The Championships kicked off with the Men's Qualifying Rounds A and B. The Qualifying Round counts 20 percent towards the final score. The top 15 skaters from each group advance to the Short Program.

Evan Lysacek first in group A
Group A was drawn to skate first. Evan Lysacek (USA) and Andrei Griazev (RUS), two top-contenders in this event, finished first and second in this group.

Junior Grand Prix
Lysacek, who had won the 2004 Junior Grand Prix Final ahead of Griazev, stepped out of his opening triple Axel but landed a triple Axel-triple toeloop combination right after this in his program to Sergei Rakhmaninov's Second Piano Concerto.

Five more triples
The Four Continents bronze medalist hit five more triples including a triple Lutz-triple toeloop combination and showed fast spins to earn marks ranging from 5.5 to 5.7 for both technical merit and presentation.

Jet Lag
“I had some bad jet lag today, so (coach) Frank Carroll told me earlier today that this Championships is more of a marathon, less of a sprint. Just pace yourself and don't overexert anything today. Don't get too excited, don't push yourself too hard, because the next two programs count for a lot more”, Lysacek commented. “I just got through it and I did the best I could for today. It wasn't the very best I can do, so I'm hoping to improve upon it.”

No second triple Axel
Griazev opened his program to a selection of Fellini soundtracks with a triple Axel-triple toeloop and a triple Salchow-triple toeloop combination. He decided not to do a second triple Axel, but he landed four more triple jumps, he only stepped out of his triple flip, and his combination spin was a bit wobbly.

“I felt tired, but overall it went quite well”
Griazev's marks ranged from 5.2 to 5.7 for technical merit and from 5.3 to 5.6 for presentation. “I felt tired, but overall it went quite well”, the 18-year-old Russian said. “It was tough to skate, this rink is so cold. I left out the second triple Axel, because this is just Qualifying and I don't have to put too much pressure on myself. There are two more days of competition ahead of me. I doesn't really matter if you are first or second in Qualifying.” Referring to the fact that his coach Tatiana Tarasova didn't come, he explained: “Of course I know what I have to do, but it's not so easy without my coach. But it isn't easy for anybody.” 

Kazumi Kishimoto
Kazumi Kishimoto of Japan finished third. Skating to “Ketushi”, a Japanese soundtrack, he produced a triple Axel-double toeloop combination, a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination as well as three more good triple jumps. He only two-footed his second triple Axel and doubled the loop. The skater was pleased with his performance. “I was fourth at Junior Worlds last year and I really hope to medal this year”, he said.

Alban Preaubert
Last year's Junior Worlds bronze medalist Alban Preaubert of France captured Group B ahead of Russia's Denis Leushin and Dennis Phan (USA).

Preaubert nailed a triple Axel-triple toeloop combination and a triple flip-triple toe (but he stumbled on the second jump). Skating to “Zinzin et Revolution” by Hugues le Bars, the Frenchman completed three more triples, but he stepped out of his loop and missed the second Axel.

"I risked the triple Axel-triple"
His marks went up to 5.5 for technical merit and up to 5.6 for presentation. “That wasn't so bad, but I can certainly do better”, the 18-year-old said. “I risked the triple Axel-triple toeloop combination which was the most difficult element in my program. I'll put in the quad (toeloop) for sure in the final free skating, and I have to land the second triple Axel. I was third last year at Junior Worlds and I hope at least to repeat this result.”

Leushin
Leushin, who is a newcomer to Junior Worlds, put out a solid program to place second. He hit five clean triples including an Axel, but he two-footed a triple toeloop and he fell during his circular footwork in his routine to “Westside Story”.

Leushin's marks ranged from 4.9 to 5.3 (A) and from 4.6 to 5.5 (B). “I didn't have so many competitions this season, just two Grand Prix events, Russian Senior and Junior Nationals”, Leushin explained.

“My coach and I try to get more consistency and confidence with each performance. I made it to Junior Worlds for the first time and considering this, I think it was good. I managed my jumps, I only made a mistake on one jump and I fell in the footwork. I felt a bit tired, but I didn't expect it (the fall).”

Phan
Performing to the “Three Musketeers” soundtrack, Phan showed a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination and went for a rare triple loop-triple loop combination, but the second jump was underrotated. The American fell on his second triple Lutz and his triple Axel, but he produced two more triple jumps.

His marks ranged from 4.5 to 5.2 for both technical merit and presentation. “My program was ok, but not what I expected”, Phan admitted. “I have been practising very well. I went out there and thought my program was ok, but it could have been better.”


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