Feb. 9, 2000 4:36 PM Reuters

VIENNA, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Elena Berezhnaia and Anton Sikharulidze regained the European pairs title they surrendered through illness last year with a superb demonstration of free skating on Wednesday night.

The Russian world champions, who have not been at their best this season, won the title for the second time in three years with an exquisite and near-flawless routine to music by Tchaikovsky.

Their only slip came when Berezhnaia doubled out of a planned triple jump. Otherwise they oozed class as they deposed last year's champions, fellow Russians Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov.

Berezhnaia and Sikharulidze, the Olympic silver medallists, won the short programme last year but withdrew with illness before the free programme to open the door for Petrova and Tikhonov.

The holders were fortunate to finish second this time in the face of an outstanding routine by Dorota Zagorska and Mariusz Siudek of Poland.

But Petrova, who completely missed her first jump, a triple toeloop, and Tikhonov got the nod from seven of the nine judges for second place.

The Poles' only error came when Zagorska singled a double axel.