ICE SKATING: Wotzel returns to the top

Ingo Steuer and Mandy Wotzel gained some compensation for their disappointment at the 1994 Winter Olympics when they won the pairs gold medal at the European figure skating championships in Dortmund yesterday. Wotzel fell during the Olympics and her partner had to help her from the ice with blood pouring from her face. Last night she made no mistakes as the German couple overtook Radka Kovarikova and Rene Novotny of the Czech Republic. Five judges put the Germans in first place, which was just enough to give them the gold medal.

In the men's short programme, Ilya Kulik, a 17-year-old unknown from Russia, surprised the top performers with a stunning international debut. He leads after a superb and surprisingly mature display. Britain's Steven Cousins was 10th.