http://www.examiner.com/figure-skating- ... lkowy-lead
Close top two after pairs short in Paris, Savchenko/Szolkowy lead
The pairs took the ice to open Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris, France, today. This event is the sixth and final qualifying Grand Prix competition for next week’s Grand Prix Final. Of the seven pairs on the ice today, three still have a shot at qualifying for the Final. And it was Olympic bronze medalists Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy who grabbed the slim lead going into the free skate.
Savchenko and Szolkowy showed off their trademark throw triple flip in their dynamic short program to finish first in the short program. Savchenko’s step-out of her solo triple toe was the only error in their program. Nevertheless, their score of 66.65 is the second highest short program score achieved by any pair this season, just behind Qing Pang and Jian Tong’s score at NHK Trophy.
Hot on their trail are the Russian bronze medalists, Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov, who are starting to take full command of the ice this season. They skated a clean short to put themselves in contention to take the title tomorrow, just over two points behind the Germans.
Rounding out the top three is another German pair, reigning German champions Maylin Hausch and Daniel Wende, who could not have asked for a better short program today. Their 54.02 smashed their previous personal best short program score by almost eight points, and they find themselves on the verge of their first Grand Prix medal.
U.S.junior champions Felicia Zhang and Taylor Toth had trouble with their side-by-side triple toes and are in fifth going into the free skate.
