2003 World Figure Skating Championships

24 March

Men, Qualifying Group A

Kevin van der Perren (BEL), 2002 World Junior silver medalist
I put the triple-triple-triple combination for the first time into my program, and I landed it! (triple Salchow-triple toeloop-triple loop. This combination never has been done before in competition, and it is the first triple-triple-triple combination at Worlds). I still have trouble with my triple Axel, so I decided to do a double. The triple Axel is painful for me. So I thought I can compensate by doing the triple-triple-triple combination, and I wanted to do something different. I was stressed out when I went out to skate, but I wasn’t as nervous as at Europeans.

Timothy Goebel (USA), 2003 World silver medalist
I’m very happy to be here at the world championships.  I feel like I came back healthy and strong.  I performed well today maybe not as well as I wanted to but much, much better than the rest of this year has gone.  I’m glad to be back and represent my country. The audience is great, it is always fun to be in front of a hometown crowd but the audience has been really supportive of everyone and this reflects well for America. In the short program I want to focus equally on all eight elements.

Evgeni Plushenko (RUS), 2003 European & 2001 World Champion
I did the quad-triple-triple (toe-toe-loop) for the first time at Worlds, and I’m pleased with it. I’ve done it three times before in competition, but not at Worlds. (It is the first time that this combination has been done at World Championships). It is the first time that I received a 6.0 in Qualifying. We came here one week ago, I’m feeling good here, the hotel is nice. My left knee is still hurting. I don’t feel it when I’m just skating, but it hurts on the toe, on the Salchow, Axel and in the spins. Now the Russian team doctor is treating it with compresses and salves.

Andrejs Vlascenko (GER), 2003 National bronze medalist
I lost it after the mistake on the triple Lutz, and I wasn’t able to pull it together anymore. I felt good. Skating last (in the warm up) does play a role, but it wasn’t the reason for today’s performance. You’re warmed up after a few jumps. I go into each jump with different thoughts. I try to keep my head clear. To be in the top ten is difficult in any case.

Emanuel Sandhu (CAN), 2003 National Champion
It was a good fight.  I missed the quad toe, but I did everything else. I did not compete in Worlds last year due to injury, but we have Nationals for a good qualifying, so I am emotionally ready.

Stephane Lambiel (SUI), 2003 National Champion 
That was the best I’ve ever done so far, even better than ever in practice. I never did the triple Axel and quad-triple toe in one program, not even in practice. After that, I just felt free. I had trouble with the triple Axel in the warm up, but when I landed it in the program, I felt much more confident. It went by itself; I didn’t have to push for anything. (On receiving a standing ovation) The American audience doesn’t know me. I didn’t  know if they would like my program, but they did. I’m so happy! I feel like I’m on a cloud. I had surgery on my meniscus of the right knee, and I was off the ice for six weeks. I came back in December.

Jeffrey Buttle (CAN), 2002 Four Continents Champion
(On expectations for his second appearance at worlds) 
I wanted to bump it up technically from last year; there is a little more pressure. I’m happy with how the triple Axel-triple toe loop went but obviously I’m not pleased with the way the quad went today. This is the qualifying round and I want to build from this performance. 
(On tripling the quad)  I have to stay totally focused, if my mind wanders just a bit.....(shrugs)  Before I arrived in Washington there were warnings that this would be an atypical worlds (because of the war with Iraq) but everyone has been welcoming.

Silvio Smalun (GER), 2003 National Champion
Obviously, this was not what I had hoped for. It was not clean at all. There were small, but decisive mistakes. I really wanted to do better. I was very nervous, I don’t know really why. I tried to skate powerfully, but it didn’t come across.

Chengjiang Li (CHN), 2001 Four Continents Champion
I think I skated very well tonight. I was more relaxed (than at the Grand Prix Final) and feeling good.