ARTISTRY MAKES LAST STAND AT WORLD SKATING.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. By their jumping alone, it was nearly impossible to distinguish world champion Todd Eldredge Todd James Eldredge (born August 28, 1971 in Chatham, Massachusetts) is an American figure skater. He is a six-time national champion (1990, 1991, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002) and won a world title in 1996. from European champion Alexei Urmanov Alexei Yevgenyevich Urmanov (Russian: Алексей Евгеньевич Урманов from Russian national champion Ilya Kulik. What made the difference in the short program Wednesday at the World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships ("Worlds") is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion. - the most highly technical display in figure skating figure skating Sport in which ice skaters, singly or in pairs, perform various jumps, spins, and footwork. The figure skate blade has a special serrated toe pick, or toe rake, at the front. history - was, quite simply, elegance. Urmanov, Eldredge and Kulik, 1-2-3 in the short, all landed the difficult triple axel-triple toe combinations with ease. But then, so did at least six other skaters. This is how far men's skating has progressed in just one year: only two men hit the jump in the 1996 worlds. But Urmanov's classical lines, unshakable even in a rock music program, and easily flowing movements defied by the slightest hint of hip-gyrating playfulness in the step sequence gave him the edge. The decision was close. Urmanov had four first-place marks, Eldredge three and Kulik two. The edge went to artistry: eight 5.9s for Urmanov's presentation. Eldredge, in second place, scored eight 5.8s. This may prove to be artistry's last stand as the men pile jumps into their arsenals in figure skating's equivalent of the arms race. Clean routine after clean routine, skaters ranked as low as ninth in the short program affirmed they would attempt the quad in the long program Thursday. Urmanov, Kulik and Canadian champion Elvis Stojko Elvis Stojko M.S.C., M.S.M. (born March 22, 1972 in Newmarket, Ontario) is a Canadian figure skating world champion. Biography His parents named him after Elvis Presley because they were fans of the singer. all hit them in competition earlier this month and another half dozen skaters have been practicing them. Only Eldredge will enter the battle of the quads unarmed. ``I'll flat out say it right now. No,'' Eldredge said. Eldredge of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is counting on high-rotating triple jumps, style and dizzying fixed-axis spins to stay in contention for the title. Spins never looked so good as in Eldredge's short program. Rotating fast, faster, Eldredge dissolved into a whirling whirl v. whirled, whirl·ing, whirls v.intr. 1. To revolve rapidly about a center or an axis. See Synonyms at turn. 2. haze that in a cartoon world would have certainly have drilled through the ice and out of view. ``Performance-wise, he was excellent. But technically, that's the best program I've seen him do,'' said coach Richard Callaghan For the Irish football (soccer) player, see . Richard Callaghan is an American figure skating coach. He is best known as the long-time coach of Todd Eldredge, 6-time U.S. Champion and 1996 World Champion. He also coached Nicole Bobek to her national title, and Tara Lipinski to U. . CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Russia's Alexei Urmanov eyes the crowd during his routine in the men's short program Wednesday. Urmanov leads the competition. Associated Press |
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