BUDAPEST, 8 February 2004 — Ice dancers Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia claimed their first major title at the European Figure Skating Championships here on Friday as their women’s team look poised to be deprived of a podium finish for the first time in a decade.
The duo led all three rounds to seal gold after the free skating final ahead of Bulgaria’s Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski, who had to settle for silver for the second straight year.
The bronze went to husband-and-wife team Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov of the Ukraine.
Dressed in hot pink Navka and Kostomarov gave an entertaining performance to the Pink Panther and Austin Power soundtrack which earned them marks from 5.5 to 5.9 for technique and seven 5.9s for presentation.
It is the second title here this week for Russia after Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin claimed their third successive pairs crown.
But they have already failed in their bid to repeat last year’s title sweep with France’s Brian Joubert taking the gold from two-time world and three-time European champion Yevgeny Plushenko on Thursday.
And Russia, who swept all podium places in the women’s event between 1999 and 2002, may be without a medal for the first time in 11 years after national champion Elena Sokolova placed just sixth after the short program.
Her teammates Kristina Oblasova and Tatiana Basova are out of the reckoning in 15th and 16th respectively, as Julia Sebestyen was on course to give Hungary their first women’s gold when she led Friday’s short program.
Sebestyen, the bronze medalist last year, is ahead of Ukrainian Elena Liashenko going into free skating final which counts for the remaining two-thirds of the marks.
Hungarian newcomer Viktoria Pavuk also pulled out a stunning performance on her championship debut to put herself in third position.
But triple-jumping Russian Irina Slutskaya, the five-time European champion who is skipping this season for health reasons, was missed for her spectacular jumping. Just two women, Pavuk and Italy’s Carolina Kostner, who placed fifth, succeeded with a triple-triple.
Sokolova, the world and European silver medalist, doubled the second part of her opening triple lutz triple toe loop combination, earning marks for required elements of between 4.7 and 5.2 out of a possible 6.0.
Liashenko, winner of Grand Prix events in China and Russia, but complaining of an infected toe, could not match Sebestyen whose scores ranged from 5.3 and three 5.8s for required elements and 5.4 and two 5.9s for presentation.
“After the third jump it was so easy to skate,” said Sebestyen who skated faultlessly to Shostakovich’s Waltz.
“The home crowd supported me a lot, it was great to skate for them.”
