Kavaguti-Smirnov beat world champions Savchenko-Szolkowy to win 1st title at Europeans

Kavaguti-Smirnov pull off upset with pairs title

TALLINN, Estonia — Russia’s Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov are the new European pairs champions, upsetting world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy.

The Russians trailed the Germans by 0.2 points after the short program, but they soared ahead Wednesday with an exuberant free skate program to waltzes, including the “Blue Danube.” They were solid technically, their only major flaw coming when she stepped out of a triple toe loop.

Savchenko and Szolkowy, who had won the last three European titles, took the silver medal. Russia’s Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov took bronze.

Earlier Wednesday, Russia’s Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko won the men’s short program with world-record marks.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Evgeni Plushenko might be better than ever.

The 2006 Olympic champion took the lead in the European Figure Skating Championships on Wednesday with a short program that showed him in top form. The Russian earned 91.30 points, a career high exceeding his previous best at the Turin Games.

“To put it simply, I count this as the return of the sporting feeling,” he said a few minutes after leaving the ice.

That Plushenko is in full stride after a three-year layoff and an aching knee is sure to worry anyone aiming to challenge him in Vancouver next month. That includes France’s Brian Joubert, who ended the day in second place, and Switzerland’s Stephane Lambiel, the Turin silver medalist who slumped to fifth in Tallinn.

Lambiel also is coming back from a lengthy layoff.

Yannick Ponsero of France was third after the short program.

Plushenko reeled off a series of jumps, including the day’s only quad-triple combination, with such cool precision that it almost looked routine. But when he clenched his fist at the end, he showed it was much more than a skate on a pond.

Later he seemed both euphoric and wary.

“I am so happy with my feelings today,” Plushenko said. “Of course, I am not going to fly to the moon because tomorrow (in the free skate) is going to be a big fight.”

Joubert, skating last, showed that he too has come back — in his case from foot surgery late last year. His lively short program slightly outpointed Plushenko on content, and the main technical difference was he did a double toe loop after his quad instead of a planned triple.

“I was very nervous when I came on the ice, so when I did the quad I wanted to do a clean combination,” said Joubert, the 2007 world champion. “The quad was good and I was about to do a triple, so I am a little bit disappointed in that.”

Joubert vowed that he’ll do two quads in the free skate Thursday. Plushenko promised only one — but with a smile that indicated he had more in mind.

Ponsero, aiming for his first continental medal, also did a quad-double combination.

The meeting of Lambiel, in his biggest competition since coming back from a year off, and Plushenko for the first time since Turin was eagerly anticipated. But hopes for the Swiss fell within seconds as he doubled a planned triple axel, then put both hands to the ice when he stumbled out of the first part of a quad-triple combo.

Later Wednesday, defending pairs champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy headed into the free skate with the narrowest of leads over two Russian couples. The Germans, winners of the last to world titles, were ahead of Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov by just 0.2 points. Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov, whose synchronization was the most precise of the short program, were another .38 points back.

Thursday also brings the original dance, with world champion Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin in a substantial lead over compatriots Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski, and Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali of Italy.

The women’s program begins Friday.