Lambiel and Meier repeat as Swiss Champions

Stephane Lambiel (SUI) captured his ninth
Swiss championship.
Photo: AP/Junji Kurokawa

The Swiss Figure Skating Championships concluded today in Lugano, Switzerland, with the two most dominant singles skaters in Switzerland winning the gold en route to the Olympics. Switzerland will be represented in Vancouver by five athletes in figure skating, two in the ladies’ event, one in the men’s event, and one in the pairs’ event.

Related: British Championships

Reigning Olympic silver medalist Stephane Lambiel continued his comeback season by winning his ninth consecutive Swiss title after not competing at last year’s championships. He had some trouble with his trademark quad toe and opted not to attempt the triple axel, his nemesis jump. But he put together two solid programs that keep him on track toward the European Championships in January and the Olympics in February. Winning the silver was Jamal Othman, who was the Swiss champion last season in the Lambiel’s absence. He produced a six-triple free skate that earned him his eighth Swiss medal.

Sarah Meier landed three triples in her free skate and won her eighth Swiss title. After capturing two European silver medals, she dealt with a nagging injury that forced her to miss most of last season.  She injured her Achilles’ tendon earlier this season and had to withdraw from the NHK Trophy after the short program. Bettina Heim won her third Swiss silver medal after a disappointing tenth place finish last year. Last year’s silver medalist, Romy Buhler, took the bronze.

After qualifying an Olympic berth for Switzerland at Nebelhorn Trophy in September, Anais Morand and Antoine Dorsaz skated won their third Swiss title, though it was little more than an exhibition as they were the only team in the competition.  Three-time Swiss junior champions Ramona Elsener and Florian Roost won their first ice dance title in the senior event.  But they will not be competing in Vancouver because Switzerland does not have a spot in the ice dancing event.

LADIES (final top 10 standings)
1. Sarah Meier – 183.47
2. Bettina Heim – 156.53
3. Romy Buhler – 138.24
4. Myriam Leuenberger – 138.04
5. Nicole Graf – 130.46
6. Sandra Kiebler – 124.31
7. Viviane Kaser – 123.74
8. Virginie Clerc – 118.47
9. Daniela Ettlin – 115.74
10. Anastassia Kistler – 110.20

MEN (final top 10 standings)
1. Stephane Lambiel – 244.23
2. Jamal Othman – 199.45
3. Mikael Redin – 177.41
4. Laurent Alvarez – 165.74
5. Stephane Walker – 157.73
6. Moris Pfeifhofer – 148.63
7. Nicolas Dubois – 144.25
8. Noah Scherer – 140.79
9. Timothy Leemann – 138.58
10. Tomi Pulkkinen – 136.88

PAIRS (final standings)
1. Anais Morand and Antoine Dorsaz – 152.52