MOSCOW – KIM Yu Na marked her return to competition by leading the women's short programme as Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir took pole position in the ice dancing at the world figure skating championships here on Friday.
Olympic champion Kim, who has not competed since losing her world title to Mao Asada last year, holds a narrow 0.33 point advantage on 2007 world champion Miki Ando going into Saturday's free skating final.
Russia's Ksenia Makarova is in third 4.29 points behind Kim as Japanese Olympic silver medallist Asada, 20, is struggling in seventh after errors in her routine.
Olympic champions Virtue and Moir showed they are back to their best six months after Virtue underwent surgery for a second time to relieve chronic pains in her shins by posting a new best in the short dance.
They scored 74.29 points for their elegant Tango and Waltz to better their previous mark from this year's Four Continents, from which they withdrew during the free skating final.
Their world record score was not surprising as the short dance is new this season after the International Skating Union did away with the compulsory and original dances. — AFP
Original source: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_663047.html
[Straits Times] Kim Yu Na, Canadian ice dancers lead at worlds
April 30, 2011 By
