March 29, 2000 5:43 PM AP

NICE, France (AP) Ukrainian pairs skater Dmitri Palamarchuk was hurt in a spectacular crash in the finals of the event Wednesday at the World Figure Skating Championships.

As the pair performed an overhead press lift, Palamarchuk banged his head on the ice when his right skate appeared to get caught in the ice and he lost his balance. His partner, Julia Obertas, landed hard on him.

He lay on the ice for several minutes before getting up and skating off by himself. He then fell backward, losing consciousness for about five minutes in the skaters' entrance area before being carried away on a stretcher.

Organizers said he was taken to a local hospital, where X-rays and a brain scan found no damage. However, he will be held for 24 hours for observation.

Pairs skaters are especially conscious of falls this year. American skater Paul Binnebose fractured his skull in a fall last September and was in an induced coma for about a month. He is making a slow recovery.

The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.