Chen Wins Third Straight Skate America Crown
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Nathan Chen has grabbed his third straight Skate America Grand Prix title, delivering three quadruple jumps in a crowd-pleasing free skate to seal the gold.
The 20-year-old American, winner of the last two World titles, took a lead of more than six points into the closing free skate, where his program to Elton John's "Rocket Man" -- with a dash of dazzling footwork to "Bennie and the Jets" to close -- came off without a hitch at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"I'm really happy with that," said Chen, whose 196.38 points for the free skate gave him a total of 299.09 in the first event of the International Skating Union's Grand Prix series.
"That's a good starting score," he said. "Hopefully I can continue to build off of that.
****Nathan Chen, winner of the last two World titles, took a lead of more than six points into the closing free skate before grabbing his third straight Skate America Grand Prix title
The 20-year-old American, winner of the last two World titles, took a lead of more than six points into the closing free skate, where his program to Elton John's "Rocket Man" -- with a dash of dazzling footwork to "Bennie and the Jets" to close -- came off without a hitch at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"I'm really happy with that," said Chen, whose 196.38 points for the free skate gave him a total of 299.09 in the first event of the International Skating Union's Grand Prix series.
"That's a good starting score," he said. "Hopefully I can continue to build off of that.
****Nathan Chen, winner of the last two World titles, took a lead of more than six points into the closing free skate before grabbing his third straight Skate America Grand Prix title