Viktor Petrenko

To find Viktor Petrenko, look for the largest collection of neon signs in this city, perhaps in this world, and drive in the opposite direction. Take the I-95 north until the only lights you see are those from oncoming cars and the signs warn, "Freeway Ends." Even though the Santa Fe Ice Rink and bowling alley are only about 12 miles from the Golden Nugget, the piece of desert on which they are located might as well be the end of the earth as far as most visitors to Las Vegas are concerned.

Olympic champion Viktor Petrenko, skating to music from Verdi operas, won the men's title for the third time Thursday night in the European Figure Skating Championships at Copenhagen. On a night when his skating failed to measure up to his high standards, Petrenko nevertheless won a spot on the Ukrainian team for next month's Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway. Viacheslav Zagorodniuk of Ukraine was second and Russia's Alexei Urmanov was third.

Figure skating fans who can't make the trip to next February's Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, take note: Tonight's performance of the Tour of World Figure Skating Champions, at the new Anaheim Arena, will provide an unofficial preview of the Winter Games. Because of a 1992 ruling by the International Skating Union, professional skaters are now allowed to apply once for reinstatement as amateurs, paving the way for a return to Olympic competition years after their first time around.

Figure skating fans who can't make the trip to next February's Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, take note: Tonight's performance of the Tour of World Figure Skating Champions, at the new Anaheim Arena, will provide an unofficial preview of the Winter Games. Because of a 1992 ruling by the International Skating Union, professional skaters are now allowed to apply once for reinstatement as amateurs, paving the way for a return to Olympic competition years after their first time around.

Viktor Petrenko of the Soviet Union won his second European figure skating title in Sofia, Bulgaria. Czechoslovakia's Petr Barna was second, and another Soviet, Viacheslav Zagorodnuik, was third.

Because of injuries that have bothered all three medalists from last year's World Championships, the men's figure skating competition, which begins tonight at the Olympic Ice Hall with the original program, is unpredictable. Canada's Kurt Browning appears to be the favorite.

Ukrainian Viktor Petrenko won the gold medal Friday in figure skating's World Championships, and, unlike his victory last month in the men's competition at the Winter Olympics, there was no question that he deserved it. He was not perfect, although two of the nine judges gave him perfect scores of 6.

Olympic champion Viktor Petrenko, skating to music from Verdi operas, won the men's title for the third time Thursday night in the European Figure Skating Championships at Copenhagen. On a night when his skating failed to measure up to his high standards, Petrenko nevertheless won a spot on the Ukrainian team for next month's Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway. Viacheslav Zagorodniuk of Ukraine was second and Russia's Alexei Urmanov was third.

Viktor Petrenko took the lead after the original program in his bid to repeat as men's champion, and his Soviet teammates, Natasha Mishkutinuk and Artur Dmitriev, led a 1-2 sweep in the pairs at the European Figure Skating Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

To find Viktor Petrenko, look for the largest collection of neon signs in this city, perhaps in this world, and drive in the opposite direction. Take the I-95 north until the only lights you see are those from oncoming cars and the signs warn, "Freeway Ends." Even though the Santa Fe Ice Rink and bowling alley are only about 12 miles from the Golden Nugget, the piece of desert on which they are located might as well be the end of the earth as far as most visitors to Las Vegas are concerned.

Ukrainian Viktor Petrenko won the gold medal Friday in figure skating's World Championships, and, unlike his victory last month in the men's competition at the Winter Olympics, there was no question that he deserved it. He was not perfect, although two of the nine judges gave him perfect scores of 6.

Because of injuries that have bothered all three medalists from last year's World Championships, the men's figure skating competition, which begins tonight at the Olympic Ice Hall with the original program, is unpredictable. Canada's Kurt Browning appears to be the favorite.

Viktor Petrenko of the Soviet Union won his second European figure skating title in Sofia, Bulgaria. Czechoslovakia's Petr Barna was second, and another Soviet, Viacheslav Zagorodnuik, was third.

Olympic and world champion Viktor Petrenko landed three triple axels to take first place in the Skaters Championships after the men's short program at Cincinnati. Katarina Witt, the 1984 and '88 Olympic gold medalist, finished first after the women's short program, with a narrow edge over Debi Thomas, 69.2-68.9. Petrenko scored 69.9 points out of a possible 70 in his professional debut.

Alexander Fadeev failed to make skating history Saturday by abandoning his attempt to make the first quadruple jump ever in competition, but the 24-year-old Soviet still won the men's event in the European Figure Skating Championships at Prague, Czechoslovakia. Fadeev won his third European title, with teammates Vladimir Kotin second and Viktor Petrenko third. That's the same order of finish as last year at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.