Ice Skating: Scotland's Main attraction springs a surprise

STEVEN COUSINS won his fifth senior title, as expected, but a surprise name was added to the victors' roll at the Peoples Phone National Championships in Basingstoke last night. It was that of Stephanie Main, 17, from Edinburgh, who toppled the senior women, writes Michael Coleman.

To the surprise of all, Charlene von Saher, the defending champion, withdrew sick just before the final deciding free programme. Her abrupt retreat and its late announcement so unsettled the next in line, Natalya Gorbenko and Emma Warmington, that the cheeky Main seized the chance with relish. Tonight the Scottish teenager begins another quest for the junior title.

Cousins ran, fenced, shot arrows and performed most other sports in holding off a fine men's field with a finely choreographed Olympic odyssey of moves to music from Chariots of Fire.

(Photograph omitted)