It’s Only .03, but It’s Still a Lead

Sasha Cohen of Corona del Mar goes for the gold today. She emerged from Tuesday’s short program with a lead of .03 of a point over reigning world champion Irina Slutskaya of Russia, 66.73 to 66.70.

Shizuka Arakawa of Japan is within range with a score of 66.02.

Kimmie Meissner of Bel Air, Md., is fifth, at 59.40, and Emily Hughes of Great Neck, N.Y., is seventh at 57.08.

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Cohen versus Slutskaya

Long-program elements of Sasha Cohen, above, to Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet” as done at the U.S. championships, and how the judges scored it (BV -- base value; GE -- grade of execution; SP -- scores of panel; *Occurs in the second half of the program, so score is multiplied by 1.1):Long-program elements of Irina Slutskaya, above, to a flamenco medley as performed at the European championships, and how the judges scored it (BV -- base value; GE -- grade of execution; SP -- scores of panel; *Occurs in the second half of the program, so score is multiplied by 1.1):

*--* Element BV GE SP Triple lutz-double toe loop-double loop 8.8 1.0 9.8 Triple flip 5.5 86 6.36 Triple loop 5.0 43 5.43 Spin combination w/change of position and change of 3.5 64 4.14 foot level 4 Layback spin level 4 2.4 86 3.26 Triple flip-double toe loop* 7.5 14 7.64 Triple toe loop-steps-triple salchow* 7.5 -2.43 5.07 Flying sit spin level 4 3.0 21 3.21 Double axel* 3.6 86 4.46 Circular steps level 3 3.1 71 3.81 Spiral steps level 4 3.4 2.71 6.11 Triple salchow* 5.0 71 5.71 Spin combination w/ change of position and change 3.0 79 3.79 of foot level 3 Total element score 68.79 Program component score 65.24 Total score for long program 134.03

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*--* Element BV GE SP Triple lutz-double loop 7.5 71 8.21 Triple salchow-double loop-double toe loop 7.3 43 7.73 Flying camel spin level 4 3.0 43 3.43 Triple flip 5.5 -1.14 4.36 Layback spin level 4 2.4 64 3.04 Spiral steps level 3 3.1 29 3.39 Triple flip-double toe loop* 7.5 71 8.21 Triple loop* 5.5 86 6.36 Triple toe loop* 4.4 43 4.83 Spin combination with change of position 2.5 14 2.64 Double axel* 3.6 57 4.17 Straight line steps level 2 2.3 36 2.66 Spin combination w/ change of position and change 3.5 79 4.29 of foot Total element score 63.32 Program component score 63.49 Total score for long program 126.81

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