体坛英语新闻：China's Peng/Jin lead pairs at Skate America

BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese figure skating pair Peng Cheng/Jin Yang led the pairs short program at the Skate America on Friday in Las Vegas, according to the official website of International Skating Union (ISU).

Skating to 'Alegria', Peng/Jin, fourth in the 2019 Figure Skating World Championships, competed a triple twist, throw triple loop and difficult lift, but Peng stepped out of the triple toeloop. Nevertheless, the 2019 Four Continents bronze medalists earned a season's best with 72.73 points.

Daria Pavliuchenko/Denis Khodykin of Russia ranked second in 71.25, followed by US Champions Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy Le Duc with 68.20.

"We made a mistake on the side by side jump (triple toe) obviously, but the rest of the elements were quite good and we're satisfied overall with the performance," Jin said.

"The hardest part at the beginning of the season is to get back into competition mode. It's been half a year since the end of the last season," added Peng.

America's two-time reigning world champion Nathan Chen launched his bid for a third straight Skate America title in style, scoring 102.71 points to lead the men's short program.

Skating to "La Boheme", Chen opened his program with a quadruple Lutz, followed by a triple Axel and a quadruple toe-triple toe combination.

Russian Dmitri Aliev was in second place, trailing Chen with 96.57. Canadian Keegan Messing was in third on a personal-best 96.34. China's Jin Boyang only ranked ninth due to some mistakes in his jumps.

In the lady's short program, former US champion Bradie Tennell took lead with 75.10. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto and Wakaba Higuchi came second and third with 73.25 points and 71.76 respectively.

In rhythm dance, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue from the United States took first with 83.45. Russia's Alexandra Stepanov/Ivan Bukin placed second with 80.46, while Canada's Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Sorensen were third at 77.85.