BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- This was not the same Irina
Slutskaya who beat Michelle Kwan twice this season.
The Russian champion needed three attempts to hit a routine
triple lutz and she skipped her signature triple-triple
combination. Still, she hit five strong triple jumps, skating with
diligence Saturday to win her fourth European Figure Skating title.
The Russians swept the competition, though not with the level of
excellence that typifies the country's skating.
|  | | European champion Irina Slutskaya of Russia bested rival Michelle Kwan to win the ISU Grand Prix Final. |
Maria Butyrskaya fell twice but still finished second after
hitting five triples and winning high marks for artistry; Victoria
Volchkova came in third although she finished just fifth in the
free skating, scaling a triple flip down to a single.
Slutskaya's fourth European gold puts her in rarified company --
only four others, including Katarina Witt and Sonja Henie, have won
more. But the real prize this season is the world title, where
Slutskaya will skate head-to-head against Kwan in Vancouver,
Canada, March 18-25.
Slutskaya blamed the flu for the weaker-than-usual program,
saying she has only been skating for a week after spending a week
in bed.
"I wasn't too happy with my skating," she said. "I started
this competition in a unique way. I only have been skating for a
week after suffering the worst flu in Moscow with a fever."
Still, it was all she needed to win, with technical marks
ranging from 5.5 to 5.8. Her artistic marks, to a balletic Don
Quixote inspired by the Bolshoi ballet, were in the 5.7 to 5.8
range.
"Now I will prepare more for the Grand Prix final (next month)
and the worlds," Slutskaya said.
Both Slutskaya and Butyrskaya coyly dodged questions about
whether they were practicing the triple axel, requiring 3½
revolutions and so far hit only by two women in competition.
"That is my secret," said Slutskaya, whose consistency with
the triple-triple combination - left out of Saturday's free program
-- has pushed Kwan to consider adding a second triple-triple.
So far this season, Slutskaya has beaten Kwan twice, at Skate
Canada and one pro-am event. Kwan beat Slutskaya at another pro-am.
Russia takes home three titles and eight of the 12 medals from
the Europeans.
Evgeny Plushchenko edged Alexei Yagudin in the men's event,
where each completed three quads during the competition.
Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze reclaimed the pairs
title stripped from them last year after a drug violation that also
prevented them from competing at the world championships.
Italians Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio won the ice
dance, taking advantage of a stunning fall by the defending
European and world champions Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat
of France.
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ALSO SEE
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze reclaim pairs title
Plushchenko retains European men's crowns
Fusar Poli/Margaglio win Ice Dance gold
Final results from the European Championships
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Russia's Irina Slutskaya soars high in the air to execute a perfect triple lutz.
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