Goebel holds off Gao to win men's title at Cup of China

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, November 09, 2003

Goebel holds off Gao to win men's title at Cup of China

Timothy Goebel was far from perfect, but still good enough Saturday to capture the men's title at Cup of China, the third stop in the International Skating Union's figure skating Grand Prix.

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Timothy Goebel was far from perfect, but still good enough Saturday to capture the men's title at Cup of China, the third stop in the International Skating Union's figure skating Grand Prix.

"It wasn't my best," said Goebel, who grasped his first title this season, "But I feel that I skated well and skated the program from start to finish so the program flowed."

Goebel, dubbed the "Quad King", fell on the ice during his triple axel in the free skate routine, but he still earned a score of 137.60 for the free skate with a double 69.30 points for technical and program component. His cumulative score for the competition was 205.30.

Goebel, who missed the Grand Prix opening event Skate America due to problems with his skates and had to wait until Cup of China to make his appearance, unexpectedly fell behind of China's Gao Song for the second place with 67.7 points after Friday's short program.

"I still felt not comfortable now, but it's much better," said Goebel, the first skater to land three quadruple jumps in the Olympics with two quadruple salchows.

"I will switch something after the Cup of China, hopefully in NKH tournament in Japan will be good," he added.

Brian Joubert of France was second with a total of 199.84 points. Joubert, the champion of Skate America, finished fourth with 65.67 after short program.

Local hopeful Chengjiang was third with 196.24 points, while Gao Song, who led the short program with a score of 70.25, was beaten to fourth place on 185.90.

Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov won their second straight International Skating Union Grand Prix title early on Saturday night with a total of 211.36 points.

The Russian pair, winners of Skate Canada, the Grand Prix's second stop, received 109.36 marks.

Ukrainian pair Elena Grushina and Ruslan Gonvharov, overshadowed by the Russian skaters both in compulsory dance and original dance, had to be content with their second runner-up.

They also finished second in Skate America, the first stop of the Grand Prix.

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder came third with 187. 77.

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