The Sparkassen Cup on Ice in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, concluded Sunday with the Free Dance (full list of results and standings attached).

Free Dance

The 12 ice dance couples competing at the Sparkassen Cup presented a great variety of different styles and music in their Free Dances.

Kati Winkler/Rene Lohse of Germany, third after the Compulsory Dance and the Original Dance, chose to skate to Gospel music. The National Champions portrayed farm workers in their program they named "Message of Hope". The dance featured good steps and original moves, but it wasn't enough to medal this time. The marks reached 5.6 for technique and presentation, and the Germans dropped to fourth overall.

Shae-Lynn Bourne/Victor Kraatz (CAN), who had lost the Original Dance to the Germans, came back on the ice on Sunday determined to fight for a spot on the podium. Their powerful "March with Me" (by Vangelis and performed by Montserrat Caballe) revealed their technical abilities, especially their synchronized footwork and twizzles. Compared to last season, the Canadians seem to have bumped up their speed. The judges awarded them marks ranging from 5.2 to 5.7 for technique and from 5.6 to 5.7 for presentation. Thus, the four-time World Bronze Medallists moved up one spot and captured the bronze, which is their second medal of the season. "We are very happy with how we skated the whole week in practice and competition", commented Bourne. "Coming here, our goal was to skate strong, to skate a 100 percent. We are happy with the changes we've made and we keep going."

Margarita Drobiazko/Povilas Vanagas of Lithuania presented their "Tango" routine (to "Tanguero" and "Tus Ojos de Cielo"), and the performance was a step up from their first competition at Skate America. The dance contained difficult footwork at constantly high speed and spectacular lifts. "We are pleased with how the competition went for us", said Vanagas. "We realized that we can compete with everyone with this program, and that makes us happy." Drobiazko explained: "When we started to work on this program, we weren't sure if we'll last through the four minutes, because it is very difficult. Now we are confident that we can do it." The World Bronze Medallists got straight second place ordinals from all seven judges and stayed in second overall.

Last to skate were the World Silver Medallists Barbara Fusar Poli/Maurizio Margaglio (ITA). Their dramatic program to the powerful music from the "Romeo and Juliet" soundtrack ("Oh Verona" and "Mercutio's Death") featured innovative lifts and elements, as well as good footwork. All judges voted for first place for the Italian team, and they won their second gold this season.

"It is a great pleasure for us to have won this competition in Gelsenkirchen, because we competed here for the first time. The competition was very though", Margaglio said, referring to the strong competition in the field. "I'm happy, especially because we did better than at Colorado Springs (Skate America)", Fusar Poli added.

Fusar Poli/Margaglio took home another 12 points. They are curremtly leading the Grand Prix results in ice dance and are the first couple to have qualified for the Final taking place in Tokyo next February. Drobiazko/Vanagas scored 9 points and will skate for points at the NHK Trophy in Japan. Bourne/Kraatz collected 14 points after their two competitions and will have to wait and see if this is enough to reach the Final.

The Grand Prix of Figure Skating continues next weekend in Russia with the Cup of Russia in St. Petersburg

For further information please contact:

Grand Prix of Figure Skating & Final		or	Sparkassen Cup on Ice
Aline Bussat Ingwersen, ISU Media Coordinator	        Gerd Heydn, Press Officer
Tel:	+41 21 612 66 66				+49 209 97 66 271
Fax:	+41 21 612 66 77
E-mail: bussat@isu.ch	

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