Plushenko, Lambiel in focus at Euros

Just weeks before the Vancouver Olympics, and will face each other on the ice for the first time since winning gold and silver at the last Winter Games in Turin in 2006.

Plushenko and Lambiel, both making comebacks after retirements, are competing at the European Figure Skating Championships this week in Tallinn. They will be up against European champion Brian Joubert.

The competition begins Tuesday with compulsory dance and the pairs short program, but the men's event that starts Wednesday is likely to be the highlight of the championships.

Plushenko and Lambiel returned to competition this season. Their performances this week should show whether they will be contenders at the Vancouver Games, which start Feb. 12.

Plushenko dominated the sport during the last Olympic cycle but, until late last year, the Russian hadn't competed internationally since winning gold in Turin. His spectacular performance at the Rostelecom Cup silenced many doubters, and he later easily won the Russian national championships, despite taking time off because of knee pain.

Lambiel, who finished second to Plushenko in Turin, is making his way back after a nagging groin injury prompted a brief retirement in 2008. He won this season's Nebelhorn Trophy to earn Switzerland a spot in Vancouver, but many top stars skip that event and his form is still open to question.

In Monday's practice of his free program, Lambiel's footwork was light and his spins fast, but he appeared hesitant on some jumps and took a tumble on what should have been a routine double.

Joubert wasn't at the early practice because the French contingent was arriving later in the day. His practice routines should show how well he's recovered from foot surgery that forced him to drop out of the Grand Prix final in December and miss the French nationals.

In the women's event, Finland's Laura Lepisto aims to defend her title. Her main rival looks to be Alena Leonova, whose silver and bronzes at Grand Prix events this season have raised Russian hopes of regaining their former stature in women's skating after several lean years.

Two-time European champion Carolina Kostner is eager to bounce back after disappointing showings during the Grand Prix season and a stunning second-place finish at Italy's nationals. Julia Sebestyen of Hungary, another former champion, could also feature on the podium after winning bronze at this season's Skate America.

In pairs, Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy are going for a fourth straight European title to add to their two world championships. Russians Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov, who beat the Germans at Trophee Bompard, also feature along with compatriots Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov, the reigning world bronze medalists.

World champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin head the ice dancing field, along with fellow Russians Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novistski, who will be defending their European title.

All articles

ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2010

177 skaters/couples from 38 ISU members have been entered for the Championships.

The ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2010 will open in Tallinn, Estonia, on January 19. Estonia is hosting an ISU Championship for the first time in history. 177 skaters/couples from 38 ISU members have been entered for the Championships. All skaters/couples will compete in the Short Program/Compulsory Dance and Original Dance, and the top 20 Men and Ladies and the top 16 Pairs/Ice Dance couples will proceed to the Free Skating.

Overview over the top contenders
Reigning European Champion Brian Joubert (FRA) will face stiff competition from Olympic Champion Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) and two-time World Champion Stéphane Lambiel (SUI) who both returned to competition this season. Joubert posted a seasons best of 232.70 points at the NHK Trophy, while Plushenko scored 240.65 at the Rostelecom Cup in the Grand Prix series. Lambiel didn't compete in the Grand Prix but only at the ISU Olympic Qualifying Competition Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf last September. 2008 European Champion Tomas Verner (CZE) would like to step on to the European podium again (seasons best 229.96 points). Reigning European silver medallist Samuel Contesti (ITA/seasons best 207.85) as well as two-time and reigning European bronze medallist Kevin van der Perren (BEL/ seasons best 189.33 points) are in the running again. Yannick Ponsero (FRA) was edged out of a medal last year by a slim margin and wants to take his revenge (seasons best 205.74 points). Sergei Voronov (RUS/seasons best 220.39), World junior silver medallist Michal Brezina (CZE/seasons best 217.48) and Alban Préaubert (FRA/seasons best 212.28) are other contenders. 2005 European bronze medallist Stefan Lindeman (GER) makes his comeback after missing the past two seasons.

In the Ladies event, reigning European Champion Laura Lepistö (FIN) will be challenged by a group of strong competitors. Lepistö comes with a seasons best of 158.52 points to Tallinn. Her teammate, 2007 European bronze medallist Kiira Korpi (FIN) posted 163.27 points, which is the highest seasons best score of an European Lady in the Grand Prix series. Two-time European Champion and reigning European silver medallist Carolina Kostner (ITA/seasons best 154.18) is looking to recapture the title. Two-time European silver medallist Sarah Meier (SUI) wants to stand on the top of the podium this time. Russia's hopes rely on 2009 World Junior Champion Alena Leonova (seasons best 160.85) and the new Russian Champion Ksenia Makarova (seasons best 147.29), who debuts at the international senior level. Former European Champion Julia Sebestyen (HUN/seasons best 159.03) celebrated a comeback by winning the bronze medal at Cancer.Net Skate America last fall. Other skaters to watch include reigning European bronze medallist Susanna Pöykiö (FIN) and new Italian Champion Valentina Marchei.

Two-time World Pairs Champions Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER) are aiming at their fourth consecutive European title in Tallinn. The Germans were once again the top European pair on the Grand Prix circuit and won the bronze medal in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. They earned a seasons best of 206.71 points at HomeSense Skate Canada International. Current World bronze medallists Yuko Kavaguti/Alexander Smirnov (RUS) and their teammates Maria Mukhortova/Maxim Trankov (RUS) want to challenge the Germans. The Russian couples took silver and bronze last year. Kavaguti/Smirnov have a seasons best of 193.05 points while Mukhortova/Trankov got 198.35 points at the Trophée Bompard, where they beat Savchenko/Szolkowy for the first time. After finishing fourth in the past two years at the ISU European Championships, Tatiana Volosozhar/Stanislav Morozov (UKR) finally want to make the podium this time (seasons best 171.82). 2007 World Junior silver medallists Vera Bazarova/Juri Larionov (RUS/seasons best 156.28 points) are debuting at European Championships.

The Ice Dance competition promises to become an exciting battle. Reigning World Champions Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin (RUS) are coming back to international competition only now as they sat out the Grand Prix series. They will face their teammates and reigning European Champions Jana Khokhlova/ Sergei Novitski (RUS), who will present a brand-new Free Dance (seasons best 180.57 points). Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat (FRA) missed the podium last year just narrowly and have the highest sesaons best score of any European dance couple at 185.07. The bronze medal at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final gives the French additional confidence. Reigning European silver medallists Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali (ITA/seasons best 179.92) and European bronze medallists Sinead Kerr/John Kerr (GBR/seasons best 177.73) want to be on the podium again. Other couples to watch include Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA/seasons best 171.86 points), Alexandra Zaretsky/Roman Zaretsky (ISR/seasons best 171.77), Nora Hoffmann/Maxim Zavozin (HUN), Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev (RUS/seasons best 161.68) and Anna Zadarozhniuk/Sergei Verbillo (UKR/seasons best 158.09).

Please note that for the seasonal best total scores only the ISU Grand Prix competitions (senior and junior) have been taken into consideration, not other international competitions or National Championships.

Prize money and World standing bonus
The ISU awards a global prize money of US$ 350,000 at the European Championships to skaters/couples placed 1st to 12th.

The prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples as follows:

Men and Ladies                         Pairs and Dance (per couple)
1st place US$ 20,000                         1st place US$ 30,000
2nd place US$ 13,000                         2nd place US$ 19,500
3rd place US$ 8,000                         3rd place US$ 12,000
4th place US$ 6,500                         4th place US$ 9,750
5th place US$ 5,000                         5th place US$ 7,500
6th place US$ 4,000                         6th place US$ 6,000
7th place US$ 3,500                         7th place US$ 5,250
8th place US$ 3,000                         8th place US$ 4,500
9th place US$ 2,500                         9th place US$ 3,750
10th place US$ 2,000                         10th place US$ 3,000
11th place US$ 1,500                         1th place US$ 2,250
12th place US$ 1,000                         12th place US$ 1,500

By competing in the ISU European Figure Skating Championships the athletes earn points towards the World Standings as well. The three skaters/couples per discipline having earned most World Standing points during the 2009/2010 season will be awarded with the World Standing Bonus.

The following amounts will be awarded to the concerned skaters/couples:
Ladies & Men                           Pairs & Dance (per couple)
1st: US$ 45,000                         1st: US$ 67,500
2nd: US$ 27,000                         2nd: US$ 40,500
3rd: US$ 18,000                         3rd: US$ 27,000
The schedule of the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2007 is as follows:
Tuesday, January 19: Compulsory Dance, Pairs Short Program
Wednesday, January 20: Men Short Program, Pairs Free Skating
Thursday, January 21: Original Dance, Men Free Skating
Friday, January 22: Ladies Short Program, Free Dance
Saturday, January 23: Ladies Free Skating
Sunday, November 24: Exhibition Gala

For more information, full entry lists and results please see: www.isu.org and www.euroskate2010.eu

All articles

Wanted By Nazi-Hunters Dies in Costa Rica

An Estonian alleged by Nazi-hunters to have murdered Jews during World War II has died in his adopted homeland Costa Rica aged 89, according to officials in the Baltic state.

Harry Mannil died Monday in the Costa Rican capital San José, Edgar Savisaar, mayor of Estonia's capital Tallinn and a close friend, said in a statement.

Savisaar paid tribute to Mannil, the godfather of his daughter, as an "outstanding expatriate Estonian businessman" and did not mention the accusations against him, dropped by Estonian prosecutors in 2005.

Mannil nonetheless remained on a wanted list drawn up by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Los Angeles-based Jewish organization that tracks Nazi war criminals.

Mannil, then aged 21, was recorded as having served from September 1941 to June 1942 with the German security forces during the Nazi occupation of Estonia.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center accused him of involvement in the murder of 100 civilians, mostly Jews, although an Estonian probe only established that he was involved in interrogations.

The Nazi-hunters rejected as a whitewash a decision in 2005 by Estonian prosecutors to halt their five-year investigation on the ground that they had failed to turn up evidence to implicate Mannil in war crimes.

Mannil left for Finland in 1943, ahead of a Soviet takeover of Estonia. He emigrated to Latin America in 1946, a year after the end of World War II.

He spent the ensuing decades mostly in Venezuela, as well as Costa Rica. In 1994, the Simon Wiesenthal Center got him placed on a U.S. "watch-list" barring him from the United States.

Estonia's wartime history is still highly controversial.

Some Estonians saw the Nazis as the lesser evils, after German forces drove out Soviet troops who had occupied the country in 1940 and had deported thousands of Estonians to their deaths and were do so again after the war.

But the Nazis brought their own terror.

Estonia's pre-war Jewish population numbered some 4,400. Most fled before the Nazi invasion in 1941, but the 1,000 who remained in the country perished in death camps.

The Nazis also sent up to 10,000 Jews from other occupied countries to camps in Estonia, where most died.

The Red Army drove out the Nazis in 1944. Estonia remained a Soviet republic until the communist bloc collapsed in 1991.

Mannil, who in exile became a wealthy businessman and art collector, was appointed a foreign trade adviser by newly-independent Estonia's government.

He had first returned to Estonia in 1990 at the invitation of local Soviet leader Vaino Valjas, who had met Mannil while serving as Moscow's ambassador to Venezuela.

All articles