Nagasu wins in China

In the men's event Japan's Takahiko Kozuka dominated, while French couple Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat were the winners of the short dance and the Chinese duo of Pang Qing and Tong Jian took the honours in the pairs competition.

17-year-old Nagasu was delighted with her return, but admitted that she had spent most of her time out with injury not thinking about skating.

"I'm not going to lie," she said. "I had a really good time off the ice for two months. I got to go to the beach - even though I live in California, I never get to go - so I didn't really think about my injury and before I knew it, I had to go back on the ice."

Nagasu's score of 58.76 was bolstered by a series of smooth jumps with only her triple flip less than impressive. She edged Japanese defending champion Akiko Suzuki out into second place (57.97) while Miki Ando came third with a score of 56.11.

An impressive score of 77.40 for Kozuka was enough to head the men's field after the first day.

Frenchman Brian Joubert came second, feeling sharper but still seeking improvements in his form.

"I'm happy about my short program - quad toe-triple toe - it makes me very confident for tomorrow. But I have to fix my triple axel and I have to change my spins," he said.

The French duo of Pechalat and Bourzat performed a waltz which the judges considered far better than the programmes of any of their rivals.

Italian couple Federico Faiella and Massimo Scali were a distant seven points behind in second place, while the Russians Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev finished third.

In the evening's final event the Chinese pair of Pang and Tong were challenged all the way by compatriots Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, with the American partnership of Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin scooping third place.

1. Mirai Nagasu (USA) 58.76 pts

2. Akiko Suzuki (JPN) 57.97

3. Miki Ando (JPN) 56.11

4. Geng Bingwa (CHN) 51.09

5. Alena Leonova (RUS) 50.79

6. Joshi Helgesson (SWE) 48.83

7. Amanda Dobbs (USA) 46.73

8. Kristine Musademba (USA) 40.80

9. Min-Jeong Kwak (KOR) 38.83

10. Diane Szmiett (CAN) 38.17

11. Zhu Qiuying (CHN) 35.61

1. Takahiko Kozuka (JPN) 77.40 pts

2. Brian Joubert (FRA) 74.80

3. Tomas Verner (CZE) 70.31

4. Brandon Mroz (USA) 69.84

5. Sergei Voronov (RUS) 68.70

6. Ross Miner (USA) 67.10

7. Tatsuki Machida (JPN) 66.78

8. Guan Jinlin (CHN) 64.95

9. Samuel Contesti (ITA) 60.60

10. Peter Liebers (GER) 59.78

11. Wu Jialiang (CHN) 57.76

12. Chen Peitong (CHN) 54.85

1. Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat (FRA) 64.12 pts

2. Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali (ITA) 57.21

3. Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev (RUS) 55.85

4. Nora Hoffmann/Maxim Zavozin (HUN) 52.69

5. Huang Xintong/Zheng Xun (CHN) 49.70

6. Kharis Ralph/Asher Hill (CAN) 48.10

7. Yu Xiaoyang/Wang Chen (CHN) 45.33

8. Madison Hubbell/Keiffer Hubbell (USA) 44.47

9. Guan Xueting/Wang Meng (CHN) 40.19

10. Isabella Cannuscio/Ian Lorello (USA) 38.34

1. Pang Qing/Tong Jian (CHN) 60.62 pts

2. Sui Wenjing/Han Cong (CHN) 59.58

3. Caitlin Yankowskas/John Coughlin (USA) 57.86

4. Lubov Iliushechkina/Nodari Maisuradze (RUS) 55.85

5. Amanda Evora/Mark Ladwig (USA) 51.46

6. Nicole Della Monica/Yannick Kocon (ITA) 49.81

7. Dong Huibo/Wu Yiming (CHN) 46.05

8. Kaleigh Hole/Adam Johnson (CAN) 43.02