America’s Nagasu surprise lead after short, as Kim crumbles and Asada fumbles

America’s Nagasu surprise leader after short

TURIN, Italy — American Mirai Nagasu is the unexpected leader after the short program at the World Figure Skating championships. Olympic champion Kim Yu-na is seventh after an uncharacteristically sloppy performance.

Olympic silver medalist and 2008 world champion Mao Asada is second while Finland’s Laura Lepisto is third. The women’s free skate is Saturday.

Nagasu was fourth at the Vancouver Olympics. On Friday, she underrotated her triple-triple combination but the rest of her short program was exemplary. She finished with a season-best 70.40, more than two points ahead of Asada — and 10 better than Kim, who has lost only one competition over the last two seasons.

Kim’s score was more than 18 points behind her record performance in Vancouver.