ALBENA Denkova and Maxim Staviski, Bulgaria's top figure skating duo, finished fifth in the figure skating final at the Turin Olympic Games on February 20.The Bulgarians accrued 189.53 points. Gold went to the Russians Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov, who garnered 200.64 points. Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the US took silver with 196.06 points and Ukrainian husband and wife team Elena Grushina and Roslan Goncharov swept the bronze with 195.85 points.

Denkova and Staviski lost out on fourth place at the last moment to French pair Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder, who got 194.28 points. The jury's evaluation of  the Bulgarians was disappointing. After the event, Evgenia Karnolska, president of the Bulgarian Skating Federation and a member of the jury, told a Bulgarian news agency that Denkova and Staviski deserved at least to be on the podium.  Bulgaria's presentation was unique - something that could not be said for some of the medallists, Karnolska said. The Bulgarian delegation would ask for videotapes of the performance of the pair, but there was nothing that could be done, she said. "I am really sorry that my colleagues from the jury decided to rank our pair fifth." According to Karnolska, the Bulgarians could have ranked at least third. However, Karnolska admitted that the duo had made two "fatal" errors in their lift act, which got them a two-point penalty.

"We are very disappointed," said Denkova after the event. "We tried our best to show the people something unique, but the jury always has the last call." However, Denkova said that they would start practicing for the World Championship in Calgary, Canada and after that would decide what to do next. 

It was Denkova and Staviski's second appearance at the Olympic games. During the Salt Lake City championship in 2002, they ranked seventh. In 2004, the two became European vice-champions.

The winners Navka and Kostomarov left no room for doubt simply because they managed to perform their free skate dance without fault, although it did not impress with originality. Their performance allowed them to hold on to the lead they had taken after the original dance the previous day.

Denkova and Staviski are currently ranked third in the ranking of the International Figure Skating Federation, with 4255 points. In first place are Navka and Kostomarov, followed by Belbin and Agosto. 

The same day marked Bulgaria's Day at the Olympics. Bulgarian Olympic Committee president Stefka Kostadinova and Vessela Lecheva, chairperson of the State Agency for Youth and Sports, met more than 100 guests at the Bulgarian house in the Olympic village. Bulgarian Consul to Italy Ivo Ivanov, representatives of the national Olympic committees of Ukraine, Macedonia and Ethiopia and of two international sports federations - of skating and curling, were among the guests.