TURIN - A performance riddled with errors failed to stop Irina Slutskaya entering the record books yesterday, burying memories of an illness and injury-plagued 2004 season.
Slutskaya, who was unable to defend her crown last year, survived a fall to join Germany's Katarina Witt and Norwegian Sonja Henie as the
only women to have won six European figure skating titles.
The Russian competed only once last year, at the world championships, where she finished a disappointing ninth, and feels her success at the Palavela rink was a gift from God.
"Of course, I was sad with my performance but maybe because of my illness, God gave me this [win] today," Slutskaya said.
Despite attempting only six of her expected 11 jumps and crashing to the ice while landing on the triple Lutz, Slutskaya picked herself up to earn a winning mark of 168.71.
"I missed last season and am still not feeling that well but you can't always skate great.
"Having missed last season, it's really hard for me to compete in so many competitions again.
"I'm still on medicine and the pills make me very tired as they are very strong.
"I have work to do before the world championships [in March in Moscow] and make sure I don't do that mistake again."
With the prospect of competing at a big championship in front of her home fans for the first time in her career, Slutskaya is determined to live up to expectations in Moscow.
- REUTERS
