Lambiel keeps Olympic dream alive with win
Swiss figure skating champion Stéphane Lambiel has moved closer to qualifying for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics after winning the Nebelhorn Trophy.
The two-time world champion and Olympic silver medallist is making a comeback after an injury forced him into early retirement.
On Friday he won both the short and long programmes at the Nebelhorn championships in Germany, finishing more than 25 points ahead of Ivan Tretiakov of Russia. Michal Brezina of the Czech Republic was third.
With a score of 232.36 points Lambiel is halfway to meeting Swiss qualifying rules for Vancouver under which skaters must score 195 points or better in two competitions. Lambiel also plans to compete in the Japan Open next month and the European championships in January.
Last October Lambiel said a lingering muscle injury had put a stop to his competitive career. But in July he announced that extensive physiotherapy had since enabled him to control any pain felt as a result of the injury and said he was preparing for the Olympics with his long-time trainer Peter Grütter.
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