Kwan’s Balancing Act Makes Impression

Apparently, Michelle Kwan can balance school and skating perfectly.

Kwan received one perfect 6.0 for artistry Friday night in easily winning the short program at Skate America. The three-time U.S. champion and 1998 Olympic silver medalist swept the judging panel and gave an early indication that being a freshman at UCLA won’t dampen her skating skills.

“I was calm. I actually thought of school,” she said with a chuckle. “I thought, ‘What am I doing out here? I should be doing homework.’

“Then I thought, ‘School, skating--it’s all right to have some fun. I know I can let it rip.’ ”

Which is just what the two-time world champion did. Skating to Beatles music for the first time in her career--albeit Jeff Beck’s searing interpretation of “A Day in the Life”--she was as smooth as freshly cleaned ice. Kwan nailed a double axel to start off, hit a lovely triple lutz-double toe loop combination, and a triple toe.

She so impressed the Russian judge that he gave her a 6.0, something coach Frank Carroll called a first. It was her 21st perfect score in Olympic-eligible competition.

Sarah Hughes, the 14-year-old rising star from Long Island, was second with a flowing program.

Two-time world champion Alexei Yagudin, benefiting from generous judging after a sloppy routine, won the men’s short program.

Yagudin, using the season’s first major international competition as a tuneup--he will get no points here in the Grand Prix series because he will compete in two other events--landed a sharp quadruple toe loop. But his shaky triple axel-double toe was unimpressive and his spins were slow.

Still, he edged American champion Michael Weiss, who stepped out of his quad, but had a strong triple axel-triple toe combination. Weiss, who will get points in this competition, edged countryman Timothy Goebel.

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A grievance filed against renowned figure skating coach Richard Callaghan for sexual misconduct and exploitation has been dismissed by the Professional Skaters Assn.

PSA president Gerry Lane said Friday a three-member committee charged with examining claims by Craig Maurizi, a former student and colleague of Callaghan, unanimously found no violation of the ethics standards of the organization. The PSA certifies coaching in American figure skating, but coaches do not have to join.

“I am happy with the decision,” Callaghan said. “However, no decision can really compensate for the damage it has done my reputation and the grief these allegations caused my wife and daughter.”