Iceskating and VH, hey...it's news.

[HailNgirl]

Yagudin in first after short program

By NANCY ARMOUR
.c The Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - From the minute he took the ice, Alexei Yagudin was in the driver's seat.

Doing a race car-themed program, the Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion cruised through the short program Friday night at Skate America. Not even a small mistake slowed him down.

``There's still something that motivates me,'' he said. ``I couldn't just watch the other guys compete.''

But he's still not a fan of the new judging system. In an effort to prevent cheating, the International Skating Union is using its anonymous system for the first time at Skate America.

A computer randomly picks which judges' scores will count, and no one - not even the skaters or judges - knows whose marks are used. So even when Yagudin saw his range of marks - 5.3s and 5.4s for technical merit and 5.7s to 5.9s for artistry - they didn't mean much.

``I really dislike that,'' said Yagudin, an outspoken critic of the system. ``It's like watching `The Discovery Channel' of an unknown world. I have no idea what happened.''

All he really needs to know is that he's in first place heading into Saturday night's free skate, worth two-thirds of the final score. Brian Joubert of France was in second place and Russia's Alexander Abt was third.

Two-time U.S. champion Michael Weiss was in fifth after two-footing his quadruple toe loop jump, the first in his combination, and stepping out of his triple axel.

``On the triple axel, I rotated past the 3 1/2 (turns) and I was on my way to four,'' Weiss said, laughing. ``I stepped out quickly and tried to disguise it by going right on to the next element. But for the first time of skating this program, it felt good for me.''

The pairs final was later Friday night.

After winning the Olympic gold and his fourth world title last season - plus every other competition he entered - there isn't much left for Yagudin to prove. He's got a lucrative contract with the ``Stars on Ice'' tour, and he's one of the sport's biggest draws.

But he's not ready to give up Olympic-level skating yet, so he's been juggling rehearsals and training the past few months. He'll compete at Skate Canada next weekend, then go back on tour.

``I was trying to combine two things at one time,'' he said. ``Well, I picked that route, so I'm trying to stay that way.''

The added responsibilities haven't hurt his skating. While other skaters simply tried to make it through the required elements in the short program without a mistake, Yagudin put on a show.

Skating to ``Played A Live,'' a techno number, Yagudin looked like he was driving a race car. He had the audience clapping along as he did quick, lively footwork, looking as if he was using the clutch and shifting gears.

He did a jig on the ice at one point, and did a little moonwalk during his straight-line footwork.

He landed his jump combination, a quadruple toe loop-triple toe, with ease, giving a little pump of his fist as he landed. His only problem came when he popped a triple lutz into a double.

``It was just a silly mistake on the triple lutz,'' he said. ``I would never think I would miss the triple lutz. I was so worried about the combination.

``Well, it's just the first short program of the season.''

Weiss only learned his short program - a Van Halen medley - 2 1/2 weeks ago, and he still has a few kinks to work out. He came close to landing the quad in his combination, but brushed his second feet ever so lightly on the ice. He then stepped out of the triple axel.

But his footwork was good, and he played to both the crowd and the judges. As he finished, he pumped his fist and gave the audience a big smile.

In ice dance, there was - surprise - no change from the first day of competition. Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov of Ukraine won the original dance, while Russia's Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov were second. Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto of the United States were in third.

10/25/02 22:56 EDT

[79th and Sunset]

Hey thats kool ! [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

I just played a "Van Halen Medley" myself !

[MO Halen]

Um....ice skaters are only good for one thing.

Taking up hockey players ice time!

Little bastards. MO.

[79th and Sunset]

Originally posted by MO Halen:
Um....ice skaters are only good for one thing.

Taking up hockey players ice time!

Little bastards. MO.

[JMJ]

Originally posted by MO Halen:
Um....ice skaters are only good for one thing.

Taking up hockey players ice time!

Little bastards. MO.

hee hee [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img]

JMJ

[5150 Mean St]

lmao, MO Halen!

~5150~