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Canadian duo win pairs, Pang/Tong bade farewell at figure skating worlds

Xinhua, March 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford of Canada outshone three Chinese pairs to win the pairs title at the 2015 ISU Figure Skating World Championships here on Thursday.

Performing to Muse Medley, the reigning ISU Grand Prix Final Champions hit a triple twist lift and a triple lutz, and completed a flawless throw quad salchow. They finished first in 144.55 points, and collected 221.53 to win the pairs title.

"It means a lot for us" said Redford.

China's Sui Wenjing/Han Cong took second in 214.12, while veteran Pang Qing/Tong Jian came third in 212.77. Peng Cheng/Zhang Hao finished fourth in 206.63.

"We started our career at the same time with Sui and Han," said Redford. "So we know their improvement and happy to see them win the silver."

"Pang and Tong are our idols," he added. "It's our honor to compete with them."

Sui and Han, 2014 and 2012 Four Continents champions, danced passionately to Francesca da Rimina, Fantasy of Orchestra Op.32 by P. Tchaikovksi. Sui bursted into tears after her performance.

Pang and Tong, competing in their 16th World Championships, skated to Io Ci Saro by D. Foster, W. Afanasieff. They came out of retirement to compete on home ice.

"I want to say thank you to my partner," Tong said. "I can't make a come back without her. It's her idea to take part in the worlds."

In the ladies short program earlier Thursday, Russia's 2015 European champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva landed a triple Axel to take a commanding lead.

Tuktamysheva, 18, skated flawlessly to Bolero by Maurice Ravel, ranked first in a season best 77.62 points, followed by her teammate Elena Radionova with 69.51 and Japan's Satoko Miyahara with 67.02.

"When I landed the triple Axel, I got goosebumps and I thought - is this a dream or did I really just do the triple Axel at the World Championships? I had to pull myself together after this and I was very focused on the triple Lutz and the triple toeloop-triple toeloop," said the reigning Grand Prix final champion. "It was the first time for me to do a clean short with the triple Axel."

Japan's Kanako Murakami and Rika Hongo came fourth and fifth, while China's Li Zijun was sixth in 61.83.

Friday will see men's short program and free dance of ice dance. Endit