Dash of Sasha

TURIN -- It might as well have been prom night at Olympus. Sasha Cohen had been waiting four hours and more, all made up like a Russian gypsy while an endless parade of Turks, Finns, Georgians, Uzbeks, Australians, and North Koreans had their three minutes under a five-ringed spotlight. Kimmie Meissner, her rookie teammate, already had skated, gone to dinner, and come back to the rink by the time America's new ice queen got to take off her skateguards and strike a pose.

''It was definitely tough," said Cohen, after she'd skated last but ended up first ahead of Russia's Irina Slutskaya and Japan's Shizuka Arakawa after the women's short program at the Palavela. ''Eleven-thirty at night, skating against the best women in the world . . . "

When Cohen is on top of her game, though, nobody on the planet is better. Last night, the Southern California diva skated a clean and graceful program to ''Dark Eyes," which brought the crowd out of its seats and gave her the lead by the width of a skate blade going into tomorrow night's long program.

''It's wonderful," said the 21-year-old Cohen, who finished second at the last two world championships. ''It means so much to me to skate well, and then to be rewarded on top of that is icing on the cake. Especially coming in second to Irina last year, it meant a lot to be on top."

Whether Cohen can stay there for four more minutes is the question. Two years ago in Germany, she led after the short program and ended up behind Arakawa. Four years ago in Salt Lake City, she was in medal position going into the free skate and didn't make the podium. ''Today was a very good start," observed John A.W. Nicks, Cohen's coach. ''But it was only a start."

Cohen's lead over Slutskaya is so minuscule -- three-100ths of a point (66.73-66.70) -- that the two might as well be tied and Arakawa is less than seven-10ths behind them. If Cohen comes unglued tomorrow, she easily could end up third or worse. But if she performs with as much confidence, poise, and serenity as she did last night, Cohen could be the third straight US skater to claim the crown.

''Everyone really wants the Olympic gold medal," says Cohen, who would be the eighth American champion if she holds up. ''It's what you want to put yourself through to get it. I think about it every day, usually twice a day: 'Oh, that would be so nice to take one of those home.' "

No Russian or Japanese woman ever has won at the Games and Slutskaya and Arakawa are under massive pressure to make it happen here. Which is why Slutskaya was jubilant after her effort and Arakawa relieved. ''I was so happy, I skated great," said the 27-year-old Slutskaya, who would be the oldest champion since 1908 if she wins. ''I think my best performance of the season."

After losing the Grand Prix title to Mao Asada, the 15-year-old Japanese skywalker who's too young to compete here, Slutskaya came here with much to prove. So did Arakawa, who finished ninth at last year's world championships after winning the title in 2004. ''I was a little bit nervous today," she said, after scaling down her planned triple lutz/triple loop to a triple-double because she felt she was losing her balance. ''But there were no major mistakes and it was OK."

Fear of falling reaches its height at Olympus except for those with nothing to lose, like Meissner and fellow teenager Emily Hughes, who went on the attack and are sitting fifth and seventh in their global debuts. ''Right now, I feel pretty good about going for a medal," said the 16-year-old Meissner, who was one of two skaters to land a triple-triple combination (lutz-toe).

Hughes, whose gilded sister Sarah was watching from the stands with the rest of the family, was delighted just to step on the ice after stepping in for the injured Michelle Kwan. ''A little over a week ago, I was worrying about school and getting ready for the SATs," said the 17-year-old Hughes, who high-fived coach Bonni Retzkin before she began. ''Now, I'm here."

Cohen, Slutskaya, and Arakawa all have been here before with one medal (Slutskaya's silver in 2002) to show for it. Tomorrow will be about gold, which is why Cohen lingered on the ice after her music stopped. ''I really wanted to soak it in," she said. ''You work so hard for this, it's nice to spend two minutes out there enjoying what you've accomplished."