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Russian to challenge Kwan in March
SportsLine wire reports
PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- The Russians came, saw and conquered again at the European Championships and Michelle Kwan had better beware their women in Helsinki in March.
The American world champion might struggle to hold off the rampaging Russians who won all three medals on Saturday, just as their men had on Thursday night. Russia captured all four titles for the third successive year and nine of the 12 medals on offer. Before the 1996 Europeans, no Russian or Soviet woman had ever won a world or European championship. Then Irina Slutskaya broke through to win that year and again in 1997 before Maria Butyrskaya unseated her last year. Butyrskaya won again here with a commanding performance that earned her first place votes from every judge in all three phases of the competition. "My goal is to be on top in Helsinki and I think I can compete with Michelle Kwan now," said Butyrskaya, a late developer who is 26. "She is an idol and I have never beaten her. Her elements may not be so strong but she always skates clean. I will need luck." BEHIND BUTYRSKAYA, THOUGH NOT YET in her or Kwan's class artistically, are Julia Solatova and Viktoria Volchkova, the other medalists here and virtually certain to be in Helsinki although Slutskaya, fourth in a tough Russian championship, is waiting in the wings. Both are excellent jumpers, the 16-year-old Volchkova looking particularly strong until her legs gave way late in her free program because of a bout of flu earlier in the week. The Russians claim to have as many as 10 good women skaters at home as a new program to boost their women after former disappointment bears fruit. World titleholder Alexei Yagudin extended his reign as European champion with a fine victory and teammates Evgeny Plushenko and former Olympic and European champion Alexei Urmanov took the other medals. Holders Elena Berezhnaia and Anton Sikharulidze were forced out of the Europeans by Berezhnaia's flu and will relish a clash with their impressive successors as pairs champions here, teammates Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov. Poles Dorota Zagorska and Mariusz Siudek were second with Sarah Abitbol and Stephane Barnadis of France third and they should join the medal hunt in Helsinki. PERHAPS THE MOST ANTICIPATED FINAL there will be in the dance after French couple Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat just failed here to beat Russian world champions Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov. Those who felt the French should have won were numerous and French officials believe triumph in Helsinki is inevitable. "You cannot stop a wave. The wave has started and you cannot stop it," French federation head Didier Gailhaguet said. A new instant video reply system for judges in short programs was pronounced an unqualified success but the verdict is still out on the merits of using three non-European judges in each event to boost impartial judging. |