PARIS, 21 November 2004 — US national champion Johnny Weir held off a challenge from home favorite Brian Joubert to win his second title of the season in the Paris leg of the ISU Grand Prix figure skating series here yesterday.
World silver medalist Joubert, who had been struggling in fourth overnight after the short program, came storming back to score the highest marks for the free skating program but had to settle for second behind the American.
Weir, winner of the NHK Trophy in Japan this month, played it safe and did not include a quadruple jump in his program to Otonal by Raul di Blasio, instead highlighting his artistry and ability to spin and pirouette.
“I love skating because it’s a mixture of art and sport, it’s rare to find something like that,” said the 20-year-old Weir, who only took up skating eight years ago. He earned a combined final score of 208.10.
Canada’s Emanuel Sandhu finished third despite falling three times during his routine for which he was ranked fifth but finished on the podium with an overall score of 168.80.
Joubert performed a technically challenging program.
The French skater opened his ‘1492 Conquest of Paradise’ performance with a quadruple-triple toeloop combination and bemoaned the fact that quadruple jumps weren’t taken more into account under the new judging system.
