Kwan Recognized for Her Work

Incumbency has its privileges in figure skating, as defending U.S. champion Michelle Kwan demonstrated again here Thursday night.

Skating cautiously, methodically and at times a step out of sync with her music, Kwan nonetheless garnered glittering marks from the judges during the women’s short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships--including one perfect score of 6.0 for presentation.

That was half a dozen 6.0s shy of her record-breaking short-program performance at the 1998 nationals in Philadelphia, but still more than flattering for a routine Kwan and her coach both categorized as well off her best.

“I could’ve done some things better,” Kwan said. “The lutz was a little shaky. But overall I feel good about it.”

Kwan’s coach, Frank Carroll, described the routine as “probably not the best program of her life, but we are satisfied. . . . You have to remember: We are our own worst critics. I would call it a good, consistent performance.”

Kwan, of Lake Arrowhead, easily outdistanced the rest of a thin women’s field for first place heading into Saturday’ long program at the Delta Center. Two 13-year-olds placed among the top four Thursday--Sara Hughes of Great Neck, N.Y., in second and Naomi Nari Nam of Irvine fourth, despite a nasty fall that momentarily left Nam dazed and rubbing the back of her head before she skated on to complete her program.

Amber Corwin of Hermosa Beach skated a clean and seemingly underscored routine to place third, ahead of fifth-place Erin Pearl of Scarborough, Maine, and sixth-place Angela Nikodinov of San Pedro.

In the men’s short program, Michael Weiss and Timothy Goebel finished a predictable 1-2, both skating cleanly and confidently. The surprise was Trifun Zivanovic of Santa Monica, who outskated such veterans as Shepherd Clark, Damon Allen and Derrick Delmore for third place.

Zivanovic, a 23-year-old converted hockey player, is competing in his third U.S. Championships as a senior skater, never finishing higher than seventh. But recent results have been encouraging: a silver medal at the Vienna Cup, gold at the 1999 Pacific Coast Championships.

“I feel like I have more experience this year and much more to offer in this competition,” Zivanovic said.

Weiss, runner-up to Todd Eldredge at the 1997 and 1998 nationals, now finds himself in the unfamiliar role of odds-on favorite with Eldredge not in the field this year.

“It’s a different kind of pressure,” Weiss said. “I’m used to being the underdog. But this is a good position to be in. I’m sitting where I want to be right now.”

The men’s long program is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with the women’s long program following in the evening.