Fernandez dazzles to overtake Uno and win Rostelecom Cup
MOSCOW (AP) - Javier Fernandez of Spain reeled off three quads in the free skate to streak from a distant second to the gold medal in the Rostelecom Cup on Saturday.
The world figure skating champion trailed Japan's Shoma Uno by seven points after the short program, but ended the third of six grand prix preliminaries seven points in front. Skating to Elvis Presley songs, Fernandez opened with a quad toeloop and followed with a quad salchow-double toe; another quad salchow came in the second half of the program.
Uno started with a quad flip - he's the only skater to land one in international competition. He tried for two more quads, but fell on the third attempt. He also did only one combination of jumps - a triple-single-triple that earned a bonus for coming very late, at the four-minute mark.
Israel's Alexei Bychenko won bronze, his first grand prix medal.
Anna Pogorilaya won the women's gold with clean jumps and assured footwork, and Elena Radionova was second. But their Russian compatriot Julia Lipnitskaia interrupted her free skate because of injury.
The Olympic champion, who withdrew from Skate America two weeks ago because of injury, was in third place after the short program. After a strong start, she singled a jump and then stopped to consult with trainer Alexei Urmanov and the judges; after several minutes she resumed skating, but fell hard on a triple axel. Details of her injury were not immediately known.
American Courtney Hicks won the bronze.
Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot won the pairs with a free skate of highs and lows -- the opening triple twist soared and the lifts seemed effortless, but Savchenko stepped out of one throw and fell hard on the second.
Natalia Zabiiako and Alexander Enbert of Russia earned their first grand prix medal, falling to second after leading on the first day. Compatriots Kristina Astakhova and Alexei Rogonov's took bronze, also their first medal.
Russia's Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev won the ice dancing. Skating to music from Vivaldi and Chopin, their free dance was close to flawless and raised them to the top from third after the short dance.
Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who had been narrowly in front after the short dance, dropped to second, troubled by some small errors and Bates stepping out of a twizzle.
Canada's Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje won the bronze.