German pair triumphs in short programme at Beijing Grand Prix / Photo: WANG Zhao - AFP
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German pair triumphs in short programme at Beijing Grand Prix
Newcomers Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin claimed figure skating gold in the pairs short programme at the Grand Prix Final in Beijing on Thursday.
The pair representing Germany came in first at this season's Grand Prix Finland and the NHK Trophy, and scored 72.56 points on Thursday at their first Grand Prix Final after a technically challenging routine.
The German Hase and Russian Volodin beat Canada rivals Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who came in second with 71.22 points.
Deschamps and Stellato-Dudek, who at 40 was the oldest athlete on Thursday, entered the competition top-ranked after victories at Skate Canada and Cup of China.
Italian duo Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii took third with 70.3 points.
Hase and Volodin wowed the crowd in Beijing with their fluid movements and smoothly executed lifts set to "Stay" by Rihanna and Mikky Ekko.
Dressed in matching purple outfits, the duo fist-bumped in triumph as they left the ice.
Thursday's pairs are set to compete in the longer free skate event on Friday that will determine their final Grand Prix ranking.
J.Pereira--PC