The two reigning world champions lived up to their billing, America's Lysacek turning in a strong free skate to claim the first Skate America title of his career.

Lysacek didn't display the brilliance that marked his short program on Friday, but he had plenty to seize the men's title ahead of Canada's Shawn Sawyer.

Lysacek's free skate included seven triple jumps. He finished with crowd-pleasing footwork and an impressive combination spin.

His total of 237.72 points was comfortably in front of Sawyer's 203.91. American Ryan Bradley was third.

"This was a very big step forward since Cup of China," Lysacek said, referring to his runner-up finish to Japan's Nobunari Oda in Beijing two weeks ago. "I had no technical deductions. I'll work on my program at home and my concentration and strength for the Grand Prix final."

Kim underscored her status as early favorite to lift ladies' gold in Vancouver as she hit the bull's eye again as a sultry Bond girl.

Kim broke her own record for most points garnered for a short program, earning 76.28 from the judges and a standing ovation from the crowd for her program to a medley of James Bond music.

"I'm trying to do a clean program every time," said Kim, who capped her routine with a teasing pistol-pointing gesture reminiscent of the celluloid spy.

She was 17.48 points ahead of second-placed Rachael Flatt of the United States.

"It's not about the score. I don't want to think about the score," said Kim, whose appearance on the ice was greeted by South Korean flags and banners proclaiming her "Queen Kim."

"She wants to go out and skate well, show everybody what you are," said coach Brian Orser, a two-time Olympic silver medalist. "I think she's just excited about these new programs.

"They are such a good fit for her. She wears them well."

Flatt's program was marred by a fall, but she rallied to stay ahead of Hungary's Sebestyen heading into Sunday's free skate.

Flatt was asked if Kim's mere presence had becoming intimidating. The American said she enjoyed the atmosphere that surrounded the South Korean.

"She's pretty incredible," Flatt said. "For me, she's incredibly inspiring and someone I look up to. I'm just inspired when we get on the ice and I think: 'Cool, Yu-na is out here.'"

Chinese husband and wife pairs team Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo added their first Skate America title to their victory at Cup of China two weeks ago ?a superb start to a comeback from two years away from the sport.

Ukraine's Tatiana Volosozahar and Stanislav Morozov were a distant second.

The pairs free skate competition was marred by a scary fall by Canadian Meagan Duhamel, which forced her and Craig Buntin to withdraw.

Duhamel fell hard to the ice and reinjured her right leg. She landed first on her shoulder, but although she banged her head Duhamel said it was her leg, in which she has battled stress fractures, that was hurt and not her head.

Although they left competition for two years, Shen said she and Zhao may have actually benefitted from the exhibition work they did instead.

"When we didn't compete, the last two years, we skated in Stars on Ice and that really helped us with our presentation mark," she said.

Earlier Saturday, 2006 Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto extended their lead in ice dance in the original dance.

The Americans, who had already led after Friday's compulsory dance, take nearly a 14-point lead over Russians Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski into Sunday's free dance.