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 ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) - Three-time world champion Evgeni Plushenko unequivocally answered questions about his conditioning with a personal best Friday to take a firm lead after the short program in the Cup of Russia.
Plushenko's 87.20 score put him nearly nine points ahead of Switzerland's Stephane Lambiel, the current world champion. American Johnny Weir, also on the comeback trail after spraining an ankle last month, was third in the short program.
Lambiel, skating first, was impressive with fast spins and his jumps were marred only by placing a hand down on his opening triple axel, and an uneasy landing on a quad-triple combination.
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