Russians win ice dance event at worlds

NAGANO, Japan (AP) -- Russians Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh, with a tribute to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, captured the ice dance title at the World Figure Skating Championships Friday night.

It was the first world title for the Russians, who were fourth in the world in 2000. They were the silver medalists at the Olympics a month ago.

Second were Canadians Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz. Skating to a medley of Michael Jackson songs, they moved up from fourth a year ago.

Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovski won the first medal for Israel at the world championships by coming in third.

Lobacheva and Averbukh, who missed the first half of the season due to her knee injury, received firsts from seven of the nine judges to take the gold medal. It was the 25th gold medal for Russia or the former Soviet Union in the ice dance.

It was the second gold medal for the Russians in two days here. Thursday Alexei Yagudin, the only Olympic champion competing here, won his fourth men's title.

The championships end on Saturday with the free skating in the women's event where another Russian, Irina Slutskaya, leads.

 

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