Kostner leads after ladies short program at Europeans in Sheffield

By Sportsbeat staff

ITALY'S Carolina Kostner is in pole position to claim a fourth European Figure Skating Championship title and seventh career medal after producing the best score of the ladies short program.

LEADING THE WAY: Italian Carolina Kostner leads the ladies event after the short program at the European Championships

The 24-year-old was the penultimate skater to take to the ice in Sheffield and ensured it was well worth waiting for as she was awarded a best score of 63.22 points for her efforts.

That gives Kostner, European champion in 2007, 2008 and 2010 before settling for a second career silver last year, a small lead over Finland's Kiira Korpi, a two-time bronze medallist who posted 61.80.

Russia's Ksenia Makarova remains in contention going into the free skate on Sunday having scored 57.55 for third with Georgia's Elene Gedevanishvili fourth and Sweden's Viktoria Helgesson fifth.

Meanwhile Britain's only representative Jenna McCorkell, who has finished 14th for the past two years running, is way down the overall placings in 16th after recording a score of 45.32.

© Sportsbeat 2012