honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 7:02 a.m., Saturday, November 10, 2007

Figure skating: Weir, Belbin and Agosto win in China

Associated Press

HARBIN, China — Americans Johnny Weir and the team of Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto rallied to win their events today at the Cup of China

Weir jumped over Evan Lysacek in a duel between the former and current American champions in the men's event. Belbin and Agosto won with a big turnaround in the final free dance taking advantage of penalties to the Russians who were ahead of them.

South Korea's Kim Yu-Na vaulted from third following the short program to win the women's title with American Caroline Zhang second.

Lysacek was second at Skate America two weeks ago and wound up second again as Weir won his season GP debut. Weir took the national title from 2004 to 2006 before Lysacek won it in January.

Weir had a nearly perfect long program to "Love is War" by Yoav Goren, He outpointed Lysacek 151,98 to 147.81 in that portion to win overall 231.78-229.36. Lysacek had some errors as did former two-time world champion Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland who was a distant third. The Swiss was making his competitive debut this season.

In the ice dance Belbin and Agosto were more than four points behind. They then beat Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin by more than 15 points to win overall 195.11-188.66 as the Russians were just third in the free dance.

Saturday they had a romantic free skate to music by Chopin, a sharp contrast to their previous routines which included a tribute to Elvis and the movie 'That's Entertainment." In Friday's original dance they were skating to bluegrass music.

The Russians were penalized when they had an extra lift and the final lift did not count costing them points under the strict judging system where only a certain amount of lifts and spins are allowed.

That helped Belbin and Agosto gain their second victory after a win at Skate America two weeks ago. They qualify for the Grand Prix final in December in Turin, Italy where they won the Olympic silver medal in 2006. Injuries have kept them out of the Grand Prix final the last three years. The last time the competed in a GP final was in December 2004 in Beijing where they finished second.

In the women's free skating, Kim hit nearly everything in her routine, only popping a lutz jump. She included a triple-triple and a double axel-triple toe loop combination, however.

The next event is the Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris next week.