Kurt Browning upstaged at Skate Canada

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. (CP) - Poland's Grzegorz Filipowski was late arriving for the SunLife Skate Canada figure skating competition, but he was in time to win the men's singles short program last night over defending world champion Kurt Browning of Caroline, Alta.

Filipowski, who trains and owns part of a restaurant in Rochester, N.Y., didn't obtain a Canadian visa until Thursday.

"I changed my flight and had to come in a little late," said Filipowski, ranked fourth in the world. "I just tried to stay as calm and relaxed as I could."

A subdued Browning cast a smile in his friend's direction.

"Greg is full of surprises," he said. "I've travelled with Greg all over the world. Greg is always the last one on the bus, trying to get his visa going. It's a pain in the butt for him. I'm glad he's here."

Finishing third was Mark Mitchell of the U.S., followed by Norm Proft of Langley, B.C.

Canadians finished first and third in the finals of the pairs' competition. Isabelle Brasseur of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., and Lloyd Eisler of Boucherville, Que., survived a fall to finish first. The couple, ranked second in the world, won Thursday's short performance.

The Soviet couple of Eugenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were second, followed by Michelle Menzies of Cambridge and Kevin Wheeler of Brussels, Ont.

In the men's competition, the crowd had barely returned to their seats after giving Browning a standing ovation for his dramatic jump-laden performance when Filipowski took the ice.