Figure Skating
Skater Bios
Results/Schedule
 Monday, January 17
Plushenko easily wins gold
 
Associated Press

 LYON, France--Evgeny Plushenko won the men's event while a hometown French duo captured the ice dance and a Chinese couple took the pairs event.

Plushenko did a quad and eight triples in a routine to Russian music. He also had a 6.0 for technical merit and added three more for presentation to easily beat Elvis Stojko, who tripped up on his quad attempt.

Plushenko again succeeded on his quad-triple-double combination that he has done twice before in competitions.

"Mentally it was a bit difficult to go there and do a second program. But I worked hard and I was prepared," Plushenko said.

Tim Goebel of the United States came in third. He did a quad salchow-triple toe loop combination but fell on another quad attempt.

Goebel's marks were better than Stojko but the American could not advance as he was battling for just the bronze medal.

Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, skating in their hometown, took the ice dance event, leading from start to finish. They beat Italians Barabara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio in the final.

Anissina and Peizerat scored four 6.0s for presentation in a dramatic routine to "Carmina Burana."

"There was some pressure in skating in front of the home crowd but in this case you want to give everything including your heart," Peizerat said.

Lithuanians Margarita Drobiazko and Povias Vanagas took the bronze medal.

China's Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo won the pairs event for the second consecutive year. Their performances over the two days were marked by brilliant technical moves, including high and sure throw moves and powerful lifts.

The French couple Sara Abitbol and Stephane Bernadis finished second. Third were world champions Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikarulidze of Russia.

 


ALSO SEE
Slutskaya wins gold

Evgeny Plushenko spotlight



AUDIO/VIDEO
 Evgeny Plushenko's quad-triple-double combination (Courtesy: ABC Sports)
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN

 Shen & Zhao perform a throw triple salchow(Courtesy: ABC Sports)
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN

 Anissina & Peizerat's winning performane (Courtesy: ABC Sports)
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN

 ABC Sports interviews Michelle Kwan and Irina Slutskaya
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN

 Irina Slutskaya's winning performance (Courtesy: ABC Sports)
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN