Skating to "Bolero," Plushchenko was the only competitor to hit a quadruple jump in the short program - though his main rivals all tried.

Others Russians finished 2-3. Alexei Yagudin was off center on his opening quad toe loop and fell backward, missing the planned combination for a mandatory .4 deduction. He still finished second, ahead of Alexander Abt, who two-footed his quad landing.

"I'm disappointed. I didn't know what happened, I just missed the first jump," Yagudin said. However, his quad was shaky in the warmup and he appeared nervous when he first stepped came on the ice.

Plushchenko, the last of the teammates to perform, got off to a quick start with high-spirited skating leading into the quad combination, then seasoned his step sequence with provocative hip swivels.

He capped the triple axel with an overhead clap, but later expressed some disappointment with the last jump, a triple lutz. His technical marks were all 5.9s except one 5.8. Yagudin's technical marks ranged from 5.3 to 5.5, with 5.7s to 5.9s for presentation.

"It wasn't my best performance, but it was a good one," Plushchenko said. "I didn't fly, I remained on earth."

Yagudin remained in position to win the men's title on Friday. During their last showdown, at the Russian nationals, 18-year-old Plushchenko finished first, while Yagudin, 20, a three-world champion and two-time European title holder, was in second ahead of Abt, 24.

In the dance competition, defending world and European champions Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France were tied Italy's Barbara Fusa Poli and Maurizio Margaglio after compulsories.

The decision was tight - the French had four firsts of the seven-judge panel on the opening dance and the Italians had four first-place votes on the second.

Both teams are unbeaten this season with three victories apiece, having avoided each other on the Grand Prix circuit. The original dance, worth 30 percent, is Thursday, with the final free dance Friday worth 50 percent.