good. I really enjoyed it and after the triple axel I let myself go," Joubert said.

"Tomorrow I want to do two quads, maybe three if I fell good," he said.

Japanese national champion Takahashi gave an error-free performance to Tchaikovsky's Concert for Violin and Orchestra, with three triple jumps and a triple flip-triple toeloop combination.

But the 20-year-old admitted that he would have to lift his performance yesterday if he wants to beat Joubert, who is undefeated this season with two Grands Prix wins.

"I didn't manage to show the power of my skating," said Takahashi, winner of the NHK Trophy in Nagano.

"I had a problem in my footwork. I got tired towards the end of the program. Tomorrow I'll try to show all that I learned in practice," he said.

Preaubert, meanwhile, overcame an injury worry and a technical problem during his routine to stay in the chase for a podium place.

But Japan's Nobunari Oda and US skater Johnny Weir paid heavily for falls in their programs and lie fourth and fifth respectively.
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