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Russian skaters in second despite perfect mark
By Jenifer K. Nii
Deseret News Olympic specialist
Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh earned the first perfect mark in the Olympic ice dance competition, but it wasn't enough to put them in the lead going into today's finale.
Still reeling from the hottest judging scandal in Olympic figure skating history, fans again seemed confused by the results of the original dance ice dance event.
Lobacheva and Averbukh delivered a fiery program in the original dance — the second of a three-part competition — bringing the crowd to its feet, and winning one perfect 6.0 for presentation. Each team was required to perform a Spanish medley, and the Russians' tango/flamenco simply sizzled.
But it couldn't propel them past France's Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, who maintained their lead going into the free dance portion of the competition today. Anissina and Peizerat countered the Russians' spark with smooth sensuality in their flamenco/tango and won eight of nine judges on the panel.
"We admit that Anissina and Peizerat, they are number one," Averbukh said later. "I think we not have big chance (to win the gold medal), but chance."
A mistake kept reigning world champions Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio of Italy in third place. Fusar Poli's skirt got caught under her skate during a dance step, causing her and Margaglio to stumble.
Fusar Poli brushed off the incident, saying experience helped them recover. What didn't help them, she said, was the couple's standings coming into Sunday's competition. The Italians finished the compulsory dance round in third place, just ahead of Canadians Shae Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz.
Though Fusar Poli did not address the judging debacle in the pairs event, she expressed her mystification at the standings.
"I was mad at the results for the compulsories because we did a good job," she said. "Everyone said we should be first, and that's why I was mad. The first- and second-place couples had mistakes, and we skated clean."
Averbukh was more outspoken. When asked if the scandal affected their skating, he said, "Yes, indeed. No doubt. Even if judges like us, now they are afraid they will be accused of conspiracy. Now the judges are worried they will be judged."
The Olympic ice dance medals will be decided at Monday's free dance competition. Though the standings in ice dance are notoriously static, each of the top five teams will be gunning for medals. Anissina and Peizerat will perform their "Liberty" program which, though crafted prior to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, they hope will serve as a symbolic tribute.
Since Sept. 11, Lobacheva and Averbukh also have dedicated their performance to the memory of victims and heroes of the attacks, while Fusar Poli and Margaglio have opted for something lighter — a snappy dance to the song "I Will Survive."
Should any of the top three falter, Bourne and Kraatz stand ready to claim a medal, as are Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas of Lithuania.
E-MAIL: jnii@desnews.com
Deseret News Olympic specialist Maria Titze contributed to this story.
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February 18, 2002
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