Browning Sticks With Tested Program And Wins

Copyright 1996 the Associated Press. -- All Rights Reserved

The props didn't show up, so Kurt Browning went to Plan B. Luckily, that plan had worked well before, and it was near-perfect again.

Browning won the world pro title a year ago by skating his long program to ''Brick House'' by The Commodores. He wasn't going to use it again at the U.S. Professional Figure Skating Championships, but a foul-up in shipment forced him to go back to the tried-and-true routine.

No problem. The four-time world champ at the Olympic-eligible level earned six perfect 10.0s to clinch the crown.

''I guess my goal when I go on the ice is to try not to compete as much as invite the people to enjoy the music and look at it as a way of enjoying what is going on,'' Browning said Saturday night. ''The priority should not be on the jumps, but on the audience.

''I wasn't going to use it, but when the props didn't arrive, I went back to it. I think everyone really likes it and gets into it.''

Obviously, the judges liked it. And Browning, who has become a master showman as a professional, won another significant event.

''It's so exciting to compete against the best skaters in the world,'' Browning said. ''It's really difficult to be in this wonderful echelon, this top elite group. I'll fight and claw, and do whatever I can to stay in this group.''

Browning edged Paul Wylie, who was a late replacement for Brian Boitano, out with a hip injury. Viktor Petrenko was third, followed by Rudy Galindo, making his pro debut. Galindo was extremely disappointed in his performance because he let his nerves get the best of him.

''I felt the pressure that this was the first time and they were wondering, 'How is he going to do?''' Galindo said. ''I started psyching myself out. I learned not to be so nervous.''

Perhaps the calmest person on the ice was Ekaterina Gordeeva. Competing for the first time in an individual pro event she was in a team competition last month Gordeeva placed second to Kristi Yamaguchi.

That's an impressive performance for the Russian who won two Olympic pairs titles with husband Sergei Grinkov, who died last year.

After finishing her routine, to music by Rachmaninoff, Gordeeva skated to the sideboards and hugged her 4-year-old daughter, Daria.

''It brings me a lot of memories,'' she said of performing in Knickerbocker Arena. ''I was very happy Daria and my friends could be here.

''This building reminded me a lot ... we skated here last year. I skated here with Sergei.''

Yamaguchi, the top woman's professional for nearly four years, is planning a busy season. She was anxious to perform in the U.S. Pro, using it as a lead-in to other competitions.

''It definitely gets tougher every year,'' she said. ''The challenges are what I like about pro skating. It gives you the opportunity to come up with so many different numbers for so many competitions.

''I'm just getting started.''

Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov of Russia were the pairs winners. They had the most dynamic free skate, earning nine 10s.