Chan seizes lead at skating Grand Prix Final

World champion Patrick Chan slammed into the barrier on landing his opening quad-triple jump combination, but carried on to claim the early lead in his title defence at the ISU Grand Prix Final. Afterwards, Canada's Chan said he felt like Midori Ito, referring to the time the Japanese world champion fell through the opening in the barrier at the 1991 worlds in Munich. "I was quite shocked. I said some bad words, got back into the mood and stayed focussed and that saved me a lot of points," said Chan, noting the only thing he injured was his ego. Chan led after the short programme with a total of 86.63 points. Italy's Carolina Kostner seized the lead in the ladies' short, delivering on her potential as she established a solid five-point lead over her nearest rival Akiko Suzuki. American Jeremy Abbott did not attempt a quad, but with just one small miscue on the landing of his triple flip his performance earned 82.66 points and second place after the men's short -- just ahead of Javier Fernandez, the first Spaniard to qualify for the Final in the figure skating Grand Prix series. Fernandez, who nailed a textbook quadruple toe loop to open, scored 81.26 and admitted that just being at the Grand Prix Final was "a very big surprise". "If someone had said before the season started that I was going to be here, I would have never believed them... It wasn’t perfect, but it was good. I’m trying to keep calm," said the charming athlete, 10th in the world last season and now training in Canada with Brian Orser. Japan’s 2010 world titleholder Daisuke Takahashi had a rough ride and was back in fifth place (76.49). Kostner, who has a long history of inconsistency in pressure situations, executed a picture-perfect performance, starting with a solid triple-triple toe loop jump combination and triple loop. She netted 66.43 points to Suzuki’s 61.30. Close behind the Japanese are Russian Alena Leonova (60.46), who also opened with a triple-triple combo, and defending Grand Prix champion Alissa Czisny, of the US (60.30). The tightness of scores should produce an exciting final free skate. Kostner admitted to being "quite nervous" after her warm-up. "I tried to forget about everything and just do it like I did in practice. I’m very happy to finally have done a short with no mistakes," said Kostner, the bronze medallist at the 2011 world championships. The resurgent Suzuki did not earn a berth on her world team last season due to the wealth of talented female skaters in Japan, including Miki Ando, the reigning world champion who chose not to compete this season. The women’s field was reduced to five competitors with the withdrawal of another Japanese, twice world champion Mao Asada. She headed home Thursday after learning her mother was critically ill, and Kyoko Asada died before her daughter reached Japan. Three-time world pairs champions from Germany, Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, will have to come from behind to succeed in their Grand Prix title defence after a stellar showing by Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov gave the Russians the early lead on 71.57 points. The Germans also skated well except for her stumble out of their throw triple flip. They were lying second on 69.82 behind the fast-rising couple from Russia, who joined forces just 18 months ago. China’s Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao, who missed all of last season due to his injuries, were third with 63.43 points. The men, women and pairs finals are on Saturday. In ice dance, Meryl Davis and Charlie White, of the United States, outshone their archrivals and training mates Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, of Canada, in the short dance. A shocking spill by Moir left the 2010 Olympic champions with lots of ground to make up on the reigning world champion Americans in Sunday’s final. Davis and White lead 76.17 to the Canadians' 71.01. French duo Natalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat are third with 68.68.