Dubé, Davison 6th after short program

Chinese athletes break own world record to finish 1st

Last Updated: Monday, February 15, 2010 | 4:22 PM ET

By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports

Skating first out of 20 competitors might be an unenviable assignment for most figure skaters, but not for Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo.

Competing in their fourth Olympics, the Chinese athletes broke their own world record in the short program of the pairs competition with 76.66 points on Sunday at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.

China's Shen Xue, right, and Zhao Hongbo laid down the gauntlet Sunday with the top short program. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

Just five minutes into the night, it seemed, the rest of the field was battling for second spot heading into Monday night's free skate at the Winter Olympics.

Two-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany showed they're back in top form, with a score of 75.96 points for second place.

Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia are in third with 74.16 points.

The jump that has been dogging Canadian Jessica Dubé all season got the best of her early in the short program. Dubé fell on her triple Salchow, finishing in sixth with partner Bryce Davison.

"When I was in the air, I thought I was going to land it," Dube said. "I was a little bit surprised, but I just tried to put it behind and move on."

'it was one of the proudest moments of my life.'—Cody Hay

Canada's Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay were a revelation, achieving a personal-best 64.20 points, including 37.6 for technical marks, to land in seventh.

"This was one of the most incredible feelings — no, the most incredible feeling — I’ve ever had in my life," Hay told reporters. "There was nothing that could prepare you for it, and there is nothing, I don’t think, that could top it.

"The crowd was so supportive, it was one of the proudest moments of my life."

Shen, 31, and Zhao, 37, retired after winning their third world title in 2007. But the lure of the elusive Olympic gold was too great for the married couple, who have twice won bronze at the Games.

The top two pairs could end the Russian stranglehold of 12 consecutive gold medals in Olympic pairs.

Canadians Barbara Wagner and Robert Paul in 1960 were the last not from Russia to stand atop the podium alone.

Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada shared gold in 2002 with Russians Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze after a judging controversy.

The random draw had Shen and Zhao up first, followed by several pairs who were likely just happy to be competing at the Olympics.

The rest of the best skated over three hours later.

Canadian champs recover

Skating to Who Wants To Live Forever by Queen, Shen was beaming after the pair nailed side-by-side triple toe loops to begin the program, and she was effortlessly sent skyward on a triple Lutz twist lift.

The program was choreographed by Canadian Lori Nichol.

"It was a gift for Valentine's Day, and today was just the short program," Zhao said. "Hopefully tomorrow will be as good as today."

Skating to Requiem for a Dream, Canadian champions Dubé and Davison regrouped after the early miscue to make their throw triple loop.

"Everything was really nice except of course for the side-by-side jump," Davison said. "We're happy with how we attacked the program. I'm sure the one error isn't helping where we're standing in points right now, but anything can happen in the long."

Dubé, of St-Cyrille-de-Wendover, Que., and Davison, of Hunstville, Ont., finished 10th at the Torino Games four years ago. Dubé suffered 80 stitches in the face after getting cut by Davison's skate in competition in 2007.

Anabelle Langlois, right, and Cody Hay perform a spin during their short program on Sunday. (Robert Skinner/Canadian Press)

Langlois and Hay executed a triple toe loop, double twist and Group 4 lift among other elements while skating to Fascination Waltz by Fillippo Marchetti

The pair won the Canadian championships in 2008, but last year were a wash after the recovery from a broken right fibula for Langlois took longer than expected.

Hay, of Dawson Creek, B.C., was making his Olympic debut. Gatineau, Que., native Langlois competed at the 2002 Games with Patrice Archetto.

David Wilson was choreographer for both Canadian programs.

The Canadian teams were able to both finish higher than two pairs who came into the Olympic ranked in the top six in the world but stumbled: Russians Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov, and Tatiana Volosozhar and Stanislav Morozov of Ukraine.

They were eighth and ninth, respectively.

The Germans won the last two world championships, but have endured a season of illness (Savchenko) and mixed results.

They achieved high marks for their throw triple flip and outside death spiral.

Record holders in hunt for gold

The Japanese-born Kavaguti and Smirnov came out with an impressive burst of triple jumps and a triple lift before lagging a bit in their step sequence.

Kavaguti and Smirnov are more than in the hunt for the gold, however, having set a world record 139.23 free skate score to wrest the European title last month from the reigning champs Savchenko and Szolkowy.

China's Pang Qing and Tong Jian, the 2006 world champions, got tremendous elevation on their lifts en route to finishing fourth.

Compatriots and 2006 Olympic silver medallists Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao are right behind in fifth.

Among the Americans, Amanda Evora heads into the free skate ahead of her boyfriend, Jeremy Barrett. Evora and partner Mark Ladwig were impressive with a score of 57.86 points for 10th place, with Barrett in 14th after earning 53.26 points with 16-year-old Caydee Denney, one of the youngest competitors at the Games.

The U.S. entrants were considered a bit of surprise, with two-time defending champions Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker crashing out at the Spokane, Wash., nationals last month. Former national champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin were also beaten out.

Toronto-born Vanessa James and Yannick Bonheur of France were 15th after the short program on Sunday.