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Plushenko Holds First in European Skating
Tue Feb 3, 6:53 PM ET Add Sports - AP to My Yahoo!


By SAVATORE ZANCA, Associated Press Writer

BUDAPEST, Hungary - World champion Evgeni Plushenko (news - web sites) held onto first place after the men's short program, overcoming a weak landing on a combination and a strong showing by Frenchman Brian Joubert on Tuesday at the European Figure Skating Championships.


Russian ice dancers also led their event, continuing that country's domination in Europe.


Plushenko slipped a little while landing a quadruple jump and had to hold his balance and do only a double toe loop instead of a planned triple. The Russian also was a bit off in the air landing a triple lutz.


His routine to tango music had marks from 5.4 to 5.8 for required elements, and 5.6 up to one 6.0 for presentation. In the interim scoring system and random picking of judging, no one knows if that 6.0 counted.


Plushenko didn't know what went wrong on the quad, normally a consistent jump for him.


"I don't have an answer," Plushenko said. "First I have to watch the tape and see what happened with my quad today."


He refused to blame his knee injury.


"I have had it already six months. I am ready for the pain," Plushenko said. "All athletes have a problem in their leg ? or in their head."


When asked whether he has a problem in his head, he laughed and said: "No, not yet."


A majority of the nine judges rated him slightly better than Joubert, who's quad-triple was clean to a routine of "Time" by Pink Floyd.

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