U.S. Skating Champion Jill Trenary Triumphs in Figures Over Titlist Ito

Midori Ito of Japan all but conceded her women’s title today as American Jill Trenary triumphed in the last compulsory figures to be staged at the World Figure Skating Championships.

Trenary won the section with Ito a lowly 10th, and the Japanese now needs more than her vaunted jumping ability to retain the crown.

Ito quickly fled the figures arena after her second figure, which was a catastrophe. She had been sixth after the first figure, the double three, but fell four places with her second, the loops.

One judge rated it 26th best in the field of 29, although overall it was 14th. She lost balance and momentum early in the tracing and almost stopped halfway through.

“She was shaky, everything shook,” another coach said. “She needed her talent and strength just to finish it.”

For Trenary, the figures result put her into an extremely strong position.

Even if Ito wins the original and free programs, as she did to capture the title last year after being sixth in figures, Ito will need help from other skaters to catch Trenary.

Trenary could still beat her by placing third in both remaining sections.

“But I’m trying not to focus on the spread, and there are other skaters to worry about,” the 21-year-old American said. “I still have to do my thing.”

Her main rivals now appear to be Natalia Lebedeva of the Soviet Union and Patricia Neske of West Germany, who were second and third in the compulsory section.

Lebedeva looked certain to win the European title last month until she flopped badly in her free program, but if she can hold her nerve she has the ability to win. So does Neske, who had a similar experience in Leningrad.

European champion Evelyn Grossmann of East Germany placed only 12th while the acrobatic young Frenchwoman Surya Bonaly was 15th. Both are too far back to have medal chances.

Trenary won the first figure and was second in the loops behind the surprising Holly Cook, who barely made the U.S. team.

Trenary, who skated a poor final program last year when she had a chance to win, said: “I made a little mistake in the loops. Last night I was thinking horrible thoughts about what might go wrong, which I shouldn’t do.

“But I wanted to win the figures and now I’m looking ahead. This is an exciting position to be in.”

When Zeljka Cizmesija of Yugoslavia skated the last figure, fans threw flowers and boxes of chocolates to the ice and British judge Vanessa Riley wept openly.

“I think it is just so very sad,” said Riley, regarded as the toughest but fairest judge on the panel.

The figures were consigned to oblivion by an International Skating Union (ISU) ballot of their members in 1988. Abolition formally takes effect July 1, but this was the competitive finale.