Soviet Skaters Regain World Pairs Crown

Olympic champions Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov of the Soviet Union swept to their third pairs title in four years at the World Figure Skating Championships in Paris.

Gordeeva, 17, and Grinkov, 22, who won the pairs title in 1986 and 1987, were upset last year and then skipped the European championships in England last January because of an injury to Gordeeva. But they were back in top form as they sailed through the free dance routine, dressed in white, with a stylish performance.

Canada’s Cindy Landry and Lyndon Johnston took the silver medal, Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov of the Soviet Union the bronze. Kristi Yamaguchi and Rudi Galindo, the United States champions, were fifth.

Chris Bowman of Van Nuys and Canada’s Kurt Browning moved into contention for the men’s gold medal in a three-way battle with Soviet veteran Alexandr Fadeev. Bowman moved from fourth to third, but the three were so close that it was virtually a three-way tie going into today’s final free skating.