World Figure Skating : Soviet Takes Lead in Men’s Event

Alexander Fadeev of the Soviet Union, recovered from a left hamstring pull that had sidelined him for almost three weeks, turned in the best performance in the compulsory figures Monday and took the early lead in the World Figure Skating Championships.

With his main rival, Brian Orser of Canada, managing no better than a fourth in the compulsory figures, Fadeev put himself in strong position to win the men’s title.

The Soviet skater can place second in both remaining men’s events, the long and short programs, and still take the title even if Orser wins both.

Fadeev’s performance was outstanding, considering he had been hampered by a pulled left hamstring and missed the the European Championships as a result. He spent 20 days resting and said he is back in fine form.

Despite Orser’s subpar performance, Fadeev said he still considered the Canadian the man to beat.

“I will just skate. I’m just trying to win,” he said.

Olympic bronze medalist Jozef Sabovcik of Czechoslovakia placed second in the figures, while Fernand Fedronic of France was third and American champion Brian Boitano fifth.

Orser, the 1984 Olympic and World silver medalist, improved his previous best of seventh in the discipline, achieved last year in Sarajevo and Ottawa. But improvement may not be enough, and the men’s title rests as much on mathematics as on skating.

The 23-year-old Orser is in a difficult position. The Canadian is expected to win the men’s short and long programs, with his technically demanding routines featuring six or seven triple jumps in the free skate.

He is trying to forget that he could deliver the performance of his life and win both contests--only to lose the overall title to Fadeev.

“I can’t be thinking about who has to beat who in order for me to move up and that sort of thing,” Orser said. “Of course it’s in the back of my mind, I don’t turn it away, but I’m not going to put too much attention toward that because I still have a job to do.”

The Canadian said he is still in a much stronger position than last year, when he outdueled now-retired champion Scott Hamilton of the United States in the free skate, only to be dragged down to second place because of his poor showing in figures.