(February 13, 2008)

GOYANG CITY, South Korea - Tessa Virtue of London, Ont., and Scott Moir of Ilderton, Ont., lead in ice dancing after Wednesday’s compulsory dance at the Four Continents Championships figure skating competition.

The Canadian champions, sixth at last year’s world championships, earned 38.22 points to lead three American couples. Meryl Davis and Charlie White are second at 37.36, Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre are third at 34.36 and Jennifer Wester and Daniil Barantsev fourth at 30.95.

Two young Canadian teams follow. Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., are fifth at 30.94 and Allie Hann-McCurdy of Ottawa-Orleans, Ont., and Michael Coreno of Delhi, Ont., sixth at 29.73 out of 13 couples.

In men’s singles, Daisuke Takahashi of Japan leads after the short program at 88.57. Evan Lysacek of the U.S., is second at 84.06 and Olympic bronze medallist Jeffrey Buttle of Smooth Rock Falls, Ont., last year’s runner-up, third at 83.85.

Vaughn Chipeur of Edmonton is sixth and Shawn Sawyer of Edmunston, N.B., 10th out of 21 entries.

In pairs after the short program, China is 1-2 with Olympic silver medallists Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang first at 70.45, former world champions Qing Pang and Jian Tong second at 67.70 and Rena Inoue and John Baldwin of the U.S., third at 57.40.

Jessica Miller and Ian Moram of Montreal are fifth at 54.88 and Mylène Brodeur and Stanbridge Station, Que., and John Mattatall of Wallace, N.S., seventh at 52.50 out of nine couples.

Competition continues Thursday with the pairs final, the original dance in ice dancing and the women’s short program.

The Four Continents event is open to any non-European member nations of the International Skating Union.

SCOREBOARD
Wednesday’s leading results at the Four Continents Championships figure skating competition at Goyang City, South Korea:

MEN
Short program: 1. Daisuke Takahashi, Japan, 88.57 points; 2. Evan Lysacek, U.S., 84.06; 3. Jeffrey Buttle, Smooth Rock Falls, Ont., 83.85; 6. Vaughn Chipeur, Edmonton, 70.83; 10. Shawn Sawyer, Edmunston, N.B., 60.79.

PAIRS
Short program: 1. Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang, China, 70.45; 2. Qing Pang and Jian Tong, China, 67.70; 3. Rena Inoue and John Baldwin, U.S., 57.40; 5. Jessica Miller, Montreal and Ian Moram, Montreal, 54.88; 7. Mylène Brodeur, Stanbridge Station, Que., and John Mattatal, Wallace, N.S., 52.50.

ICE DANCING
Compulsory dance: 1. Tessa Virtue, London, Ont., and Scott Moir Ilderton, Ont., 38.22; 2. Meryl Davis and Charlie White, U.S., 37.36; 3. Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre, U.S., 34.36; 5. Kaitlyn Weaver, Waterloo, Ont., and Andrew Poje, Waterloo, 30.94; 6. Allie Hann-McCurdy, Ottawa-Orleans, Ont., and Michael Coreno, Delhi, Ont., 29.73.