Brezina wins Skate America crown

Michal Brezina didn't deliver all his promised fireworks, but he held on to win the Skate America men's title on Saturday to claim his first career title in an ISU Grand Prix event. The Czech opened with a superb triple axel, but he didn't go for two quadruple jumps as originally planned. He also fell on a triple lutz and stumbled on a footwork sequence, but with a comfortable lead after the short programme his total of 216.00 was enough to hold off Belgian Kevin Van Der Perren. Van Der Perren had top marks in the free skate but settled for silver with 212.48 points. World silver medallist Takahiko Kozuka, who also struggled with several of his jumps, was third with 212.09 points. "I didn't do what I wanted to do," acknowledged Brezina, who said his coaches nixed the quadruples. "I'm happy with the place, but I'm defnintely not happy with my skating." Van Der Perren, who opened his free skate with a quadruple toeloop, was pleased with his performance. "The quad was there, which was the most important thing for me," said Van Der Perren, who is gearing his season toward the European Championships in Sheffield, England, in Janaury.