In a class of his own

Yagudin wins gold at skating championships

Alexei Yagudin nailed two quads and six triples, including a quad-triple-double combination. AP

NAGANO, Japan (Reuters) -- Russian Alexei Yagudin was in a class of his own in the free programme as the Olympic champion won gold at the figure skating world championships on Thursday.

Yagudin, who turned 22 on Monday, was crowned world champion for the fourth time after the judges awarded him two perfect 6.0 scores and seven 5.9s for presentation at M-Wave Arena in Nagano.

American Timothy Goebel took the silver medal with Takeshi Honda of Japan finishing in the bronze-medal position.

Skating second in the final group of six, Yagudin nailed two quads and six triples, including a quad-triple-double combination to open in a flowing routine performed to the soundtrack from "The Man in the Iron Mask."

When it was over, it took almost five minutes to clear the rink of flowers and cuddly toys and the result was almost academic.

"It took me a minute to realize I had got my title back. I had it for three years and I kind of lost it last year," said Yagudin, who finished second behind compatriot Yevgeny Plushenko in Vancouver last year.

Record breaker

Yagudin, who earned a record-breaking six 6.0s in Tuesday's short programme, revealed that he might use hip-hop instead of the traditional classical music in future programmes.

Goebel, bronze medallist behind Plushenko at the Olympics, went one better after a solid programme in the last skate of the day to win his first world championship medal.

The 21-year-old Californian earned a clutch of 5.8s for technical merit as he landed three quads.

"Alexei has proved over the past four or five years that he is the best. I'm just happy to finish the season on a high note," he said.

Knee injury

Plushenko did not travel to Japan, citing a knee injury.

Honda, who finished fourth in Salt Lake City, pushed Russian Alexander Abt into fourth place despite aborting his second quad attempt and crash-landing on his third.

Earlier, Olympic ice dancing silver medallists Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh inched closer to their first major title with a fine display in the original dance.

The Russians scored mostly 5.8s for composition and 5.9s for presentation to retain their lead as they bid to become the 24th ice dance world champions from Russia or the former Soviet Union since 1970.

Canadians Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, who were also second to the Russian pair in Tuesday's compulsory section, kept hold of the silver-medal position with just the free programme to come Friday.

Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas of Lithuania remain third with Israel's Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovski in fourth.

"We felt pressure because we were in the lead after the compulsories so it was difficult. But it is a good feeling going into the free dance in the lead," said Averbukh.

French Olympic champions Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat retired before the world championships, while defending world titleholders Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio did not travel to Japan.

 

Related information
Stories
Yagudin gets record amount of 6.0s at worlds China wins pairs title; Kwan qualifies in style
Multimedia
Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.

Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.