Russia goes 1-2 in pairs figure skating

SOCHI, Russia (AP) ― Maxim Trankov hopes young figure skaters all over Russia will take inspiration from what he and Tatiana Volosozhar accomplished at the Olympics.

The two restored the country to the pinnacle of pairs Wednesday, and their teammates made it almost total domination. Volosozhar and Trankov won gold, while Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov took silver.

“I think tonight all of the country will celebrate this beautiful victory,” Trankov said.

Russia or the Soviet Union had won gold in 12 straight Olympics in pairs before the streak ended four years ago, when the Russians failed to take home any medal in the event. In the stands for both days of the competition in Sochi was the pair who started it all: Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, the Olympic champions in 1964 and 1968.

Trankov and Volosozhar rose to the top of the sport at the perfect time, winning the 2013 world championship. A new generation of Russian figure skating hopefuls will now look up to the two pairs who stood atop the podium Wednesday.

Volosozhar and Trankov scored 152.69 points to finish with 236.86, 18.18 ahead of their teammates. Stolbova and Klimov had a near-flawless free skate to move up from third.

Four-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany had to settle for bronze for the second straight Olympics.

Skating to “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Volosozhar and Trankov had a few small bobbles. But with a lead after a stellar short program and the difficulty of their elements, they knew when they finished without any big mistakes that gold was in their grasp.

Farrington lands halfpipe gold

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) ― It was one of those Olympic-style pauses. Two minutes. Three minutes. To the four women sitting on the bench at the bottom of the halfpipe, it felt even longer.

In the end, the cowgirl won the gold.

Kaitlyn Farrington, the 24-year-old from Idaho whose parents sold off their cattle to bankroll her career, sparked the second upset on the halfpipe in two nights. She smoothed out a near-flawless run Wednesday to edge Aussie Torah Bright and take down the American favorite, Kelly Clark.

Maze, Gisin win gold in downhill

SOCHI, Russia (AP) ― The gold market enjoyed big gains at the Sochi Olympics on Wednesday, getting an unexpected boost from the women’s downhill.

Tina Maze of Slovenia and Dominique Gisin of Switzerland were declared co-gold medalists, the first time in Olympic Alpine history a race was won in a tie.

On a day that had little to do with winter ― temperatures hit 17 degrees Celsius ― the two friends covered the 2.7-kilometer Rosa Khutor course in 1 minute, 41.57 seconds. A tearful Lara Gut of Switzerland won the bronze, 0.10 seconds back.

Wendl, Arlt rule doubles luge

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) ― On Russian ice, Germany is making itself at home.

The world’s sliding superpower won its third straight gold medal in luge at the Sochi Games on Wednesday night as Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt captured the doubles competition.

Known as “The two Tobis,” Wendl and Arlt completed their two trips down the Sanki Sliding center track in 1 minute, 38.933 seconds, 0.522 ahead of Andreas and Wolfgang Linger of Austria.