Berliner Tageszeitung - America's Bates and Chock ice dance champions at Beijing Grand Prix Final

The reigning world champions spun across the rink to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon", wowing the judges and crowd with their lightning-quick turns and fluid lifts.

Chock and Bates were already leading by over three points after Friday's rhythm dance, and they increased the gap in the free skate, earning a season's best of 132.46 for a final score of 221.61.

"We're feeling wonderful," said Chock minutes after securing victory.

The pair have made the Grand Prix Final six times before without success.

"I guess our lucky number is seven... This has been a goal of ours for a very long time and it's always a great pleasure to accomplish a goal," said Chock.

"It's been a beautiful journey for us."

The pair started the programme in an unusual diagonal lean off the ice, and referenced the theme of time throughout, their arm movements mimicking clock hands and Chock's dress based on the "melting clocks" of surrealist artist Salvador Dali.

"It is very important to set the stage for the audience... The (starting) pose in particular, it took us a while to master it," said Bates.

"We're just going for it, having a little avant-garde in the programme," he added.

Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri took second place with a final score of 215.51.

The pair kissed on the ice after finishing a commanding, passionate skate to a soaring medley which earned them a season's best of 129.69.

"We are very happy that we could perform this way... and we think we skated our best of the season so far," said Fabbri.

Close behind them on 213.58 points were Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, who gave an intense performance to "Wuthering Heights".

A. Walsh--BTZ