March 29, 2000 10:15 AM AP

By SALVATORE ZANCA

Associated Press Writer

NICE, France (AP) Russian Irina Slutskaya didn't need her triple-triples to easily beat Michelle Kwan today in qualifications at the World Figure Skating Championships.

Slutskaya is making her comeback to the world competition after a year's absence. Last year she failed to make the Russian team even after finishing second to Kwan at the 1998 worlds.

"I had forgotten what it feels like since I didn't skate last year. It was difficult," Slutskaya said. "It was like the first time."

Now slimmer and skating with confidence, Slutskaya gained an edge over Kwan entering the short program on Friday.

"I felt I could have done a lot better this morning but there is a lot to learn about these qualifications," Kwan said.

Slutskaya won in scoring by five of the seven judges in the qualifying, which counts for 20 per cent of the total score.

Both Slutskaya and Kwan did six triples in all and didn't fall. But there was a large difference in the manner of skating and jumping between them.

Slutskaya, skating to" Carmen," was better artistically than Kwan's rather flat program to "Red Violin." Slutskaya emphasized every landing with arms out and flowing.

Kwan backed off two jumps. A planned triple-triple became only a triple-double. Then a relatively easy triple salchow was scaled down to a double.

Slutskaya, skating immediately after Kwan, opened with two secure triple-double combinations and added four more triples, including another triple-double for good measure.

" I didn't want to try today the combination triple-triple, " Slutskaya said. "I just didn't want to jump them right now. I want to save my energy."

Kwan had every intention of trying a pair of triple toe loops in combination but didn't do it.

"I was doing so well in practice and then I came here and popped out" Kwan said.

Kwan knows she has to do more than plan things.

"I just have to switch it on and do it - and not just say it," Kwan said.

Russian teammate Maria Butyrskaya, who beat an ailing Kwan last year for the world title, captured the other group to head into the short program tied with Slutskaya and ahead of Kwan. The Russian did six triples but put her hand down on a double axel.

"I just lost control of it and that's why I touched down," Butyrskaya said.

Butyrskaya showed maturity in skating to to "Swan Lake." At 27, she almost twice as old as Sarah Hughes, 14.

Despite her age, Hughes is competing in her second world championships. Last year, at 13, she qualifying after finishing second at the world juniors and was allowed into the senior championships.

"Last year I was happy to be seventh. This year there are a lot of good girls," Hughes said.

She came in third in the Slutskaya-Kwan group and beat Victoria Volchkova of Russia, third at the Europeans; Angela Nikodinov, fourth at the U.S. championships, and Vanessa Gusmeroli of France, world bronze medalist in 1997.

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