Russian, Ukranian Skaters Lead As Perennial Champion Falters

Five-time winner Surya Bonaly of France faltered while Russian and Ukrainian skaters won women’s qualifying groups Monday at the European Figure Skating Championships in Paris.

Maria Butyrskaya of Russia and Elena Liashenko of Ukraine were first in each of their groups. The top 15 from each group moved into Friday’s short program with the final free skating Saturday.

Bonaly was sixth in the first group, which was won by Liashenko. A 14-year-old German, Eva-Maria Fitze, was second. Third was Yulia Vorobieva, a former Soviet champion now skating for Azerbaijan.

Bonaly ruptured the Achilles tendon of her right foot during an exhibition last May and has been slow returning to top form.

She won the French championship in December, but her level was judged to be insufficient for an international championship at the time. She was listed as a substitute on the official entry list submitted at the beginning of January, then was reinstated Saturday.

Bonaly won the European title from 1991 to 1995 and was second last year to Russian Irina Slutskaya.

In the second group, Butyrskaya edged Slutskaya.