Israeli brother and sister team enjoy good start at first ISU Grand Prix event of the season.
By AP, ALLON SINAIskaters zaretsky 298.88(photo credit: Lionel Gaffen)
Ice dancers Alexandra and Roman Zaretsky finished in eighth place with an overall score of 143.95 at Skate Canada, the first ISU Grand Prix event of the season, late Saturday night at Hartford, Connecticut.
The Israeli brother and sister, who finished 22nd at the 2006 Winter Olympics, will be encouraged by their good start to the season and will be hoping for an even better result at the second Grand Prix of the season in China that begins on November 9.
World champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski overcame a crash, a cut and a bloodied costume to win the gold medal.
The Bulgarians swept all three stages in finishing ahead of Americans Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov. The free dance wasn't easy, though, after they were involved in a morning practice collision with Britain's Sinead and John Kerr. Staviski tweaked his hip and Denkova cut the back of her right leg, with the blood running onto her partner's white outfit.
"Ice skating is dangerous," Staviski joked after the veteran couple won.
"I took some special gel and ice, but I couldn't lift my leg after practice," he added. "But we actually skated the program without problems, but it was painful at the end."
The pain was allayed by the title, though. And it made their decision not to retire after winning worlds seem correct. "We're feeling very relaxed," Staviski said, "like just doing something (the same) as the practice. We're enjoying it."
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