MOSCOW — Yevgeny Plushenko has had everything a figure skater could hope for, except for a dramatic comeback, and this week's Rostelecom Cup gives him a chance to add that to his resume.
Plushenko's short program on Friday at the Grand Prix series event, formerly called the Cup of Russia, will be his first appearance in international competition since winning Olympic gold in 2006.
After Turin, there were no more major competitions for him to win, but the next generation of Russian skaters proved underwhelming, so Plushenko came out of retirement and began rigorous training. According to trainer Alexei Mishin, this meant dropping 9 kilograms (20 pounds) of weight that he'd packed on.
At a Russian competition in Perm this month, Plushenko was characteristically clean and stylish. But he tripled his planned quad jump, and doubts remain about whether he has regained enough athleticism to mount a serious defense of his gold in Vancouver next year.
Some competitors here will present challenges, although world silver Patrick Chan of Canada pulled out because of a tear in a calf muscle. That leaves Grand Prix Final silver medalist Takahiko Kozuka of Japan and American Johnny Weir, the Grand Prix Final bronze winner, as top contenders, but both struggle with quads.
If Russian men have been disappointing skaters in recent years, the women have been almost invisible, and visitors appear likely to take all the medals. Japan's Miki Ando, the world bronze medalist, and Mao Asada, who took gold at the Grand Prix Final, are strong contenders.
The United States is sending Alissa Czisny, whose back-to-back Nebelhorn Trophy golds show promise and Ashley Wagner, who notched fourth places in her two Grand Prix appearances last year.
Russia's Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov, who have landed the rare quad-jump 'salchow', come up against Grand Prix Final gold holders Pang Qing and Tong Jian of China in the pairs. Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker of the United States, who won a silver and a bronze in last year's Grand Prix series, are also in the lineup.
In ice dancing, Russia's world champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin pulled out because an arthritic condition in one of Shabalin's knees needs treatment. That leaves Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who took bronze at last year's Cup of Russia, as strong contenders, alongside Canada's Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier, the silvers from last year's Skate Canada.
The ice dancers face a challenging day on Friday under the competition's new format, in which the compulsory and original dance segments will be held on the same day.
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