European pairs figure skating champions knocked out by injury
Kavaguti's torn tendon sidelines Russian duo for worlds
Reigning European pairs skating champions Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov will miss next week's European Championships after Kavaguti tore a tendon in her leg.
As well as the event in Bratislava, Slovakia, the Russian Figure Skating Federation says that Kavaguti and Smirnov, who won the Cup of China Grand Prix event in November, will also miss the world championships in Boston in March and April.
Kavaguti hurt her leg in an "unfortunate fall" while training, her coach Tamara Moskvina said in a statement on the federation website.
Russia is still in with a strong chance of winning the European pairs title, with Olympic champions Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov in the team, as well as Grand Prix Finals winners Ksenia Stolbova and Fyodor Klimov.