1.
GV JOHNER AND JOHNER SWITZERLAND
0.10

2.
SV DITTO
0.15

3.
SV JOHNER FALLS RECOVERS, CARRIES ON SKATING
0.34

4.
CU JOHNERS
0.38

5.
LV ZHUK AND GRAVRILOV, RUSSIA
1.06

6.
SV SCORERS
1.12

7.
LV BELOUSOVA AND PROTOPOPOV RUSSIA
1.58

8.
LV BAUMLER AND KILIUS, WEST GERMANY
2.57



Initials JRG/E-V/WH/LW


SPORT: FIGURE SKATING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE EUROPEAN FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS HAS OPENED IN BUDAPEST FOR FOUR DAYS, AND ON SUNDAY THERE WILL BE SPECIAL DISPLAY BY THE NEW CHAMPIONS.

TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY) HANS JUERGEN BAUMLER AND MARIKA KILIUS OF WEST GERMANY, RETAINED THE PAIRS TITLE.WINNING THE TITLE FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN SUCCESSION, THE PAIR GAINED 211 POINTS - 105 FOR THE COMPULSORY FIGURES AND 106 FOR FREE SKATING.

OLEG PROTOPOPOV AND LUDMILA BELOUSOVA, OF THE SOVIET UNION, WERE SECOND WITH 207.6 POINTS.

BAUMLER AND FRAULEIN KILIUS LED BY ONLY 1.6 POINTS FROM THE SOVIET PAIR AFTER THE OPENING DAY'S COMPULSORY FIGURES.AT THE END OF THEM, BAUMLER, LOOKING PALE AND ILL, ALMOST COLLAPSED.BUT FOR THEIR BRILLIANT EXHIBITION OF FREE SKATING, ALL NINE JUDGES AWARDED THEM THE HIGH RATING OF 5.9 MARKS FOR THE TECHNICAL MERIT OF THEIR PERFORMANCE.

THIRD IN THE FINAL PLACINGS WERE ALEXANDER GRAVRILOV AND TATIANA ZHUK, OF THE SOVIET UNION, WITH 195.8 POINTS.

THE YOUNG SWISS BROTHER AND SISTER PAIR, JOHNER, WON WARM APPLAUSE FOR COMPETING THEIR DANCE AFTER A FALL.MORE THAN A HUNDRED SKATERS FROM 15 COUNTRIES ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE CHAMPIONSHIPS.THEY'RE ON AN OPEN-AIR RINK AND TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW ZERO - KEEPING MANY FANS AWAY.