American pair Belbin/Benjamin lead in ice dancing at Cup of China

American duo Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto led the ice dancing at the Cup of China ISU Grand Prix of figure skating on Friday as they dominated both the compulsory and original dance.

Belbin and Agosto, runners-up of the ice dancing at Olympic Winter Games in 2006, posted 60.33 points from their graceful original dance and earned 38.33 in the compulsory dance to collect98.33, out of reach for second-placed Russian pair Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski, the 2009 European champions, who finished with 92.78.

Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali of Italy, 2009 European silver medalists and six-time Italian national champions, settled for a third place with 89.96.

"We feel very comfortable here in Beijing," said Belbin, who was the bronze medalist with Agosto at the 2007 World Championships. "It is the seventh time we have been here and We are very familiar with the environment, like the light, the ice and the audience. We have some very loyal audience here, and it's a pleasure to perform for them."

"I think we did an OK job today, "added the glamorous girl. "It is our first competition in the season, and the performance was a little shaking today, but I believe we can be better."

"It was a quite long day for skaters," said Novitski, who teamed up with Khokhlova in 2001. "It is also our first competition in the season. I think we are much better than last season."

Tomorrow will see free dance, the last competition of ice dancing.

The yearly Cup of China ISU GP of figure skating was held from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. Skaters will compete for a global prize money of 180,000 U.S. dollars per individual event and receive points according to their placements.

Top six skaters/couples of the series will proceed to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Tokyo, Japan.

Source: Xinhua