Beaming Oda starts in winning style

HARTFORD, Conn. – Thursday night was a good start to the season for Japan, the rising power in men’s skating, and a so-so beginning for the United States at Skate America.

Nobunari Oda, the fourth-place finisher in the world championships in March, punctuated his blossoming status in figure skating with the second-highest score for a short program at an ISU event. His 81.80 points easily beat American Evan Lysacek, the two-time world bronze medalist.

Oda, who won the world junior title last year and Four Continents earlier in 2006, didn’t miss an element, and his score fell short only of the Turin Olympics performance by champion Evgeni Plushenko. Lysacek, meanwhile, touched down on his triple axel.

That dropped Lysacek to third behind France’s Alban Preaubert, whose lively routine to “Bumble-Bee Boogie” had the small crowd buzzing in the first event of the Grand Prix series.

The 19-year-old Oda, who wears a smile everywhere, had every reason to beam heading into today’s free skate.

“I enjoyed my skating today, and the audience was so good,” he said. “I’m not (here) just to win, just skating as myself. I didn’t think I could do my personal best.”

His score was plenty good enough. He hit a huge triple axel to open his program, then a precise triple lutz-triple toe loop combination. His footwork to “Fly Me to the Moon” was celestial, and he finished with a series of quick spins that obviously impressed the judges.

Japan already has made its mark in women’s skating, with Shizuka Arakawa winning the Olympic gold medal. Oda is one of several young Japanese men who bear watching.

Two-time U.S. champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin won the pairs short program despite a spotty showing in which she singled a side-by-side double axel and also two-footed their trademark throw triple axel – a move only they have done in competition.

Inoue is skating with a swollen right ankle injured two weeks ago. Baldwin has been bothered by a groin problem since last November, but only began therapy on it a few months ago.

Second heading into Saturday’s free skate are fellow Americans Naomi Nari Nam and Themi Leftheris, in their first senior Grand Prix event.