Although some said this year's figure skating World Championships in Nagano, Japan, had a subdued feel compared to the scandal-ridden Winter Olympics, Russia had lots to celebrate last weekend.

Alexei Yagudin, coming off his gold-medal win in Salt Lake City, won the gold at Nagano in convincing fashion, becoming the first skater to win the four major titles in figure skating in a season. Irina Slutskaya made up for her disappointing silver medal at the Olympics by defeating American Michelle Kwan and taking the gold medal, her first world title. Meanwhile, Russian pairs skaters Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh took home their first international title, a gold medal in ice dancing at Nagano's M-Wave Arena, becoming the 24th ice-dance champions from Russia or the former Soviet Union since 1970, according to Reuters.

Slutskaya was quoted by the Associated Press as saying she will take a few weeks' break in June to rest and probably see her husband.

After his win, Yagudin is hoping to take a break.

"Now I can choose my competitions next year," Yagudin said, according to the Associated Press. "The Grand Prix events, Skate America and Skate Canada. I want to go to Washington."

Averbukh and Lobacheva were encouraged by their gold-medal win, after years of striving with little result.

"Our first world championships was in Makuhari, Japan eight years ago. It has been a long road," Averbukh was quoted as saying by Reuters. "Before this competition we thought it could be our last, but now we are not sure."