World Figure Skating Championships Lausanne, 1997 - Report

Ladies

by Tatjana Flade

Tara Lipinski was the youngest skater ever to win the US-Championships in Nashville in February. And now she is the youngest World Figure Skating Champion ever - beating Sonia Henie by one month. The legendary Henie was 14 years, ten months old when she won her first World title 70 years ago. Tara will turn 15 in June. Even on the podium, the girl is tinier than silver medalist Michelle Kwan (USA) and bronze medalist Vanessa Gusmeroli (France).

Tara Lipinski had already won the short program with a good performance, and was a close second in the free skating. She amazed the judges and the audience with seven clean triples, including her famous triple loop/triple loop combination. Her only weakness is the double axel, but she promised to work on it and on the highness of her low jumps in general. Her skating still looks quite junior, but compared to last year, she already made progress. "I never expected to win, especially not this year", Tara said. "It was a big shock, but I love it!" She now wants to take a few days off and than to prepare for the Olympic season, doing new programs.
Michelle Kwan, after she fell on the triple lutz in the short program on Friday, had at least the triumph of winning the free. But it wasn't enough to defend the title. Michelle thinks, she learnt a lesson and tries now to be more relaxed. "I went out there to have fun, I really put that into perspective. I think, I should be lucky, just to be there (at Worlds)."

The surprise of the day was Vanessa Gusmeroli from France. Already a surprising second in the short, she could hold on and won the bronze medal. But her free program was overmarked, her jumps were all shaky and she fell on the triple flip right at the beginning.

Disappointment must have hit Russia's Irina Slutskaya, who showed a brilliant performance, including a triple salchow/triple loop combination. She got three first places in the free, but also six third places and was fourth overall. Her fall on the lutz in the short , where she only placed 6th, had cost her a medal. Also her compatriot Maria Butyrskaya was not in favor with the judges. Her very artistic performance was only awarded with a fifth place. In the short, Maria had placed only third, which already wasn't clear to everyone.

Austria's Julia Lautowa and German's Eva-Maria Fitze came back after faulty short programs to place 8th and 10th respectively overall. For both of them, this is a successful end of the season and a step forward to the next season.

Copyright © March 23, 1997 by Tatjana Flade

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