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Canadian duo dance to skate gold

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-11-06 09:05

World silver medallists Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon of Canada capped off a dominating competition with a sultry free dance on Sunday to easily lift the Skate Canada dance title.


Canada's Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon perform their routine during the ice dancing free skate at the Skate Canada figure skating competition in Victoria, British Columbia November 5, 2006.The Canadian couple took first place in the competition. [Reuters]

The four-time Canadian champions earned a standing ovation from an appreciative crowd at Victoria's Memorial Centre and top marks of 98.81 from the judges for a sizzling free dance full of emotion and creative lifts.

"This new program is just a big pack of joy for us to skate," Dubreuil told reporters. "When you can skate with that freedom and joy it makes everything easier, we just enjoy ourselves."

Dubreuil and Lauzon scored top marks in all three segments of the dance event posting a winning total of 196.68 to take the gold ahead of compatriots and world junior champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who joined them on the podium with a score of 171.92.

Italian champions Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali, second going into the free dance, dropped a position taking the bronze with 170.73.

Skate Canada was the second of six Grand Prix meetings that serve as qualifiers for the Grand Prix final in December in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Grand Prix of China is scheduled for Nov. 9-12.