World champion Kim sets points record at Skate America

World champion Kim capped the mesmerizing performance to a James Bond medley with a marksman's pose that would make Sean Connery or Daniel Craig proud.

“I'm trying to do a clean program every time,” she said after blowing away the field, grabbing a 17.48-point lead over American Rachael Flatt. “It's not about the score. I don't want to think about the score.”

Kim even admitted breaking the world mark was a surprise — to her, if not to the adoring fans who began buzzing when she came out for warmups, erupted in cheers when she finished, then pressed their faces against windows overlooking the interview area.

There were banners proclaiming “Queen Kim” and even ones portraying the 19-year-old sensation as a Simpsons character and as the Pink Panther. On this night, she did everything but carve 007 into the ice.

“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.”

If she keeps skating this way, she'll be wearing gold in Vancouver in February. Asked if she can be beaten, she opened her mouth wide and shrugged.

Flatt had a rare fall in her program, but still beat Julia Sebestyen of Hungary by 0.26 points. Flatt, who was fifth at the worlds in Los Angeles in March, was asked about the intimidation factor in facing Kim.

“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.”

And, for now, out of reach.

Two-time Olympic bronze medalists Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China were pairs winners, another big step toward Vancouver in their comeback.

They were nowhere near as clean or impressive as in their sensational short program the previous day. Still, they added their first Skate America title to their victory at Cup of China two weeks ago. Not a bad way to start a comeback after retiring two years ago.

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

The free skate was marred by a nasty fall by Canadian Meagan Duhamel, forcing her and Craig Buntin to withdraw. Duhamel fell hard to the ice, landed on her shoulder, then banged her head on the surface. But the injury was to her right leg, in which Buntin said his partner has had several stress fractures.

“It's an old injury,” he said, “and on the throw loop her foot stuck in the ice. She said she couldn't feel her leg at first.

“After the camel spin, she almost stopped, as well. But she said her head is OK. I've known Meagan for years and we all know she has a very thick head.”

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