[Scans] - 20 Minuten & La Liberté

 

Posted on 19 Feb 2010 by RaChEl_R86 | 0 Comments

Olympic look-alikes: Lambiel and Prince Charming

Posted on 19 Feb 2010 by RaChEl_R86 | 0 Comments

[Photos] - Off-Ice & SP at Olympics

Posted on 17 Feb 2010 by RaChEl_R86 | 0 Comments

[Article] - Don't count out Stéphane Lambiel

Okay, so everybody has suddenly gone ga-ga over mop-haired Evgeni Plushenko's return to competitive figure skating in time for the Winter Olympics.

But he's not the only former world champion who is trying to make a comeback at the 2010 Games.

Stéphane Lambiel is back, too. And while he's not sitting in the gold medal position heading into Thursday's free skate at the Pacific Coliseum, he's every bit as happy as his Russian counterpart to be back. Perhaps even more so.

You see, unlike Plushenko, Lambiel didn't quit because he was bored or tired of the daily routine of training. He was forced to the sidelines by a persistent hip problem that caused him concern his skating career might be over.

"It was a long waiting to skate," said the 2005 and 2006 world champion and the 2006 Olympic silver medallist. "It was hard to deal with. I have to say I was nervous. I was just trying to tell myself to listen to the music and do what my body knows to do."

Added Lambiel: "Last year at this time I couldn't skate more than twice a week before the hip would start to bother me. At that point, I never could have imagined I'd be here today."

The 24-year-old Swiss Champion wasn't quite perfect in Tuesday's short program. Skating to the William Tell Ouverture he came close to dropping down to one knee on the landing of his quad toe loop and consequently was only able to add a double toe loop as the second part of his combination. He was awarded three Level 4 scores on his spins and footwork and two Level 3s.

That was good enough for a personal best short program score of 84.63 points and fifth place behind the leader Plushenko.

"In general I was happy, but a little disappointed with the double toe," said Lambiel, whose mother is Portuguese. "I'm pleased that the judges and the crowd seemed to like me."

Posted on 17 Feb 2010 by RaChEl_R86 | 2 Comments

[Article] - Lambiel is only six points from gold

While Stéphane Lambiel not tip as the fifth after short program at the Vancouver Games. But the advance of Russian Plushenko from Stéphane only amounts to six points. Everything is still possible.

Walking is still higher than expected but everything remains open for Stéphane Lambiel after the short program of the Olympics in Vancouver. The Valais occupies the 5th place after the first day very dense and tight, narrowly dominated by Evgeny Plushenko.

Observers had predicted a test exceptionally relieved, and the predictions proved accurate, with three men beyond 90 points: the defending champion, Evgeny Plushenko (90.85), American Evan Lysacek, world champion in full (90.30) and Japan's Daisuke Takahashi (90.25). Fourth, the Japanese Nobunari Oda has 84.85 points, just ahead of Stéphane Lambiel (84.63), who beat his personal record in favor of the highest artistic flair of the evening on his "William Tell" by Rossini.

"Six points isn't that much"
The Valais usually successfull with beautiful mountain in the free program, which has improved in 4'40, to express his artistic talent. He was already a 5th place after the short program at Europeans Tallinn last before winning the money. "Six points behind, not that much. The gold is still possible", said the double world champion.

The competition this time is more formidable than in Tallinn and Lambiel will need to be perfect or almost free in the night from Thursday to Friday to do as well or better than his silver medal of the Turin Games in 2006. It will probably pass two quadruple jumps, including one in combination, to compensate for the absence of triple axel. In his short program, he was alone with Plushenko, the top five ordered to try the "quad", which repels such as North Americans.

But Lambiel felt too low at the reception and had to settle for a double instead of a triple in the sequence. It was especially packed the 11,000 spectators with his spins, the most beautiful of all, and his diagonal at the end of the program.

Posted on 17 Feb 2010 by RaChEl_R86 | 1 Comments

[Photos] - Olympics 2010 Vancouver

Posted on 16 Feb 2010 by RaChEl_R86 | 0 Comments