The Trophée Lalique in Paris, France continued Friday with the Pairs, Ladies, Men Short Programs and the Original Dance.

Pairs

Jamie Sale/David Pelletier of Canada took the lead in the Pairs event. The Four Continents Champions skated a clean program to "Come Rain, Come Shine" from the "Forget Paris" soundtrack. They landed side by side triple toeloops and a perfect triple throw loop. Sale just skidded a bit on the triple toeloop. The Canadians scored marks up to 5,9 for presentation. "We both felt a little stiff, a bit shaky", admitted Sale. "In general we skated better than last time at Skate Canada. We changed the choreography a bit and we are pleased with how that went." Two-time World Champions Elena Berezhnaya/Anton Sikhuralidze (RUS) had to skate first of all couples and finished second in the Short Program. Sikhuralidze doubled the side by side triple toeloop, but the pair completed the rest of their "Meadowlands" (Russian Folk music) program without any further mistake. Their double twist was high, and the triple throw loop beautiful. Kyoko Ina/John Zimmerman (USA) skated their first clean Short Program of this season and are in third going into the Free Skating. The US Champions pulled off side by side triple toeloops, a triple throw salchow and had original positions in their spiral sequence. "We just needed to do that for ourselves", commented a happy Ina. "Finally we were able to prove what we can do in practice. We do it every day in practice, but we had trouble in competition." World bronze medallists Sarah Abitbol/Stéphane Bernadis (FRA) were fourth as Bernadis fell on the triple toeloop. "We do everything in practice, and then he just fell", sighed Abitbol. The European Silver Medallists from Poland, Dorota Zagorska/Mariusz Siudek, are sitting in fifth. Zagorska had missed the triple toeloop.

Ladies

First to skate was Vanessa Gusmeroli of France. The 1997 World bronze medallist stepped out on her triple flip and touched down with both hands on the ice. Overall she looked hesitant and finished third in the first part of the event. "I'm somewhat disappointed that I didn't skate without a mistake. I was too slow going into the flip", explained Gusmeroli. "Overall it was still a good program. I'm excited to be third, because I still have the chance to win." The winner of the first day, however, was Maria Butyrskaya (RUS). The 1999 World Champion took the lead with a strong performance to "Scène d'amour". The Muscovite seemed to fly over the ice and nailed a triple lutz-double toeloop combination, as well as a double axel, only her triple flip was shaky. "I'm very happy with how I skated, and I'm especially pleased to have landed the triple flip. The triple flip is a new jump for me in the Short Program."

Viktoria Volchkova (RUS) also delivered a clean program, her first one in this season so far. The 18-year-old European bronze medallist produced a high triple lutz-double toeloop, a triple flip and double axel, but her spins lacked speed. "I did everything today. I wanted to do it for my coach and myself. I didn't skate too well in my previous competitions. I wasn't really ready", said Volchkova. "The Grand Prix competitions are an important preparation during the season for the main competitions. You show your new programs and what you can do", she added. Volchkova sits in second before the decisive Free Program. Reigning World Junior Champion Jennifer Kirk (USA) put in a good performance to finish fourth. She completed a triple lutz-double toeloop combination and a triple flip, as well as a nice combination spin. However, her jumps were quite low. "It was really scary, nerve-wracking, to compete against former World Champions and World Medallists", said Kirk. "I'm excited to be able to skate well."

In her first Grand Prix competition for Belarus, former Russian skater Julia Soldatova had bad luck. The 1999 World Bronze Medallist fell on her triple lutz and her triple toe and placed 7th.

Men

Three-time World Champion Alexei Yagudin's (RUS) head and throat hurt from a cold, but he pulled himself together to deliver a strong Short Program. The 20-year-old landed a quadruple toeloop-triple toeloop combination - he overrotated the second jump and barely held on to the landing. Yagudin went on to reel off a huge triple axel, a triple lutz and quick step sequences. The powerful performance to a jazzed up version of Frederic Chopin's "Revolution Etude" got him marks from 5.7 to 5.9 for required elements as well as eight 5.9s and one 5.8 for presentation. "I think I did well considering how I felt. I did an extra turn on the triple toe (in the combination), but I was very close to the boards", commented Yagudin. "I was sick when I was in Moscow after Skate Canada. I saved some energy for tomorrow."

Yagudin's teammate, Roman Serov, came in second. He produced a clean program that featured a triple axel-triple toeloop combination, a triple lutz and double axel. Skating to "Caravan", the Muscovite showed dynamic footwork and good spins. "I was nervous, because I had to skate first. The program was ok. It's good to be second right now and tomorrow I'll try my best again." World Junior Silver Medallist Vincent Restencourt is currently in third. The Frenchman opened his Short Program to "The Matrix" with a triple axel-triple toeloop combination and continued with a triple flip and a double axel. However, his steps and spins still seemed weaker compared to the other competitors. "It was a bit difficult to skate right after Alexei Yagudin", said Restencourt. "He landed everything, and I saw his marks. I still did my best. I think I improved artistically. I matured and I really worked on it." Stanick Jeannette (FRA) stepped out of his triple axel in the combination and is sitting in fourth.

Jon In Han of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea is the first skater to represent his country in the senior Grand Prix. He completed a triple axel but fell on the triple flip to place 11th.

Ice Dance

World Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat (FRA) looked much more confident in their Original Dance than at Skate Canada three weeks ago. The couple presented a smooth Foxtrott "More" by Nat King Cole and fast paced Quickstep "Dancing Fool". Their dance featured original spins and lifts. On a turn, Peizerat slipped, but recovered immediately. The French earned marks up to 5.7 for composition and up to 5.9 for presentation. But it was not enough to win tonight. Russia's Irina Lobacheva/Ilia Averbukh skated last and performed a flowing Foxtrott and a strong Quickstep, also set to "Dancing Fool". They made no mistake and placed ahead of the French in a split decision. "The most important thing to us wasn't winning tonight. The most important thing is that we were able to come back on the top", said Averbukh. "It is much more difficult to come back in Ice Dancing than in the other categories. The last season was very difficult for us since two couples passed us. It was hard to regroup after that."

Anissina/Peizerat were disappointed about their mistake. "The beginning was good, but there was a little mistake at the end that spoiled the rest a bit. We are somewhat disappointed about that. We have to do many more runs and need more time." Asked how the slip happened, he explained: "It just happened so fast. I arched my back to much and lost balance."

German Champions Kati Winkler/René Lohse delighted the audience with a funny Charleston and Quickstep to music from "Cabaret". They showed off good footwork and remained in third place. "We like to skate our Original Dance. I believe Cabaret is a good choice for us, we get really into it. The audience liked it as well", commented Lohse. "Hopefully we'll do well tomorrow again." Naomi Lang/Peter Tchernyshev (USA) presented an elegant Original Dance and stayed in fourth place.

The Trophée Lalique continues Saturday with the Pairs, Ladies and Men Free Programs and the Free Dance.

For further information please contact:
Grand Prix of Figure Skating & Final				Trophée Lalique
Aline Bussat Ingwersen, ISU Media Coordinator		Sylvie Fourcade, Press Officer
+41 21 612 66 66						+33 1 44 68 44 35
E-mail: bussat@isu.ch 					E-mail: presse@bercy.fr

ISU Front Page