Times staff, wires
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
figure skating
canadian sets record
MOSCOW — Canada's Patrick Chan scored a world-record 93.02 points Wednesday in the men's short program at the world championships, giving the two-time silver medalist a wide lead as he seeks his first title.
Japan's Nobunari Oda was almost a dozen points behind in second, and defending champion Daisuke Takahashi of Japan was another 1.6 back.
"I knew that if I skated really well I would get in the high 80s, but I didn't expect to get above 90," said Chan, whose previous best was 88.90. His score topped the 91.30 of Russia's Evgeni Plushenko at the 2010 European championships.
The three Americans were 11-13: Richard Dornbush (70.54), U.S. champion Ryan Bradley 12th (70.45) and Ross Miner (70.40).
more figure skating
Defending champions take the lead in pairs
Defending champions Pang Qing and Tong Jian led after the pairs short program at the world championships in Moscow with 74.00 points.
Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, last year's runnersup, were second (72.98), and Russia's Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, in their first year together, were third (70.35).
U.S. champions Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin were eighth (58.76), and national runnersup Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig, who train at the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex in Manatee County, were 11th (54.64).
ET CETERA
horses: Jockey Calvin Borel, winner of three of the last four Kentucky Derbys, including last year aboard Super Saver, will ride Twice the Appeal in this year's race May 7 at Churchill Downs. Borel nearly missed the race after Elite Alex failed to secure enough graded stakes earnings to earn a spot. He is trying to become the first jockey to win three consecutive Derbys. … Luis Garcia was given the mount on Tampa Bay Derby winner Watch Me Go for the Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs. Groom Lucy Pompell said the colt will work out Saturday or Sunday for trainer Kathleen O'Connell.
soccer: Lionel Messi scored two goals in the last 15 minutes to give Barcelona a 2-0 win at host Real Madrid in a European Champions League semifinal. Madrid was left with 10 players after Pepe was red-carded in the 61st minute. Its defense in Tuesday's return leg will be without suspended Pepe and Sergio Ramos, booked for a foul on Messi in the 53rd minute.
tennis: Novak Djokovic cruised to his 25th straight win this season, beating Adrian Ungur 6-2, 6-3 in his claycourt opener in the second round of the Serbia Open at Belgrade. … Two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling won his first claycourt match of the season, beating Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1 in the second round at the Estoril Open in Portugal.
Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires