Belbin and Agosto race to the lead at Cup of China

October 30, 6:12 AMFigure Skating ExaminerJackie Wong

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Figure Skating Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto (USA) leads after
the compulsory dance at Cup of China.
Photo: AP/Elizabeth Dalziel

The Samsung Anycall Cup of China began today with the compulsory dance.  Five-time U.S. champions Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto golden waltzed their way to the front of the competition, becoming only the second team this season to score over 38 points in the compulsory dance.

Two-time Russian champions Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski are two points behind, a relatively large gap in the compulsory dance, in second place.  Six-time Italian champions Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali are a point behind the Russians in third.  The three teams are well ahead of the rest of the nine ice dance teams, opening up a 4.49-point lead between third place and fourth place.

The strong start  for Belbin and Agosto is a great sign for them, as the compulsory dance has traditionally been their weakest dance of the three.  They have worked in recent years to improve their compulsory dances, and their work has certainly paid off and will be crucial to their quest to become the first American team to win the Olympics in ice dancing. 

Two of their main rivals have already competed in the Grand Prix this season - both Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White and Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir opened with strong, dominating performances at the first two events of the series.  Belbin and Agosto will be looking to continue their strong start in the original dance later in the day.

DANCE (after the compulsory dance)
1. Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto USA - 38.33
2. Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski RUS - 36.30
3. Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali ITA - 35.37
4. Alexandra Zaretski and Roman Zaretski ISR - 30.88
5. Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje CAN - 30.40
6. Anna Zadorozhniuk and Sergei Verbillo UKR - 29.43
7. Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein USA - 28.76
8. Xintong Huang and Xun Zheng CHN - 27.87
9. Xiaoyang Yu and Chen Wang CHN - 24.73