Malinina takes women's crown
Posted: Thursday February 25, 1999 11:49 PM
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Amber Corwin's second-place finish put a smile on her face, after she finished a disappointing sixth at the recent U.S. nationals. AP |
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, (Reuters) -- Uzbekistan's Tatiana Malinina executed four superb triple jumps and a fifth with a minor flaw to claim the women's crown at the inaugural Four Continents figure skating championships on Thursday.
American skaters Amber Corwin, Angela Nikodinov and Erin Pearl owned the second through fourth spots while Japan's Fumie Suguri settled for fifth.
The new Four Continents event is open to skaters from North America, Asia, Africa and Australia.
"I could have skated better, focused more on my choreography. I was a bit nervous today. It was a bit hard for me to be in the lead after the short program," said Malinina, 26, who scored top marks on all seven judges' cards for her performance to "Aladdin."
Corwin, who matched Malinina's jump count, said success here made up for her disappointing sixth-place finish at the recent U.S. nationals.
All skaters, particularly the medallists, will earn some sizeable paydays for their work here this week. Malinina pockets $22,000, Corwin $16,500, and Nikodinov $11,000.
From here, Malinina, who trains in the United States, and Suguri go to St. Petersburg, Russia, for the Grand Prix series final March 4-7. They then travel to Helsinki for the world championships March 21-28.
Of the three American women here, only Nikodinov will go to worlds.
Earlier Thursday, Canada's Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz strengthened their lead in part two of the ice dance event.
The three-time world bronze medallists' lyrical original dance was in a class by itself among the 13 waltzes performed.
Afterwards, Bourne revealed that she had been undergoing therapy for a torn cartilage in her left knee cap since early January.
Another Canadian couple, Chantal Lefebvre and Michel Brunet, stood in second while Americans Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev were in third.
The free dance final, worth 50 percent of the total score, is on Friday.
Three-time world champion Elvis Stojko finally takes his turn in the spotlight on Friday in the men's short program.
Although still healing from the groin injury which thwarted his Olympic gold medal hopes in Nagano, Stojko hopes to attempt a quad jump in the opening round.
No man has yet accomplished that feat in international competition since the rules were changed last year to allow quads in the short program.
Because of the injury, however, Stojko has asked to be exempted from the Grand Prix final. Bourne might have to make the same request if her knee worsens this week.
Stojko said that if he competed next week after this competition it would take him a week and a half to come back.
"That's time I need to train for worlds and I'll be behind. The whole year has been a catch-up race for me.
"I've been behind everybody all season. Why now that I've caught up, and I'm still pushing, would I set myself back?" he asked.
Japan's Takeshi Honda, also in the line-up here, would compete at the final if Stojko stays home.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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