HELSINKI, Finland — Brian Joubert of France won the short program at the European Figure Skating Championships today, taking an impressive lead over defending champion Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic.

Joubert amassed 86.90 points, a personal best, and has a 5.45 point advantage over Verner going into Thursday's free program.

Verner also skated well and produced his best score of 81.45 points. Joubert made no mistakes with his jump combination, a quadruple toe loop-triple toe, or later with his triple axle or triple lutz.

"I was confident although I made a big mistake in the warmup on the quad toe loop," Joubert said. "The fall put pressure on me, but I came here to win."

The Frenchman was world champion in 2007 and has won 11 medals at world and Euro championships, including the 2004 and 2007 European titles. He skated with confidence, energy and flair, pleasing the crowd with lively step sequences and frantic, comic running motions. There was no sign of the back injury that forced him out of last month's Grand Prix final after the short program.

Italian champion Samuel Contesti held the top position for much of the competition with a fine performance, attaining a personal best of 75.95 points. But the French-born skater, who has represented Italy since 2006, proved no match for Joubert and Verner.

The pairs final was later Wednesday.