The NHK Trohpy in Asahikawa, Japan continued Saturday with the Men's Short Program, the Ladies Free Program and the Free Dance.

Men

The Men's event opened with the Short Program. Three-time World Champion Elvis Stojko of Canada withdrew just a few hours before the competition started because of injury. Stojko was suffering from pain in his groin.

Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) took the lead in the Short Program with a strong performance. In his "Bolero" program, the 18-year-old from St. Petersburg hit a quadruple toeloop-triple toeloop combination, a high triple axel and a triple lutz out of steps. His circular and straight-line step sequences were fast but, overall, Plushenko looked somewhat less dynamic than he did at the Cup of Russia and at the Sparkassen Cup. "It was a bit difficult to skate", he explained. "I feel tired because of the jet lag. The performance was OK, but I did better at the Cup of Russia." Teammate, Ilia Klimkin is now in contention for a spot in the Final. The Muscovite finished second in the Short Program. He interpreted a Tango and completed a quadruple toeloop-double toeloop combination - despite a slight hesitation before adding the second jump. Klimkin also landed his triple axel and a triple flip, and showed well centered spins in original positions. "Well, I had to think a bit long when I did the combination", he said with a grin. Ben Ferreira of Canada put in a clean program to Blues music that featured a triple axel-triple toeloop combination, a triple lutz and double axel. "I feel really good about that performance. I did everything." The fact that he skated well was more important to him than finishing third. "Placement is something you get when you skate well", he commented. "But it's great to be in third!"

Andrejs Vlascenko (GER) was fourth. The skater from Munich pulled off his jumps - triple axel-double toeloop, triple lutz and double axel - and then suddenly stopped while doing his combination spin. A hook had fallen off his boot. Vlascenko retied his boot and was allowed to reskate from the point at which he had stopped. "I stayed calm", said Vlascenko. "At first I thought I could continue, but during the spin I felt immediately that the boot was loose. So I stopped and went to the Referee."

Ice Dance

World Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat (FRA) won their third Grand Prix event this season with a convincing performance. Their dynamic program set to "Beethoven's Last Night", contained good footwork at high speed and innovative lifts. The French showed interesting moves, for example Peizerat is lifting himself up on his partner's knees. However, some of the twizzles seemed a bit out of sync. Anissina/Peizerat scored marks ranging from 5.6 to 5.8 for technical merit and from 5.8 to 5.9 for presentation. That meant straight first place ordinals from all nine judges. "We are very glad to have won the NHK Trophy for the fourth time", commented Peizerat. "We improved since the first competition this season, and this is the best we've skated so far this season."

Margarita Drobiazko/Povilas Vanagas of Lithuania took the silver medal - as they did at their previous two Grand Prix events - and thus have qualified for the Grand Prix Final. The World bronze medalists skated an emotional, fast paced Tango that featured spectacular lifts and intricate footwork. The husband-and wife team expressed the character of the music perfectly. The judges awarded them marks from 5.5 to 5.7 for technique and from 5.6 to 5.9 for presentation. "We are happy to have qualified for the Final once again", said Vanagas. "It was our third competition and the best we've performed this program. We have a lot of technical content and difficulty in this program and we were afraid that we could not do it. This competition proved that we can."

The bronze went to Kati Winkler/Rene Lohse (GER). It was their second bronze medal in this season's Grand Prix series, and the German couple have qualified for the Final for the first time in their career. The team from Oberstdorf put in a strong performance to Gospel songs. They produced good steps, and interesting lifts. "Our goal was to make the Final", said a delighted Rene Lohse. "Now we'll improve our endurance, we want to add some elements and to make the program more difficult."

The Ukrainian husband-and-wife team Elena Grushina/Ruslan Goncharov remained in fourth with a dramatic and powerful routine set to music from the "Gladiator" soundtrack. The reigning World Junior Champions Natalia Romaniuta/Daniil Barantsev (RUS) fell twice and dropped two spots to ninth. Barantsev had been sick with flu all week and he felt very weak.

Ladies

The Ladies' competition was set on a high level and was very thrilling. Fumie Suguri of Japan, third in the Short Program, took to the ice first in the last flight. The 19-year-old risked a triple lutz-triple toeloop combination right at the beginning of her program, but she stepped out of the second jump. Suguri went on to produce three more clean triples, but she stepped out of the triple loop and two-footed the second triple lutz. This was not enough to win a medal, and the Japanese skater dropped to fifth place overall. Overnight leader Irina Slutskaya (RUS) came out next. The World silver medalist opened her "Don Quixote" program with a triple lutz, but did not do the planned combination. A triple salchow-double loop combination and a triple lutz-double toeloop followed, but the toeloop was two-footed. Slutskaya went for a triple toeloop-triple toeloop combination, but stepped out of the second jump. Overall, she landed six clean triples, a double axel and had good spins, but her program lacked content in choreography. The judges awarded the European Champion marks ranging from 5.7 to 5.9 for technical merit and 5.5 to 5.9 for presentation. Angela Nikodinov of the USA wanted to redeem herself after her mistake in the Short Program that left her in fifth place. The Four Continents Champion put in a strong performance to "Sleeping Beauty" that featured five triples, although she was a bit slow in comparison to the other top contenders. Nikodinov pulled up one spot and finished fourth. Tatiana Malinina (UZB) knew that she still had a chance to qualify for the Final. She needed to finish third. The 27-year-old skater hit five triple jumps, one double axel and did good spins, though she looked a bit hesitant. Still, it was enough to move her up from the fourth place finish in the Short Program to claim the bronze medal. Last to skate was World bronze medallist Maria Butyrskaya (RUS). She had a determined look on her face and pulled off a strong performance. Butyrskaya nailed her opening triple lutz-double toeloop, a triple flip, her triple toeloop-half loop-triple salchow combination, a second triple lutz, a tirple loop and a double axel. Although some of her landings were shaky, she showed much flow and superior choreography in her melanchonic program "17 Moments in Spring" (Russian movie soundtrack). It was a tough decision for the judges, and Slutskaya won with a five to four split.

"I skated well, without mistakes, and it was the best performance of this program so far", commented Slutskaya. "Masha did very well too, and I really liked her program. However, the judges are the judges and they decide." Butyrskaya felt she had skated her best. "It was a very good program. When I skate well and do my elements, I skate with my soul. I landed two triple lutz. Many people said they believe I should have won." The happiest person on the podium was Tatiana Malinina who is on the way to making a comeback after a disappointing season. "I feel just great. This is a wonderful competition, I competed here for the seventh time! My husband, my little dog and I are very happy that I made the Final."

Slutskaya has also qualified, as the NHK Trophy was her second scoring event. Butyrskaya did not compete for points in Asahikawa and was already qualified.

The NHK Trophy concludes Sunday with the Mens' Free Program, and the Exhibition Gala.

For further information please contact:

Grand Prix of Figure Skating & Final			NHK Trophy
Aline Bussat Ingwersen, ISU Media Coordinator		Hiroshi Kobayashi, Press Officer
+41 21 612 66 66					+166 63 22 94
E-mail: bussat@isu.ch

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