The first medals were awarded at MasterCard Skate Canada International in Mississauga on Friday after the Pairs event (final results and standings attached). Skate Canada, which features all four reigning World Champions, is the second of six qualifying events of the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series.

Pairs

In what was an exciting, high quality competition, Jamie Sale/David Pelletier of Canada won their second gold medal in their second Grand Prix event this season. The Canadians skated an emotional free program to music from Richard Wagner's opera "Tristan and Isolde", a tragic love story about a couple that chose to die together. The program featured an excellent triple throw loop, triple throw salchow as well as side by side triple toeloops and a triple twist. Their only big mistake came when Sale singled the side by side double axel. "We skated better than last week", said Pelletier. "It is a great feeling to win this competition at home." Sale added on her missed axel: "I felt stupid. I hadn't missed my double axel in a long time." The Canadian team scored another 12 points (after Skate America) and have qualified for the Grand Prix Final which will be held in Tokyo next February.

Two-time World Champions Elena Berezhnaya/Anton Sikharulidze (RUS), in the lead after the Short Program, presented a very different program to a selection of music from Charlie Chaplin movies. Their entertaining routine contained side by side triple toeloops, double axels, nice spirals and connecting moves, but the Russians doubled the twist, and Berezhnaya fell on the triple throw loop. Three out of the seven judges placed the team from St. Petersburg first, but they dropped down one spot and took the silver medal. "This program is very different and new for us", explained Berezhnaya. "We enjoyed working on it, it is a lot of fun. We watched all the Charlie Chaplin movies!" Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze scored 9 points in the Grand Prix.

The bronze went to reigning World Champions Maria Petrova/Alexei Tikhonov of Russia. Although Petrova is still handicapped by an ankle injury the couple delivered a technically very solid program that contained side by side triple toeloops and double axels as well as a triple twist, a triple throw salchow and double throw axel and innovative, difficult lifts. "We did a good job tonight", commented Tikhonov. "We were a bit slow, but it was the first competition. Overall we skated well." Petrova/Tikhonov chose romantic and dramatic music by French composer Saint Preux for their Free Program. Skate Canada was a non-scoring event for the World Champions who will compete next week at the Sparkassen Cup on Ice in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Ladies

The Ladies Short Program produced first-rate competition. World Silver Medallist Irina Slutskaya of Russia upset three time World Champion Michelle Kwan (USA). Kwan, who skated first, delivered a clean program to music from the movie "Rush" and landed a triple lutz-double toeloop combination. However, Slutskaya looked more confident, had more speed and successfully pulled off a triple lutz-double loop combination, which gave her the edge over Kwan. "I felt a lot stronger at Skate America", said Kwan. "I had more flow, my spins were faster. There are a lot of things I want to add." Although Slutskaya's performance looked flawless, she thought she still could do better. "There is no limit for perfection", she laughed. "You always can improve. It is just the beginning of the season." Sitting in third before the Free Program on Saturday is Japan's Fumie Suguri who also skated a clean program.

Ice Dance

World Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat of France defended their lead after the Compulsory Dance. The World Champions presented their new Original Dance to an elegant Foxtrott by Nat King Cole ("More") and a fast paced Quickstep to "Dancin' Fool". However, Anissina stumbled during the side by side step sequence, and three judges had them second. "It's too bad that Marina had a little stumble on the steps", said Peizerat. "She didn't feel too well. The dance was good until that point", he explained. "I did a big mistake today, but I don't worry, because it is just the beginning of the season, the first competition" said a disappointed Marina.

Israel's Galit Chait/Sergei Sakhnovski got two first place ordinals. The team skated a fast and difficult Original Dance to "Bei mir bist du schön" (Foxtrott) and "Sing Sing Sing" (Quickstep). Canadian Champions Marie-France Dubreuil/Patrice Lauzon pulled up one spot, after the Compulsory Dance, and finished third in the Original Dance. "We can't believe it. I knew the Ukrainians were skating last, and I told myself it's impossible, there will be no movement in the Original Dance tonight", said Dubreuil.

MasterCard Skate Canada International continues Saturday with the Ladies and Men Free Programs.

For further information please contact:

Grand Prix of Figure Skating & Final				Master Card Skate Canada Internationa
Aline Bussat, ISU Media Coordinator				Laurie Chatigny, Press Officer 
Tel:	+41 21 612 66 66					+1 905 502 93 60 (press room)
Fax:	+41 21 612 66 77					+1 416 230 78 38 (mobile) 
E-mail:	 bussat@isu.ch	

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