Feb. 15, 2004
Israel crowns figure skating champs
By LIONEL GAFFEN

Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovsky retained their crown Saturday night at the National Figure Skating Championships at the Canada Centre in Metulla, after performing Fellini's "Clowns" in the Final Free Skate. The pair earned scores ranging from 5.8 for technique up to a perfect 6.0 for presentation.

"Absolutely fantastic," were the words that Gary Hoppe, one of Israel's international judges, used to describe the performance. "They are true champions. The fact that they were able to return so soon after the Euros, where they were obviously disappointed, and put on performances like they've been doing, says volumes about them."

When asked for his opinion of the recently completed Euros, where several of the judges' credibility came into question, he could only comment by stating that "their final position certainly could have been higher."

The married couple of Natalia Gudina and Alexei Beletsky had to settle for the runner-up spot again, despite a fiery rendition to Rossini's The Barber of Seville. The pair scored from 5.6 for technique to 5.8 for presentation.

Skating to the soundtracks for The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded, the sibling duo of Alexandra and Roman Zaretsky skated in their final competition before the upcoming world junior championships to take place from March 1-7 in the Hague.

"They certainly have a lot of potential, and Israel, for such a small country, is certainly fortunate to have three Ice Dance couples of excellent caliber," Hoppe said.

Roman Serov will represent Israel during the coming season at major international events after becoming the new Israeli mens champion after his Free Skate performance.

Sergei Kotov, in his last national outing as a junior, came out on top, besting surprise second place finisher Jan Tales, 14, and third place finisher Nazar Mahmood, the first Israeli Druse to compete in the nationals. Keren Shua Haim stayed ahead of Rima Beliy to take the junior ladies title.

Age groups ranging from 4-6 and all the way up to junior (14) competed for national titles in Boys, Girls and Ice Dancing.

"Prior to the age of fourteen, these children are basically on their own, which means that they pay for private lessons and everything that is involved, such as equipment, etc., which goes to demonstrate the desire they have and love of the sport," said Boris Chait, chairman of the Israel Ice Skating Federation.

"While we help out with what we can, it is only when they reach the age of fourteen and are eligible to compete internationally, that we really become involved."