Japan's Machida dominates short programme at Skate America

Japan's Machida dominates short programme at Skate America

CHICAGO - Defending champ Tatsuki Machida took advantage of a major slip-up by Olympic bronze medalist Denis Ten as the post-Olympic figure skating season began in earnest at Skate America on Friday night.

Japan's Tatsuki Machida competes in the men's Short Program during the Skate America competition at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on October 24, 2014

Machida, who is seeking to extend Japan's dominance in the men's singles, landed all of his jumps cleanly en route to a score of 93.39 points to lead the men's short programme. Japanese men have won Skate America seven of the last nine years.

Kazakhstan's Ten fell on his opening quadruple jump and ended up in fourth place with 77.18 points

World Championship runner-up Machida leads two Americans as he tries to become the first repeat winner of the event since American Tim Goebel (2000-2001).

Jeremy Abbott, who skated for the USA in Sochi in February, is second with 81.82 points. The 29-year-old Abbott finished 12th in Russia. Jason Brown, 19, is third with 79.75 points.

Earlier, US Olympians Madison Chock and Evan Bates took the ice dance lead with 68.96 points in the short dance. American teammates Maia and Alex Shibutani were second with 64.14.

The Sochi Olympic ice dance gold and silver medalists -- Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White and Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir -- are taking the season off.

Chock and Bates were eighth in Sochi.

Skate America continues Saturday with the pairs short programme, women's short program, free dance and men's free skate.

The six-leg ISU series moves on from Chicago to Skate Canada, with further stops in November at the Cup of China in Shanghai, the Cup of Russia, the Trophee Bompard in France and the NHK Trophy.

All skaters must compete in two events with the top six in each of the four disciplines -- men's, women's, pairs and ice dance -- qualifying for the Grand Prix final in Barcelona from December 11-14.

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