2008 Ice Dance Final Results Are In

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France won gold with 212.94 total points and Canada's champions earned 208.80. Jana KIhokhlova and Sergei Novitski of Russia won bronze with 203.26, edging U.S. champions Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto by 26-100ths of a point.

It was the first time since 1975 that all three couples on the world ice dancing podium were there for the first time.

Virtue and Moir were third after the original dance but won the free dance with their delicately romantic and demanding "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" routine that had the hundreds of Canadians among the 9,500 who filled the Scandinavium jumping to their feet and waving Canadian flags when it ended. Virtue and Moir knew they'd nailed it when they saw their marks pop up.

"This was a goal of ours but to see it become a reality on the screen . . . it was just awesome," said Virtue.

Virtue, 18, and Moir, 20, are among the youngest skaters ever to step onto the world ice dancing podium. She was only seven and he was only nine when they began skating together. They won the world junior title two years ago and were sixth at the senior level last year.

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Standings after the Original Dance

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France won the original dance at the World Figure Skating Championships on Thursday, widening their lead to a comfortable four points.

Delobel and Schoenfelder have 107.98 points going into Friday's free dance.

Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski of Russia are now second, passing Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada in the original dance. But the margin between the couples is slim, with the Russians just .45 points ahead: 103.97 to 103.52.

Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto entered the worlds favored to become the first U.S. couple to win a world dance title. But a rare fall in compulsories dropped them to fifth place and, despite finishing fourth in the original dance, they weren't able to make up any ground in the standings.

"This is the first time we've gone in hearing that perhaps we were one of the favorites for a title. That's a lot of pressure to carry," Belbin said. "I think I just had to put that out of my mind and realize that we can still gain a lot from this event -- good or bad."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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French Lead After Compulsories

Oteborg, Sweden (Sports Network) - France's Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder are in the top spot after the compulsory dance round at the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships Tuesday.

The French pair finished with 40.73 points, more than two points clear of Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and over five points ahead of Americans Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, who are in fifth place after a rare fall.

The Russian duo of Jana Kokhlova and Sergei Novitski is in third place, while Italians Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali are fourth.

Belbin and Agosto, the reigning Olympic silver medalists, were the odds on favorite to win the dance crown after European champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin withdrew.

But, while skating to the Argentine tango, Belbin stumbled while attempting a twizzle. Falls in compulsories are very rare, and the Argentine tango is considered an easier dance.

Belbin and Agosto suffered a mandatory one-point deduction and finished with a score of 35.02.

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Canadians Hoping for A Medal

The door to the world figure skating podium has swung open for Canadian ice dancing champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

Patrick Chan and Jeff Buttle can only win men's singles medals if others falter, Joannie Rochette's chances in women's singles are remote, and Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison have an outside shot in pairs. But it is with Virtue and Moir that Canada's best chances rest when competition begins Tuesday in Goteborg, Sweden.

The withdrawal of Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, who has reinjured the left knee he had surgery on in December, should allow Canada's champions to reach the podium - not that they are happy about Shabalin's misfortune.

"It's too bad," says Moir. "It's nice to go to a world championship when everybody is healthy and you can compete against the best.

"At the same time, we're excited about the opportunity that lies ahead of us."

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Canadian Duo Wins Ice Dance Title at Four Continents

Canadian Tessa Virtue and Scott Moirled from start to take the ice dancing title at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships at Goyang, South Korea on Friday.

Leaders after both compulsory dance and original dance, Virtue and Moir scored 104.08 in the free dance for an overall total of 207.32.

American Meryl Davis and Charlie White who managed only 100.16 points Friday for a 199.45 total for the second place, and their compatriots Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre took 89.62 points from the free dance section for the third place with an overall 180.65.

Virtue, 18, and Moir, 20, have been skating together since 1997,and this Four Continents win is their second at a senior international event.

The 2006 world junior champions had previously won at Skate Canada on the 2007-08 ISU Grand Prix circuit.

Virtue and Moir Favored for Gold At Four Continents

Canadians should be on the podium in at least two of the four disciplines at the Four Continents figure skating meet. Anything less would be a disappointment.

Competition begins Wednesday and continues through Saturday in Goyang City, Republic of Korea. This annual International Skating Union meet for skaters from the Americas, Asia and Australia is the last major test before the world championships in Goteborg, Sweden, next month.

Ice dancers Tessa Virtue of London, Ont., and Scott Moir of Ilderton, Ont., are favoured for gold because they were sixth at the 2007 world championships and the only other top-10 ice dancers from that meet who'll be at Four Continents are Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who were seventh in Tokyo and who train alongside Virtue and Moir in Canton, Mich.

Canadian silver medallists Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Kitchener, Ont., who were 20th in Tokyo, could take bronze. Many of the top ice dancers are from Europe so won't be at Four Continents.

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Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir Speeding Towards Their First National Dance Title

They refused to play it safe and now Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir have moved closer to claiming their first national dance title at the BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

Virtue, of London, Ont., and Moir, of Ilderton, Ont., awed the crowd and impressed the judges to score 65.29 points in the original dance Thursday night. They lead the competition with 105.33 points and can wrap up the title with the free dance Saturday.

"We just attacked every element," said Virtue, the bells on the sleeve of her dress ringing as she wiped sweat from her forehead. "We went out trying not to hold anything back. Certainly that performance felt the best so far."

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Source: The Canadian Press