Russian Skaters Complete Sweep

Russia’s Maria Butyrskaya reclaimed the women’s title from defending champion Irina Slutskaya in the European Figure Skating Championships on Saturday at Lausanne, Switzerland, but in less-than-glorious fashion.

Butyrskaya faltered on three jumps in the long program, completing only five triples for technical marks from 5.1 to 5.7.

Slutskaya won the final free program, hitting six triples but no triple-triple combination.

After finishing third in the short program, Slutskaya needed to beat Butyrskaya and have someone else beat her, too. That didn’t happen.

Victoria Volchkova finished third, giving Russia its fourth consecutive sweep.

“It’s easy to do the individual elements, but it’s only the third time I’m doing the full program,” Butyrskaya said.

“I have mistakes and problems with the program, but I think it will be OK by the Olympics. I still have a month to go.”

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U.S. Olympic speedskater Chris Witty has mononucleosis and withdrew from the World Sprint Championships at Hamar, Norway, on Friday after learning of the test results. She hopes to recover in time to compete in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in February. ... Canada’s Jeremy Wotherspoon won the 500- and 1,000-meter races in the World Sprint Championships. ... Stephan Eberharter of Austria won a World Cup downhill at Kitzbuehel, Austria. He has won four of seven downhills. Daron Rahlves of the United States, the super-giant slalom world champion, crashed barely 30 seconds into the race. ... Austria’s Michaela Dorfmeister won a World Cup giant slalom at Berchtesgaden, Germany.

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Baseball

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed free-agent right-hander Rick Helling, 31, to a one-year contract with a mutual option for a second year.

Helling had a 12-11 record and a 5.17 earned-run average with the Texas Rangers last year.

Hennepin County (Minn.) Judge Harry Crump ruled Friday that baseball owners must disclose documents on discussions about contraction, including information about loans between Minnesota Twin owner Carl Pohlad and Commissioner Bud Selig.

The order was in response to a request by the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission for information on contraction.

The ruling comes in the aftermath of disclosures this month about four loans between baseball teams and owners, including a $3-million loan from a Pohlad family company to the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Boxing

Former four-time world champion Johnny Tapia, 34, ended his first fight as a featherweight by knocking out Argentina’s Eduardo Alvarez in the first round of a nontitle fight at London.

Tapia improved to 51-2-2 with 28 knockouts.In the main event, Argentina’s Julio Pablo Chacon (43-2-0) overcame a knockdown and cuts above and below his right eye to win a split decision over Colombia’s Victor Polo (30-4-2) and retain his World Boxing Organization featherweight title.

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Miscellany

Former Minnesota Viking coach Dennis Green has formed a partnership with the owner of a group that hopes to field a NASCAR team and start racing in May. Green and Darwin Oordt, owner of the Ford Taurus Galaxy Motorsports Winston Cup team, made the partnership public Thursday. The company will be called Denny Green Racing, LLC.

Ukraine’s Yana Klochkova set a short-course world record of 4 minutes 27.83 seconds in the women’s 400-meter individual medley and China’s Luo Xuejuan set a record of 30.47 seconds in the women’s 50 breaststroke in a World Cup meet at Paris.

The Anchorage Aces rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a 4-2 West Coast Hockey League victory over the Ice Dogs at Long Beach Arena.

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Passings

Alex Hannum, the first to coach two different teams to NBA championships and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, died Friday. He was 78. Story in B section.