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US ice dance duo Chock and Bates lead at world figure skating / Photo: © AFP
US ice dance duo Chock and Bates lead at world figure skating
Defending world ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States won Friday's rhythm dance at the World Figure Skating Championships.
Chock and Bates, trying to complete their first undefeated campaign, received a season-best 90.08 points from judges to seize the lead in the overall competition at Centre Bell.
The ice dance and men's finals will be contested on Saturday with the women's free skate final later on Friday.
Two-time reigning European champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbro of Italy, second at last year's worlds, were second in the rhythm dance with 87.52 points.
Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, third in last year's worlds and winners in last month's Four Continents Championships at Shanghai, were third on 86.51 points.
The British two-time European runner-up duo of Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson was fourth on 84.60.
Chock, 31, and Bates, 35, became a partnership in 2011 and are engaged to be married.
This year, they have won Grand Prix events on home ice and in Finland, taken the Grand Prix Final and also captured their fifth US crown.
D. Wassiljew--BTZ
