Gracie Gold tops World Championships short program

Gracie Gold skated the best short program of her universal vocation at an advantageous time and is in position to end a nine-year U.S. ladies' award dry season at the World Championships.

Gold leads in the wake of scoring an American record 76.43 focuses in Boston on Thursday, going into the free skate Saturday (9 p.m. ET, NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra).

"We're just part of the way through, yet I can sort of see the promising finish to the present course of action, that perhaps the dry season is consummation, which would be astounding," said Gold, the two-time U.S. champion who was fourth at the 2014 Olympics and 2015 Worlds.

She was 2.45 superior to anything Russian runner-up Anna Pogorilaya, nailing every last bit of her seizes TD Garden, including a triple Lutz-triple toe circle blend.

Subsequent to completing, Gold secured her hands on top of her fair hair at focus ice while getting an overwhelming applause as the penultimate skater.

"It was a truly otherworldly minute," said the 20-year-old Gold, who was conceived in adjacent Newton, Mass., brought up in Illinois and lives in California. "Everything became alright. … It felt like there was something in the stadium."

Russian pre-Worlds most loved Yevgenia Medvedeva is third, 2.7 focuses behind after not getting every last bit of her hops freshly.

"I unquestionably could demonstrate more potential and wanting to do that in the free skate," Medvedeva, the 2015 World junior champion skating in her first senior Worlds, said through an interpreter. 'When I ventured out and saw the full stands and the onlookers so near the ice, I understood this is a major stage."

Three-time U.S. champion Ashley Wagner is in fourth after an individual best short program, after which she stumbled and fell on her behind on the ice.

It's additionally Wagner's best position after an Olympics or Worlds short program in her seventh appearance, one year after she fought over from eleventh spot in the Worlds short to complete fifth.

"I'm so eager to at last get over that protuberance of the short program at Worlds," Wagner said. "My greatest trouble when I skate a perfect short is isolating it going into the long. … Now it's dependent upon me to accomplish something like today."

Gold is the principal U.S. lady to lead a World Championships short program subsequent to Mirai Nagasu in 2010. Nagasu additionally skated Thursday, in her first Worlds since 2010, setting tenth (video here).

The last time a U.S. lady earned a World Championships decoration was 2006, when Kimmie Meissner took gold and Sasha Cohen bronze. The nine-year U.S. ladies' award dry season is their longest in the Winter Olympic period.

"Notwithstanding the dry spell or how long it's been, it would mean a considerable measure just to be on the platform in your nation of origin," Gold said. "I need to do it for myself, for my emotionally supportive network, for U.S. Figure Skating, for Boston."

Japanese award trusts Satoko Miyahara and three-time World champion Mao Asada sit 6th and ninth, individually.

The World Championships proceed with the free move on Thursday at 8 ET (NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra).

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Ladies' Short Program

1. Gracie Gold (USA) — 76.43

2. Anna Pogorilaya (RUS) — 73.98

3. Yevgenia Medvedeva (RUS) — 73.76

4. Ashley Wagner (USA) — 73.16

10. Mirai Nagasu (USA) — 65.74