Kostner had a triple-triple combination and scored 60.82 points today after skating to "Riders of the Storm" by the Doors.

"I am very pleased with my short program today," Kostner said. "I was very nervous going into it."

Zhang, the world junior championship last season, is second with 58.76 points. She also hit a triple-triple but was downgraded for a jump later in her program while skating to "Spanish Gypsy."

Two weeks ago, Zhang finished third in her international senior debut at Skate America.

Kim Yu-Na of South Korea was third at 58.32.

Kostner competed in first Grand Prix competition since 2005. She missed the GP season last year with injured ligaments but came back to win the European title in January.

In the ice dance, Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin lead two-time world medalists Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States.

The Russians took the lead in the Argentine Tango compulsory dance, 38.77 to 35.89, even though Domnina fell in the warmup.

"I can't say what happened there, maybe we came too close, or maybe it was just bad luck," Domnina said. "Maybe I was one percent scared after that. I tried to forget about it."

Belbin and Agosto were the 2006 Olympic silver medalists and winners of Skate America two weeks ago.

Former world champions Ping Qing and Tong Jian took the pairs short program with a score of 65.48 points. Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, making their international senior debut, were second with 59.22.

The Americans might have scored higher in their program to "Moonlight Sonata" but McLaughlin fell on a triple salchow. They were undefeated in junior competition last year, finishing with the junior world title.

The competition continues tomorrow with the start of the men's competition which includes former two-time world champion Stephan Lambiel of Switzerland and Americans Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek, who have taken the last four American titles between them.