READING, Pa. -- If figure skating were a competition of me and my shadow, Emily Hughes would be on the dark side of Kimmie Meissner.

The top U.S. skaters have spent their entire careers on the elite senior circuit locked in a duel, and all eight times Meissner has gotten the better of Hughes, sometimes by the narrowest of margins.

2007 Skate America Through tomorrow, Reading, Pa.; women's short program, today, 6 p.m. TV: Tomorrow, 4-6 p.m., chs. 4, 11

THE FIELD

The women's field that will challenge Kimmie Meissner at Skate America:

Miki Ando, 19, Japan: Reigning world champion; winner of 2006 Skate America.

Mai Asada, 19, Japan: Older sister of Mao Asada; finished sixth at Skate America and Cup of China last year.

Elene Gedevanishvili, 17, Georgia: 17th at world championships; 10th at Turin Olympics.

Emily Hughes, 18, United States: U.S. silver and bronze medalist; seventh at Turin Olympics,

Alexandra Ievleva, 19, Russia: Second-best female figure skater in her homeland last season.

Tugba Karademir, 22, Turkey: 21st at Turin Olympics; 27th at world championships.

Kiira Korpi, 19, Finland: Sixth at 2006 Cup of Russia; bronze medalist at 2007 European championships; 16th at Turin Olympics.

Mira Leung, 18, Canada: Second-best female skater in her homeland; sixth at 2006 Skate Canada.

Valentina Marchei, 21, Italy: National champion in 2004.

Binshu Xu, 19, China: Two-time national champion; fourth at 2006 Cup of China.

Caroline Zhang, 14, U.S.: Reigning junior world champion; winner of the junior Grand Prix final.