Phaneuf leads Rochette after short program

Last Updated: Friday, January 15, 2010 | 2:22 PM ET

By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports

Not only is Cynthia Phaneuf on target for the second Olympic spot up for grabs, she leads five-time defending champion Joannie Rochette after the ladies short program at the 2010 BMO Canadian figure skating championships.

Phaneuf of Contrecoeur, Que. skated a short program that combined grace and athleticism at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ont., earning a score of 66.30 points. Phaneuf achieved a score of 37.95 on her technical elements.

Phaneuf, who turns 21 on Saturday, was the last national champion before Rochette began her reign. She was then halted by knee and ankle injuries, missing the Olympics in 2006.

Phaneuf nailed a triple Lutz-double toe combination to set the tone in the short program, following with a series of well-executed spins and step sequences.

Coaches Annie Barabé and Sophie Richard exhorted her to "enjoy the moment" after her skate.

Phaneuf won in 2004 in Edmonton and was leading Rochette after the short program the following year in London and in Saskatoon last year. She won silver in both cases.

"I felt consistent," Phaneuf said. "It was nice to do with my parents and boyfriend in the crowd.

"The program felt good and leading feels good, but I'm coming here to make the Olympic team mostly. That's my goal. I think it does help my confidence. I was here in 2005, but I don't want to think about that."

Canada will send two women to qualify at the Vancouver Games next month.

Rochette fell on her opening triple Lutz. She recovered with a triple flip-double toe combination and finished with 64.15 points.

It was not the kind of start the Île-Dupas, Que., native wanted after finishing a disappointing fifth at the Grand Prix final in Japan last month.

Last year's world silver medallist began her string of five straight national titles in London in 2005.

"To be honest, I didn't feel that the short was any weaker than what I had this season," said Rochette. "You know, stuff like that happens, and you have to deal with it. That's what I did today. And I was still able to get a good score to be in a good position for the free skate."

Rochette has already clinched one of the Olympic spots. Amelie Lacoste of Delson, Que., is still very much in the mix for the other should Phaneuf succumb to nerves on Saturday, which has happened in the past.

Lacoste, the former Canadian junior champion who finished third in Saskatoon last year, had few missteps in a program that netted her 53.99 points.

Myriane Samson of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., and Adriana DeSanctis of Barrie, Ont., round out the top five.

Dianne Szmiett of nearby Watford, Ont., fell on a triple Lutz attempt early in her program for a disappointing sixth. She finished fourth at nationals last year.

Vancouver's Mira Leung, the three-time silver medallist behind Rochette between 2006-08 who skated at the Torino Games, was 15th.

The women's free skate will take place Saturday afternoon (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 3 p.m. ET).