honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 1:12 p.m., Saturday, November 1, 2008

Skating: Russians edge Canadians in pairs at Skate Canada

Associated Press

OTTAWA — Russians Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov edged Canadians Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison to win the pairs competition at Skate Canada today.

The Russians finished with 176.97 points to 176.54 for the Canadians, who won the free skate with a routine performed to "Carmen." Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker finished third with 161.51 points.

Dube and Davison were third after Friday's short program.

"That certainly was close," Davison said. "We were really proud about how we came out and attacked that long (program) really well, stayed in the character of the program better than we thought we would almost, and to be honest, that was a better long (program) than we were expecting."

Dube and Davison had just one major error in the catch of the triple twist, a move the Canadians have added to their arsenal this season in an effort to move up the podium.

"Other than that, we felt really confident and smooth out there," Davison said.

Earlier in the day, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White kept the ice dancing lead by earning the best score in original dance.

Davis and White led after the compulsory dance on Friday and have 90.65 points. Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France are second with 81.27 points after placing sixth in original dance and second in the compulsory dance.

Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre, fourth in Saturday's program, were third with 80.35 points.

Canadian Patrick Chan captured the men's title. The 17-year-old Ottawa native, who was in second place after Friday's short program, skated the third best long program, but it was good enough for gold.

Chan won with a score of 215.45, while Ryan Bradley moved up from third to finish second with 212.75, and Evan Lysacek, who struggled to fourth-place on Friday, wound up third with 209.27.