US star Wagner wins Skate America crown

Uno leads men’s short-program

CHICAGO, Oct 23, (AFP): Ashley Wagner, a three-time US champion and this year’s world championship runnerup, captured her second Skate America women’s crown Saturday after finishing second in the free skate.

Wagner took the title with 196.44 points to 121.59 for Mariah Bell, the 20-year-old American who won the free skate in only her second ISU Grand Prix event.

Bell set a personal best of 130.67 to win the free skate with Wagner next on 126.94 and Japanese teen Mai Mihara third on 123.53 to finish third overall on 189.28. women’s podium sweep at Skate America since Michelle Kwan led the way 20 years ago after reigning US champion Gracie Gold, a hometown hero who was third in the short program, fell twice in the free skate and settled for fifth.

Gold, 21, has won two of the past three US titles and was fourth at the 2014 Winter Olympics as well as the past two World Championships.

Japanese 18-year-old Shoma Uno, who earlier this year became the first skater to land a quadruple flip in international competition, won the men’s short program with 89.15 points.

Uno was last year’s Skate America runnerup in his seniorlevel Grand Prix debut and third in last season’s Grand Prix Final at Barcelona.

Shoma Uno of Japan competes in the men short program at 2016 Progressive Skate America at Sears Centre Arena on Oct

22, in Chicago, Illinois. (AFP)