Kwan Is Perfect Times Three to Win

Michelle Kwan made sure to collect a few more 6.0 scores before they disappear into figure skating history.

The Torrance native got three perfect marks for her short program Thursday and was ranked first by all nine judges, her first step toward a record-tying ninth U.S. title.

Radiant in red as she skated to the Adagio from “Spartacus,” Kwan drew a standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd at the Rose Garden and padded her career total to 38 perfect scores at the U.S. Figure Skating championships.

“When I get to the kiss-and-cry [area], my job is done, and if I get a 3.1 I’m still happy with my performance,” said Kwan, the final skater. “With a 6.0 it’s like, ‘Oh, cool.’ ”

Sasha Cohen of Laguna Niguel, who recently moved back to Southern California after two years training in the Northeast, was ranked second by every judge. She put her hand down on the landing of the first jump in her required combination jump but earned eight 5.8s and one 5.9 for presentation.

Jenny Kirk, who trains in El Segundo, was third after a vibrant program to “Chicago.”

Kwan and Cohen came dangerously close to colliding in the warmup while Kwan was landing a jump and Cohen was taking off, but Kwan said it didn’t bother her. “It’s a six-minute warmup and it’s intense,” she said. “It happens all the time.”

Cohen’s marks for required elements included one 5.4 but also a 5.8. Her presentation scores were one 5.8 and eight 5.9s.

“I feel like it’s the first time this year everything has come together for me,” she said. “Nationals is a pretty prestigious event. It would mean a lot to win. But I’m going into these nationals thankful I’m doing what I’m doing.”

The women’s event came at the end of a trying day as skaters came to grips with the death Wednesday of skater Angela Nikodinov’s mother, Dolores.

A tearful but determined Tim Goebel won the men’s short program on a tiebreaker over a stirring performance by defending champion Johnny Weir. Each got four first-place votes but Goebel’s routine to a Rachmaninov concerto was ranked second by five judges, compared to three second-place rankings for Weir’s “Rondo Capriccioso.”

Evan Lysacek, who trains in El Segundo, got the other first-place vote and a perfect 6.0 for presentation from judge Doug Williams of Los Angeles. Three-time U.S. champion Michael Weiss fell on the first part of his combination jump and was fifth. The short program is worth one-third of each skater’s score.

Goebel, a former training partner of Nikodinov, landed a quadruple-double combination jump; Weir did a triple-triple. Both displayed fine spins and deft footwork. Goebel’s marks for required elements rose from 5.7 to 5.9 and 5.6 to 5.9 for presentation and Weir’s required element marks went from 5.3 to 5.8 and his presentation marks from 5.6 to 5.9.

Weir said he watched Goebel skate because “I wanted to be there for support....

“He skated with his whole heart. It was difficult to go on after such an emotional program.... Today, I would say, Tim was unbeatable.”

Goebel, who left El Segundo to train in Fairfax, Va., last year, left the ice to a standing ovation from the crowd of 5,226. He fell into the arms of his coach, Audrey Weisiger, sobbing from stress and sorrow.

“I was just sort of relieved I had survived,” said Goebel, who withdrew from last year’s U.S. competition because of boot and back problems. “It was a really rough day. I’m glad it turned out as well as it did.”

Goebel slept little after hearing of Dolores Nikodinov’s death. He said he spoke to Angela by phone Thursday and that she was coping well; he plans to visit her in California next week.

“We share a special bond,” he said, recalling that he consoled her after the death of her coach, Elena Tcherkasskaia, in 2001. “It’s pretty hard not to be able to see her. The hard thing is I still have a job to do and a world team to make, and demons to beat from last year.”

Lysacek was delighted with his “Espania Cani” scores because the 6.0 will vanish next season with the implementation of a cumulative scoring system.

“That’s so cool,” said the Chicago native, whose summer training was limited because of a stress fracture in his left hip.

The U.S. can send three men, three women, two pairs and two dance teams to the world championships in Moscow in March. The dance competition ends today with the free dance and the pairs event with the free skate.