American Nathan Chen in first place after short program

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Two-time world champion Nathan Chen of the United States topped the short program with 102.71 points Friday at Skate America, the first of six events in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series

Dmitri Aliev, the 2018 European silver medalist and 2018 Russian national bronze medalist, was second at 96.57.

Canada’s Keegan Messing closed the program with a 96.34 to place third.

Jason Brown, the 2015 U.S. national champion, was fourth at 83.45.

In pairs, China’s Cheng Peng and Yang Jin led at 72.73. Russia’s Daria Pavliuchenko and Denis Khodykin were second at 71.25, and Americans Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc followed at 68.20.