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'lHlat's off' to this twosome Richard O'Bl'hn kind makes a pair. Similarity of styles and ability, the right height difference between the male and female partner and whether they look right together are all considerations for pairing off competitive skaters. Doug Ladret arid Waterloo's Christine Hough had to have all that going for them to be picked to skate together for coach Kerry Leitch at the Preston Figure Skating Club. - -- _ _ Hough, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Waterloo collegiate, has had her hair color altered somewhat to match that of Ladret. a 2s-yearaM Vancouver native. As one might expect, they have a coaching staff working with them to perfect the technical aspects of their routines and a sports psychologist is no stranger to skaters, either. Behind the scenes, people work on music for skaters. There are make-up artists, costume designers and choreo- graphers planning their routines. "iiough Gd haret even tried having their colors done but concluded it was - fad. But they have peopleto tell then how ii, sit and vact mi TV because they're always judged on their appearance. Keeping all this in mind, remember that Ladret was wearing a hockey helmet for warmups and part of their short program in Ottawa when they placed third in the Canadian championships in early Febru- After all that image building, Ladret was advised by a neurologist to wear the helmet because he and Hough were coming back from an accident in a practice in November. He had suffered two fractures to his skull while protecting her landing in a bad fail. The duo worked the helmet into part of the routine. After the potentially danger- ous parts were over, Ladret took off the helmet and, with a fluid and artistic movement, threw it to a member of the coaching staff near the ice surface. ‘ “The crowd loved it," said Ladret. "It intureresutietr,asirtr"er,heott" Golden Hawks score overtime wins, Warrior coach fumes over officiating Accident can't stop world class skaters Richard O'Brien Chronicle Staff Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks coach Wayne Gowing and University of Waterloo Warriors coach Don McKee can't seem to agree on something very basic -- like who has the better club. Golden Hawks defeated Warriors in two overtime games -- 5-4 on Wednesday and " on Saturday -- to sweep their Ontario Universities Athletic Association series and gain bragging rights as the best university hockey team in Waterloo. But while Gowing says the better team won. McKee, who was incensed and bitterly disappointed with the officiating over the two games. begs to differ. “I think we were very persistent and played very well in both games and generated the better scoring chances," said Gowing. "i'il probably take a little flak but I think the better team won. But take nothing away from Waterloo. They played extremely well and (goaltender) Mike Bishop was a big part of it." McKee, however, fumed over several controversial calls. "We proved in the playoffs we were the better hockey club but tlt2. get to so on due to uncontrollable circumstances,"said c . The last decision to bother McKee and the Warriors had to do with whether John Dietrich had scored on a breakaway in the first of two overtime netted: Saturday night. he red Mt didn't go on and referee Rick Singleton ruled there was no goal after column; with a Itneaman “clue and was out of WJ‘LeMaeamanaaldthepuckhhbothcoalpoctahntdtdnot eater the act. “lt'a a little frustrating when your aeaaon cornea down to the Mahala lineman wbowastsleet away when them went“: the act." said McKee. Tttegarrteeatdedat lzuolthaeeoudevartlneperhdwhaa'l‘eny mmathetirsttimeanyttodyttadaroma helmet at the national championships and the ttmt time anybody had thrown one away at the national championships." The performance marked another mile- stone in their courageous comeback from the accident and helped them qualify for the world championships in Cincinnati. They left today. The injury made them miss a competi- tion in Moscow in December and Rough was afraid at the time that it was the end of their career together. When Ladret's skate got caught in a rut while they were practicing a lift, he started to fall over backward but didn't forget his partner who was above him. “Like a ieettieman he tried to save me," said Rough. 7 - - - _ J .. Ladret hit his head on the ice: "I could feel something rushing into my ear, some kind of fluid, and a couple guys took me off the ice in a stretcher." "At first I was scared he wouldn't come back," said Hough. "In the hospital I said 'If you don't want to skate again I'0 understand,' and he said 'Are you kid- A plan of recovery was happed out for them and they were able to qualify for the Canadian championships by competing in Brandon in mid-January. “When I was off I didn't have any apprehension about getting back on," said Ladret. "Then everything was gradu- al...instead of having everything thrown on us at once." They have been together since 1984 and they're going to the world championships for the first time. Along the way, they've finished fourth at the nationals in was and third in MMS, all in seniors competition. They won the St. lvel competition in England in 1986 after finishing second there in 1985. Another big win for them came in August, 1985 at St. Gervais, Even at the tender age of 15 when she Joined with Ladret, Hough was coming out of retirement. She used to be teamed up In their first major competition four months after forming a pair, they placed sixth in Holland. Figure skaters Christina Hough and Doug Ladrot hit today for the World Championships in Cincinnati. with Kevin Wheeler and together they won wanted. It wasn't enough for me because I the Canadian novice pair title. But Hough, liked what I was missing so I came back although petite, was starting to outgrow and was lucky to find Doug." Wheeler. One of Hough's goals in returning was to "I wanted to see what it would be like to be a normal high school student and everything but I decided that's not what I Andrew Smith, Dan Tsandelis and Jamie McKee scored for WaMors, who came from behind to tie the game in the second of two consecutive playoff goaitender's duels between WLU's Chris Lussorntrrpnd Warriors' Bishop. - A ‘_ A . ...... _-o, McCutcheon scored his second goal of the game. Greg Puhalski and Dave Aitcheson also scored for Lauder. _ A "Our defence played well in both contests," said Gowing. "That's an area of concern we've had all year. If they continue to play well I think it's going to really help In." McKee was uraet for several reasons on Wednesday. He said referee Clark Po lock allowed Lauder: tying goal by Doug Marsden, his second goal of the game, after the final buzzer had sounded. (The buzzer is at one end of the rink and the goal was scored at the other). He also objected to the penalty shot at 10: 57 of overtime on which Puhalakl decided the lame. Pollock awarded the penalty shot to Puhalskl when he ruled that Bishop threw his stick to stop Puhalski on a breakaway. _ _ _ . Warriors ttiid I protest, saying that the teams should have CW ends after 10 minutes of overtime, but that Watt not 'Gowl meanwhlle. was nrtlcularly happy with his club's penalty mung 1hl'el first game. Pear Black played very aggressively 1'l the POW" 'tlay and Icored a Shorthanded goal when he ma e a breakaway for himself. "When you have players of Peter Black's speed you want to use that Pttgryeiv, style»? aald Gowing., - p - ... _,_2__, ___ Eric-5.14" ttad%iirerGtiiericii. Scoring for Warriors were Todd Conner. John Goodman, Tundells and Jamie 1fcK.ee. . _. A "Em" "ii'"ci7Ua"i'a7i'r,; TG7iiGrii; 'riiriTiiGriiries that opens Thursday night In London. The teams meet again Saturday at ttuw-i-i-tiii-tii/iid/utr-tdetermined. One of Hough's goals in returning was to make it to the World Championships. Next year, they hope to qualify for the Olympics in Calgary.