Lipinski On A Roll As Kwan Continues To Have Troubles

The rise of Tara Lipinski and the falls for Michelle Kwan continued Friday night at the Champions Series finals in Hamilton, Ontario.

Lipinski, the precocious 14-year-old who became the youngest U.S. figure skating champion last month, won the short program at this season-ending series event for Olympic-eligible skaters. She was just as sharp against this international field of three Russians and three Americans as she was at nationals.

Kwan, meanwhile, kept plummeting from the top of the sport. She came in third behind the American titlist and Russia’s Maria Butryskaya, falling hard to the ice on her opening triple lutz and never finishing the required combination jump.