Obertas and Palamarchuk defend pairs title
Posted: Wednesday November 25, 1998 08:35 PM
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) -- Reigning champions Yulia Obertas and
Dmitry Palamarchuk of Ukraine defended their title Wednesday in the
pairs competition at the world junior figure skating championships.
Obertas, 14, and Palamarchuk, 18, collected the best score in
the short program, which makes up 30 percent of the final tally,
and then repeated that feat with a near-flawless display in the
free skating, which accounted for the remaining 70 percent.
Skating to the music of The Legend of Jessy James and The
Virginians, the back-to-back champions out shined their rivals in a
competition where couples try to express, through a pattern of
unified moves and steps including lifts, a feeling of harmony and
teamwork.
They also recieved $16,500 in prize money.
Laura Handy, 18, and Paul Binnebose, 21, of Newark, Del., came
in second, matching their position in the short program. The
Russian couple, Victoria Maxiuta and Vladislav Zhonirsky, who led
the junior Grand Prix circuit after eight events this season,
jumped forward two places to land third.
A delay in the skating was forced during the first heat, when
Artem Knyazev of Uzbekistan clipped a panel off from the side wall
and spiked his partner, Irina Shabanov, as he was falling. Irina
was carried off to receive several stitches and the couple were
forced to retire.
Tiffany Steigler, 14, and her brother Johnnie, 16, of Manhattan
Beach, Calif., who are coached by 12-time world and three-time
Olympic pairs champion, Irina Rodnina, also jumped two places
forward to finish fourth.
In the ladies qualifying, Daria Timoshenko of Russia finished
atop of Group B, followed by compatriot, Viktoria Volchkova, and
Julia Sebestyen of Hungary.
Sarah Hughes, 13, of Kings Point, N.Y., finished atop of Group
B, followed by Sabina Wojtala of Poland and Russian Irina
Nikolaeva, the current leader of the junior Grand Prix.
The men's title will be decided after their free skating program
Thursday. The original dances are also scheduled Thursday.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|
