Savchenko and Szolkowy jump into early lead
Source: Agencies |
January 28, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
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ALIONA Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany led after the pairs short program on Wednesday at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland.
The Olympic bronze medalists, who won three straight European titles from 2007-09, scored 72.31 points for their Russian folk-themed routine.
"I am quite satisfied," Savchenko said. "We are happy to be first after the short program."
Defending champions Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia were second. They scored 69.49 for a routine set to the main theme from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey."
Another Russian pair, Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov, placed third on 62.89.
The two leading pairs expressed concern about the frigid temperatures inside the arena, which was renovated in 2009 before staging ice hockey's world championship.
"It's really freezing in here, like the Russian winter," Smirnov joked.
Szolkowy said it would make things difficult during the more demanding, 4?-minute free skate that will decide the medals.
"I felt cold halfway through the program, in the step sequence, and in the free skating we'll have the triple Salchow, the other throw and three lifts still to come," he said.
Savchenko and Szolkowy are two-time world champions and the only Vancouver Olympic medalists competing at the Europeans.
Earlier, French ice dance couple Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat led the opening short dance program, scoring 66.91 for a waltz set to the "Doctor Zhivago" film theme.
The Moscow-based couple began as favorites after taking silver at the Grand Prix Final in Beijing last month.
"It was not our best performance," Bourzat said.
Russian champions Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev were second on 65.46, and British siblings Sinead and John Kerr scored 62.87 to sit third of 21 couples.
The Olympic bronze medalists, who won three straight European titles from 2007-09, scored 72.31 points for their Russian folk-themed routine.
"I am quite satisfied," Savchenko said. "We are happy to be first after the short program."
Defending champions Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia were second. They scored 69.49 for a routine set to the main theme from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey."
Another Russian pair, Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov, placed third on 62.89.
The two leading pairs expressed concern about the frigid temperatures inside the arena, which was renovated in 2009 before staging ice hockey's world championship.
"It's really freezing in here, like the Russian winter," Smirnov joked.
Szolkowy said it would make things difficult during the more demanding, 4?-minute free skate that will decide the medals.
"I felt cold halfway through the program, in the step sequence, and in the free skating we'll have the triple Salchow, the other throw and three lifts still to come," he said.
Savchenko and Szolkowy are two-time world champions and the only Vancouver Olympic medalists competing at the Europeans.
Earlier, French ice dance couple Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat led the opening short dance program, scoring 66.91 for a waltz set to the "Doctor Zhivago" film theme.
The Moscow-based couple began as favorites after taking silver at the Grand Prix Final in Beijing last month.
"It was not our best performance," Bourzat said.
Russian champions Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev were second on 65.46, and British siblings Sinead and John Kerr scored 62.87 to sit third of 21 couples.
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