Carter eighth in Torino Games warm-up
Sydney Morning Herald
Sunday, 29th January 2006

Australian figure skater Joanne Carter has finished eighth at the Four Continents competition in her final warm-up event ahead of next month's Winter Olympics in Turin.

Carter scored 133.97 points to finish four places clear of main Australian rival Miriam Manzano, who has been challenging Carter's nomination to the 2006 Games team at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Manzano, from the ACT, finished on 114.37 points. She had her CAS appeal rejected last week.

Carter was lying in eighth place after Friday's short program, with Manzano in 14th.

Carter finished ninth in Saturday's free program segment, but her 86.78 points was enough to keep eighth place overall.

Manzano scored 75.59 points for 13th on the segment, moving up two places overall.

Katy Taylor of the United States won the event on 164.05 points from Japanese skater Yukari Nakano on 161.49 points.

The third Australian in the field, Laura Downing, finished in 22nd place on 73.42 points overall.

Sean Carlow was the best of the Australian men, finishing in 12th place on 136.68 points.

Carter produced Australia's best Olympic result at her first Olympics in Nagano in 1998, finishing in 12th position.

She also holds the record for the best Australian women's placing at a world championships, finishing 11th in the 1997 world titles.

Her 16th placing at the 2005 world championships secured Australia's place in the ladies' figure skating line-up for the 2006 Games.