Figure Skating

World champion Kim Yu-Na wasn't perfect, but she was still good enough to win the Skate America figure skating grand prix title Sunday ahead of American Rachael Flatt.

South Korea's Kim won her second straight Skate America crown - and her seventh consecutive grand prix title.

But Kim, undisputedly the top woman figure skater in the world as the Vancouver Olympics approach, showed that there were still flaws to iron out.

Kim, skating just after Flatt's free skate drew a standing ovation from the home crowd, made two serious mistakes, including a fall on the triple flip.

Flatt won the free skate, garnering 116.11 points to Kim's 111.70. But after Kim's stellar short programme on Saturday, it wasn't enough to overtake the South Korean for the title. Flatt was second, ahead of Hungary's Julia Sebestyen.

Flatt hit seven triple jumps, grinning when she completed a triple flip-triple toe loop combination as her second element.

But the American had her problems, too, as one of her spin sequences received no points.

Even so, Flatt was pleased that she stepped up to the challenge of competing against Kim.

"It's pretty exciting, I certainly skated like I train," Flatt said. "Personally, this was incredibly inspiring and a little exhausting at the end."

After her performance, Flatt watched Kim's struggles.

"She's a wonderful competitor and it's an honour to win the free skate," Flatt said. "It shows that everyone makes mistakes ... though we're all perfectionists."

Kim, who landed just three triple jumps cleanly, said her programme was "terrible."

"Not every skater can achieve what they want every time," Kim said. "I felt my stamina was not that good. I couldn't move my body like what I thought.

"I got a very good score in my first Grand Prix in Paris and I was feeling the expectations from many people. I was under pressure about that.

"I learned a lot today - always try to focus on the next jump."

Kim, who has been training in Canada with two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, next heads to the Grand Prix Final in Tokyo next month.

Flatt could yet get a berth, depending on what happens next week at Skate Canada while she is idle.

Flatt, 17, said she was looking ahead to next January's US championships.

"This was a great performance for me and it gave me a lot of confidence heading into nationals," she said.

Americans Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto wrapped up their fifth ice dance crown by winning the free skate.

The Olympic silver medallists, skating to Ave Maria and Amen, had won both the compulsory and original dance portions of the competition and topped the free dance with 95.62 points for a total of 195.85.

They, too, booked their tickets to the Grand Prix Final, as did second-placed Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy.

"Once again, we felt able to execute all three segments of the competition," Agosto said. "Today was hard. We put a lot of energy into yesterday and this was not our very best.

"There's a long way to go to the end of the season and a lot of room to grow."

Cappellini and Lanotte were almost surprised to find themselves headed for the Grand Prix Final.

"We're still processing it," Cappellini said. "It's a bit unexpected. It was not exactly our goal this season. It's a good reward for everything we were doing this summer ... it's a big thing."

Israel's Alexandra Zaretski and Roman Zaretski were equally pleased with their bronze medal.

"This was definitely one of our best free dances we ever skated," he said. "I have no words. This is my first medal."