MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- European champion Maria Butyrskaya captured her sixth national title in seven years Tuesday, landing seven triple loops on her way to winning the Russian National Figure Skating Championship.
The 26-year-old Butyrskaya outskated several young challengers, including 17-year-old Julia Soldatova and 16-year-old Viktoria Volchkova, to capture the title at Moscow's Sokolniki Ice Palace.Soldatova, the 1997 junior world champion, and Volchkova, who was third in the 1998 junior world championships, finished second and third respectively. All three top finishers are likely to land spots on Russia's national team.
Two-time European champion Irina Slutskaya, the 1995 world junior champion was fourth.