|
Evan Lysacek '07 FCFS Champion
By Lindsay DeWall // February 11, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 9, 2007) – Two-time World bronze medalist Evan Lysacek cleanly landed his quad toe-triple toe jump combination for the second time in his competitive career Friday night to win the gold medal at the 2007 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo. He overcame a 10-point deficit from the short program to beat Canada’s Jeffrey Buttle, who finished second. In ice dancing, Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto won the silver medal while Canadians Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon took the gold.
U.S. champion Evan Lysacek admitted he didn’t have his best stuff, but it was good enough to rally from nearly 11 points down to win his second Four Continents Championships title Friday night. Lysacek recorded a personal-best international free skate of 159.23 points and total score of 226.27, edging short program leader Jeffrey Buttle of Canada and Colorado Springs’ own Jeremy Abbott.
Executing his opening quad toe loop-triple toe loop once again provided Lysacek a big boost during his technically challenging “Carmen” program.
“I’ve been practicing the quad really well, and it wasn’t one of my better ones, but when the time comes I like to try and fight for every point,” Lysacek said. “Neither (triple) Axels were good. The second one was really tough, and I had to fight for it. That’s what we do as athletes.”
Buttle struggled with his planned triple Axels. He was downgraded to a double Axel on his first attempt and a single Axel on his second one. The three-time Canadian champion missed most of the past year with a stress fracture on his back, but came back to win his third national title before coming to Colorado Springs.
Abbott was the first skater out in the final group. With the locals cheering loudly, he turned in a solid effort that momentarily grabbed the lead with 203.22 points. He received two negative grades of execution on his triple Axel-triple toe and single Lutz-double toeloop-double loop.
“I’m a little disappointed I didn’t skate better, but overall I’m pleased with it,” Abbott said. “It was a pretty solid showing.”
Ryan Bradley of Colorado Springs, third after the short program, placed fourth.
|
