MOSCOW -- Maxim Kovtuns two confident quads gave him a big lead after Fridays short program in the Rostelecom Cup, the last of six Grand Prix events before the final. [url=https://www.shoesukonline.com/]Shoes Online UK Review[/url] . As the only competitor to try two quads, much less complete them, Ko

MOSCOW -- Maxim Kovtuns two confident quads gave him a big lead after Fridays short program in the Rostelecom Cup, the last of six Grand Prix events before the final. Shoes Online UK Review . As the only competitor to try two quads, much less complete them, Kovtun ended the day nearly nine points ahead of Japans Tatsuki Machida, who opened with a clean quad but then stepped out of the triple toe loop that was the second jump in his combination. Javier Fernandez of Spain was in third despite falling on his quad. In the womens short program, Russian Julia Lipnitskaia was in the lead, followed by Carolina Kostner of Italy, the 2012 world champion. American teammates Agnes Zawadzki and Mirai Nagasu were one-hundredth of a point apart at third and fourth, though well behind the two leaders. Kovtun is gunning for the sole Russian mens slot in Sochi, which Turin Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko also wants. Plushenko was to have been part of the Rostelecom field, but withdrew from what would have been his first top-tier competition since back surgery this spring. Plushenko blamed his withdrawal on a knee injury. "I was interested in trying my strength against such a fantastic skater," Kovtun said. "But I hope I will have another chance at Russian nationals." Kovtun was strong throughout his flamenco-themed program, the only notable flaw that he was almost sitting on the landing of his second quad to keep his balance. Machida, who won gold at Skate America, lamented that he was not in good condition in Moscow, but said its not clear whats troubling him. "Actually, I dont know," he said when asked about the specifics. Fernandez, the European champion and world bronze medallist , expressed satisfaction despite his fall. "I think I just had a little problem in the pattern and I just need to keep my mind clear," he said. All four of the top women did triple-triple combinations. But Lipnitskaia landed a more difficult triple lutz-triple toe combo while Kostner, Zawadzki and Nagasu all did triple toe-triple toes. In pairs, four-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy led after the short program, followed by Russians Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov and Canadas Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch. Lipnitskaia, who won gold at Skate Canada, will qualify for the Grand Prix final with a medal of any shade in Moscow. Kostner would qualify with a gold, but Zawadzki, after a seventh-place finish in the Cup of China, is out of contention. The top six skaters in each discipline qualify for the final, which is Dec. 5-8 in Fukuoka, Japan. Lipnitskaias program began on a mysterious note, with her crouched down and drawing figures with her finger on the ice. Asked what thats all about, she chose to keep the meaning hidden. "Everyone can see what he wants to," she said. But once she rose from the crouch, the 2012 junior world champions program was crystal-clear: a clean triple-triple, a precisely landed double axel and a very fast combination spin at the end. The veteran Kostner, who said she is contemplating retirement after the season, said she was soothed by being back on the ice at Moscows Luzhniki Small Arena. The arena was the practice rink for the 2005 world championships, where she won her first world medal, a bronze. "It feels very special," Kostner said. "Its funny to see so much time has passed." The top pairs all struggled, notably Savchenkos hard fall on a throw triple axel, a challenging move that the pair daringly puts almost at the end of their program when their energy has flagged somewhat. "Its a risky element," Szolkowy acknowledged. "We tried it in several positions; we found at the end it is best." Bazarova put her hand down on the pairs opening triple toe loop and landed awkwardly on the throw triple loop, but said it was all an improvement over last weeks Trophee Bompard, where the pair was fourth. "Today, we got the maximum levels," she said. Moscovitch took his fall in stride, saying, "I was working on some yoga positions on the landing." Wholesale Shoes UK Free Shipping . Neither side would publicly confirm or deny any discussions were taking place, until the near unexpected happened. On Saturday night sources confirmed to TSN, the league and players agreed to terms on a new, tentative CBA, pending ratification by the unions players. A league source confirmed the CFLs board of governors must also ratify any potential agreement. Shoes UK Online Cheap . -- Peyton Manning is the only player in this Super Bowl who has won the big game. https://www.shoesukonline.com/ .C. -- Lucy Li made two double bogeys, a triple bogey and finished her historic round at the U.7) Which NHL team should benefit most from the All-Star break? (Lets go ahead and say Buffalo. The Sabres have gone their separate ways already and dont play again until January 27 in Calgary. Sabres coach Ted Nolan told his players to take advantage of the extended time off and "enjoy life". Until January 27, I guess.)8) Does it follow, then, that Buffalo will visit Edmonton on that trip? (Sure enough, two nights later, in the game that will captivate those who, like a certain Buffalo radio personality, think the race in reverse to 30th place is "the best race in sports".)9) If an NHL team wanted to copy Detroits success, what would it do? (Invest, almost exclusively, in the draft. The 20-man Detroit lineup for Sunday nights 6-4 win over Buffalo included one NHL free agent (Stephen Weiss), one NHL player claimed on waivers (Drew Miller), two college free agents (Danny DeKeyser and Luke Glendening), and 16 players drafted by the Red Wings, none of them drafted in the top 20. Truly remarkable.)10) The Seattle-Green Bay NFC championship game was so good, it should have lasted longer. And, with a more sensible overtime rule, it would have. How and why? (The NFL changed its rules to admit that the result of the overtime coin toss should not be as important as it was when a first-possession field goal could end the game, but for some reason, its okay to win the toss, march for a touchdown and celebrate a win. Its only right that if both teams snap the ball in one case, it should be that way in any case.)11) Any other rules the NFL should change? (Plenty of them, if fairness and logic and common sense are applied. Two of the best head-coaching prospects will be busy at the Super Bowl, so Seattle defensive co-ordinator Dan Quinn and New England offensive co-ordinator Josh McDaniels have not been allowed to receive or accept offers from other teams. It should be that way for their peers. If some, and arguably the best assistant coaches are prevented from taking jobs until after the Super Bowl, others should have to wait, too.)12) Would the Seahawks amazing comeback have happened if the game had been played in Green Bay? (Surely not, as the momentum from Seattles "12th man" had a lot to do with it. Of interest is the fact that the game would have been played in Green Bay if not for the Packers Week 15 loss in Buffalo, a game that saw Aaron Rodgers complete only 17 of 42 passes, with two interceptions. The legacy of Doug Marrone and Kyle Orton, if you will.)13) What is likely to happen with DeflateGate? (Lets guess that officials felt the need to weigh a football and found it to be under-inflated, thereby creating the need for further attention. Given the Patriots history of trickery and rule-bending, an investigation was warranted, and it will be concluded that no tampering was done to any footballs, even one or more that might have needed a bit of air. Shoes UK Online Store. . On the other hand, if New England is found guilty of tampering with Sundays game balls, the league will be forced to get lot tougher than the Pats actions might warrant. Because...enough is enough.)14) Some early Super Bowl betting odds picked the Patriots by a point, and others the Seahawks by one. Has there ever been a Super Bowl without a favourite? (No, there has never been a "pick em" Super Bowl.)15) What do you think the Denver Broncos were saying as they watched the AFC Championship? ("We had a running attack and we had Peyton Manning - how did we lose to the Indianapolis Colts?")16) How badly do the Broncos want Manning as their quarterback for another season, or two? (That can be debated now that theyve hired Gary Kubiak as their new head coach. It has been suggested that Kubiaks offence calls for a quarterback more mobile than Manning, and that Kubiak was less than interested in Mannings services for that reason when he coached in Houston. But Kubiak wasnt hired by John Elway without committing to Manning if Manning commits to him, the Broncos and at least one more NFL season.)17) Does it make sense that the Washington Nationals would trade Stephen Strasburg after signing Max Scherzer? (Eventually, perhaps, because when Strasburg becomes a free agent following the 2016 season, the Nats will find him too rich for their books after giving Scherzer his 200-plus million-dollar deal. But for the coming season, at least, wouldnt they be tempted to trot out a rotation of Scherzer, Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez and Doug Fister?)18) Is there anyone else to criticize after criticizing Daniel Carcillo for cross-checking Mathieu Perreault, and the NHL for suspending Carcillo for only six games? (How about the Chicago Blackhawks? Do they really need Daniel Carcillo?)19) Whats the definition of a bad NBA game? (This from Monday in Oakland - the Golden State Warriors beat the Denver Nuggets by 43 points. Thirteen members of the Warriors played at least 10 minutes each, and all 13 scored points. It could only have been worse if the game had been played in Denver.)20) Finally, would I dare to call the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings "losers"? (No, but I so dislike the NHLs three-point game and the point it donates to the "loser" that I must point out the 12 "loser points" received this season by the Kings. LA has won only 20 times. The Leafs have 22 wins.) ' ' '