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Matthews and Zavozin Hold Off Challengers in Original Dance

Morgan Matthews and Maxim Zavozin File Photo by Jay Adeff

Event Results, News and Photos

(3/3/05) — Despite having had just five hours sleep, U.S. ice dancers Morgan Matthews & Maxim Zavozin tightened their grasp on the gold medal position at the World Junior Championships in Kitchener, Ont., Thursday, fending off a spirited challenge by Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

Still, their lead is slim — a mere 3 1/2 points. The American duo will have to skate clean and execute their elements at the highest level to assure victory in Friday's free dance, especially knowing that Virtue and Moir have outscored them in the final segment in their two previous meetings this season.

Matthews and Zavozin scored 58.89 points for their original dance to the Canadians 58.33, for a total of 98.76 when points earned in the compulsory round were added on. Virtue and Moir accumulated 95.24 overall.

A surprise 20th birthday party for Zavozin following their practice on Wednesday night delayed the couple's bedtime. An early morning practice nixed any thoughts of sleeping in. But, the twosome looked anything but tired after their satisfying skate.

Matthews, a Chicago native, and Russian-born Zavozin, who train in Ashburn, Va., were among the few couples to show a Charleston in a snappy routine set to “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Her little trip on a toe-pick at the outset of their side-by-side step sequence was the only obvious flaw in their routine, which featured a fast-spinning lift with Matthews in split-leg position to finish.

"It was pretty good," Matthews said. "We had good confidence. We improved on everything we have tried to improve all season long.

"To go out and do really clean, strong twizzles is a big thing for us," she added, noting that they have struggled with the tricky, moving turns in the past.

For the Canadians, this week has been a homecoming of sorts. They trained in Kitchener for seven years before relocating to Michigan last summer to skate with coach Igor Shpilband, the man who also guides U.S. champions Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto.

Virtue, 15, and Moir, 17, who grew up nearby in London, Ont., had the audience clapping along to their quickstepping “Puttin' on the Ritz.” The diminutive couple featured their quick footwork in both of their complicated step sequences. They also showed excellent unison on their twizzle turns.

"It was exciting,” said an energized Moir. “I feel like I want to go out and do the free dance right now. It's so much fun to skate in your home country. It was a blast."

"It was awesome. We went and did what we wanted to do," he continued.

While the U.S. duo were bronze medalists at this event a year ago, the fast-rising Virtue and Moir were 11th.

The two couples have battled each other for Junior Grand Prix gold twice previously this season, with Matthews and Zavozin prevailing both times, including a win at the final.

Russia's Anastasia Gorshkova and Ilia Tkachenko, hoppin' to music from the Roger Rabbit soundtrack, overtook Israeli brother and sister Alexandra and Roman Zaretski, who performed a fox trot to Louis Armstrong's gravely-voiced “Bippity Boppity Boo.” The couples, separated by half a point (89.93 to 89.40), will battle for bronze.

Colorado Springs-based Trina Pratt & Todd Gilles, both 18, earned 40.34 points for their original dance. They incurred a major points loss when she fell flat out after losing her balance on a twizzle. With a total of 72.40, they dropped back from ninth in the opener to 11th overall among 27 couples.

"It was kind of just a fluke," Gilles said of the mishap. "It was pretty good besides that. We performed well after that."

The free dance will take place Friday night.