AP News, February 8th, 2007
Tanith Belbin overcame a wardrobe malfunction Thursday, untangling herself from a torn dress and going on to win the original dance at Four Continents with partner Benjamin Agosto.
The bottom of Belbin's black with red trim knee-length dress caught her left skate in the middle of the program. To free herself, she had to rip the dress while skating on one foot.
The performance by Belbin and Agosto was good enough to take the lead from Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon of Canada, who led after the compulsory dance. Belbin and Agosto have a .31-point lead entering the free dance Friday.
"I literally had my blade tangled in my skirt," Belbin said.
The wardrobe mishap took place as the pair was heading into their midline sequence. Belbin didn't panic as she freed herself and wasn't bothered by the material hanging down after she ripped the dress.
"You should get higher points if you can do your one-foot section with your foot in your skirt," Belbin said with a laugh.
"You had one foot tied behind your back," Agosto added.
Agosto stumbled in the compulsory dance Wednesday, opening the way for Dubreuil and Lauzon to take the early lead. Dubreuil, however, stumbled Thursday in the original dance.
"It was probably the worst we had ever competed. Bad day at the job," Dubreuil said. "I just stumbled and was unfocused. We'll just move on to something else and brush it off."
Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are third _ earning level four marks across the board for footwork and spins _ and America's Meryl Davis and Charlie White are fourth.
"We had a great time," Moir said.
Belbin had trouble with the new costume in warmups _ it slightly caught on her skate. Until now, she's never had a dress catch on her in competition.
"It's more frustrating than making a silly mistake because I feel like it was out of my control," she said. "It's not a big deal, it just got caught."
While his partner was struggling to free herself, Agosto kept his composure.
"I have to make sure I don't get distracted by it," he said. "She knows the timing and will catch right back up. I know she'll get back in step with me."
In spite of the mishap, Belbin and Agosto thought it was one of their cleaner original dance performances.
"All the edges felt so much more defined than what we had done even at (U.S. Championships)," Agosto said. "It felt good."
As for the dress, it won't be destroyed.
"I think I'll just shorten it," Belbin said.
