Instant Replay Ruins Weiss’ Quad

Michael Weiss hadn’t even started celebrating his quadruple jump Saturday when some not-so-instant replay took away his place in American history.

Weiss vaulted about 40 seconds into his free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. He made four revolutions and landed on his right toe for a quadruple toe loop.

But he briefly touched down his left toe, something noticeable on slow motion replay.

That was enough for the U.S. Figure Skating Association to rule 2 hours after the competition that Weiss had not become the first American to land the quad in competition.

“We cannot recognize that as a clean quadruple jump, as much as I would love to,” USFSA president Morry Stillwell said in a hastily called news conference that interrupted Stillwell’s dinner.

After his routine, ABC, which is televising the event, had called the landing two-footed. She also said men’s referee Nancy Bizzano had reviewed the videotape and ruled his two-footed landing marred the quad.

Skating does not have any official system for reviewing jumps or routines.