KWAN GRACEFULLY WINS U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP.

Byline: Associated Press

Michelle Kwan probably could have won her third national title wearing snowshoes.

To her credit, the two-time world champion was unaffected by the lack of competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Her superb free skate, marred only by a late fall on a triple lutz she didn't need, was plenty good enough Saturday night.

``It was one of those performances where I just let it go,'' said Kwan.

Earlier Saturday, after two years of barely missing a national title, Michael Weiss was nearly flawless in the men's event.

Kwan, who has won the U.S. title in 1996, '98 and this year, made her other six triple jumps, including a triple toe loop-triple toe loop combination, look effortless. Her spins were precise and she ignored her fall to finish strongly with a series of spins.

``I don't know what happened. I thought I had it,'' she said of the fall. ``I was straight in the air. I guess I just didn't check out, but I knew to get right back up and keep on going.

``From the beginning, my goal was to do the triple-triple, because I haven't done it in a year or maybe more,'' added Kwan, 18.

Her routine to ``Ariane,'' earned 10 5.9s and the rest 5.8s. The performance was by far the highlight of a night on which many skaters couldn't even land a triple.

Two 13-year-olds finished in the top four. Californian Naomi Nari Nam, who was fourth at the U.S. juniors a year ago, jumped and spun her way to second place. Sarah Hughes, second in this year's junior worlds, was fourth.

Angela Nikodinov surged from fifth overall to third with a strong free skate, worth two-thirds of the total score.

Nari Nam is too young to go to next month's world championships, but Hughes can take her place because of an International Skating Union rule allowing a medalist at junior worlds to compete at senior worlds, regardless of age.

Weiss fell early on his quadruple toe loop, but it didn't matter after he hit eight triple jumps, four in combination. He responded to the pressure of coming to nationals a heavy favorite following runner-up finishes to Todd Eldredge the last two years.

``I worked real hard for this,'' Weiss said. ``I felt like this was my national championships and I didn't want anyone to take it away from me.

``People look at you a little differently when you have that title. A lot of times people skate with a little bit more enthusiasm and a little more confidence, so it's good to have that title.''

Weiss, 22, of Fairfax, Va., leads a young squad to worlds. Only Weiss, seventh at the Nagano Olympics last February and sixth at the 1998 worlds, has much senior international experience. And he hadn't won a major competition since 1996.

The surprise member of the three-man world team is Trifun Zivanovic, who surged from seventh in '98 to second this year.The 23-year-old from Los Angeles drew a standing ovation for his routine to ``West Side Story.'' He nailed seven triple jumps in the best performance of his career, capping a solid season in which he has not finished worse than second in four events.

``I said when I got off the ice, I didn't care what place I got, it felt so good to skate that way,'' added Zivanovic, who saluted the crowd, throwing kisses and pumping his arms. When he reached the kiss-and-cry area, coach Gary Visconti placed a hat on Zivanovic's head and he wildly waved it in the air.

``Uplifting, one of the greatest feelings in my life,'' Zivanovic said. ``It's a dream come true.''

Timothy Goebel, 18, the only American to land a quad in competition, was third.

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Photo

PHOTO Michelle Kwan of Torrance reacts to the crowd after her winning performance in the U.S. Figure Skating championship.

Beth A. Keiser/Associated Press