11:42 a.m., Oct. 29, 2007--University of Delaware freshman Kimmie Meissner, the U.S. national figure skating champion and 2006 world champion, won her first International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix event by capturing the championship at the Skate America event in Reading, Pa., on Sunday.

It was the opening competition of the 2008 ISU Grand Prix season and was televised live by NBC-TV, which noted in its broadcast that Meissner attends UD. Meissner, who is coached by Pam Gregory, has been training at the University's internationally renowned Ice Skating Science Development Center since she was 8 years old.

Meissner gained a lead on the star-packed field by finishing first in the short program, and skated a strong free program to amass 163.23 points. Miki Ando of Japan finished second with 161.89 points, followed by Americans Caroline Zhang, with 153.35 points, and Emily Hughes, with 140.50 points.

Photo by Kathy F. Atkiinson