KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia » Hannah Kearney’s quest for an Olympic repeat started flawlessly Thursday as she easily topped qualifying. The 27-year-old from New Hampshire posted a score of 23.05 to move into Saturday’s women’s moguls final and move one step closer to bookending the gold she won in Vancouver four years ago.

Canadian Chloe Dufour-Lapointe finished second in qualifying, just ahead of younger sister Justine and older sister Maxime, who came in eighth. The trio declined interview requests to focus on the next step.

U.S. already behind in team figure skating

SOCHI, Russia » Meryl Davis and Charlie White comforted and cheered their fellow Americans on a tough first night of competition for the U.S. in the new Olympic event of team figure skating.

Nice to have their support, no doubt. But the biggest pick-me-up they can provide? Two dazzling performances in ice dancing.

The United States team was tied for the fifth-most points after the Thursday short programs in the new Olympic event of team figure skating for the men and pairs, technically resting in seventh after tiebreakers among 10 nations.

Russia leads with 19 points, and the other favorite, Canada, has 17. The U.S. earned just 10 on Thursday, but has better balance then most of the squads ahead of it and two wins from its ice dancers would be worth 20 points.

Miller leads downhill training

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia » Bode Miller is at his fifth Olympics and already owns a U.S.-record five Alpine medals, so in many ways he certainly already has, as he put it Thursday, "been here and done this."

While Miller’s past accomplishments, plus propensity for saying whatever is on his mind, might have made him an athlete to keep an eye on during the Sochi Games anyway, his skiing still can grab headlines. Miller delivered the fastest opening downhill training run ahead of Sunday’s race, finishing in 2 minutes, 7.75 seconds.

The women’s downhill training was interrupted for about an hour while the lip of a dangerous jump was flattened by machines. Only three racers went down the hill before the delay, and one got hurt.