Canadians Crone, Poirier skate to bronze at NHK Trophy
Last Updated: Sunday, November 8, 2009 | 3:34 AM ET
The Associated Press
The Canadian ice dancing team of Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier perform their free dance at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating NHK Trophy Sunday in Nagano, Japan. Junko Kimura/Getty Images)Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the ice dance event while Canadians Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier were third Sunday at the NHK Trophy ice skating event in Nagano, Japan.
Davis and White were first after the original dance and were awarded 100.79 points following a strong free program Sunday to finish with a total of 201.97.
Sinead and John Kerr of Britain were second with 177.73 points, followed by Crone of Aurora, Ont., and Poirier of Unionville, Ont., with 165.89.
"There were still some wobbly parts but we accomplished our goal by earning higher points than in Russia," said Crone, 19. "Our expression level really improved and we had a strong connection with the audience."
Two weeks earlier, the pair placed fourth at the Grand Prix stop in Moscow.
"It was very exciting for us to get the medal," Poirier said Sunday. "It was a goal.
"We are exactly where we want to be at this point of the season and our two Grand Prix performances are something we can really build on for the nationals (in January)."
With their second title of the season, reigning U.S. champions White and Davis locked up a spot in the Grand Prix finals in Tokyo on Dec. 3-6.
"It was tough being the last event on a day after everyone else has competed," White said. "But we were able to make the most of it and skated well both from a technical and artistic standpoint."
The Americans completed four lifts successfully in the program, skating to "The Phantom of the Opera."
"Charlie and I have tried to work on putting difficult elements in and making them work with our choreography," Davis said.
"That's something we are always working on."
White said the pair will now focus on the U.S. national championships in January in Spokane, Wash.
"We feel pretty comfortable with our program," White said. "The Olympics are a long way away and you try not to think to far ahead. We're focusing right now on the national championships."
The Kerrs, third in the Trophee Bompard in France, have a good chance to make the GP final.
"Hopefully, we'll be back here in Japan in three weeks time," John Kerr said. "It will depend on what some of the other couples do between now and then."
with files from Louis Daignault, Canadian Sport News
