Strong Performances Virtually Deadlock Skating Competition

PARIS —  Chris Bowman of the United States and Kurt Browning of Canada moved into a virtual deadlock with Aleksandr Fadeev of the Soviet Union today after the men’s original program at the World Figure Skating Championships.

Fadeev held a narrow overall lead, but Browning used two triple axles to win the original program and move into second place. Bowman’s Latin routine advanced him into third. The three are so close that Thursday’s final free skating, worth 50% of the total score, will decide the champion. Whoever wins that segment will take the title. Bowman, of Van Nuys, is renowned for his showmanship and free-skating ability.

Viktor Petrenko of the Soviet Union, second to Fadeev after the compulsory figures, dropped to fifth.

In evening skating, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov of the Soviet Union swept to their third pairs title in four years. The Soviet pairs also won the title in 1986 and 1987.

Canada’s Cindy Landry and Lyndon Johnston took the silver medal, Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov of the Soviet Union the bronze.

In ice dancing today, Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko of the Soviet Union waltzed their way into the lead after the compulsories. Second went to another Soviet pair, Maia Usova and Aleksandr Zhulin. In third were Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay of France.

American champions Susan Wynne and Joe Druar were fifth.