Canwest News Service
Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison set a national record of 198.27 points to win the pairs title Saturday at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships. The win books Dube and Davison a priceless pair of tickets to Vancouver and the 2010 Winter Olympics next month.
Their freeskate, set to music from The Way We Were, drew a raucous standing ovation at the John Labatt Centre and a season-best 135.40 points from the judging panel. They nailed all but one element, when Dube put a hand down to save a throw triple Lutz.
"We said we wanted to bring the emotion out of the crowd," said Dube. "That's what we did. I was crying inside near the end. Once it was over it was too much for me. I was so happy."
"That felt incredible from start to finish," added Davison.
Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay finished second, with Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin third.
Meanwhile, Vancouver's Mira Leung withdrew from the Canadian Figure Skating Championships.
It was not immediately clear why she had bowed out. However, she had finished 15th in the field of 18 women in the short program Friday with a score of 36.45 that left her 40 points behind the leader, Cynthia Phaneuf.
After finishing 12th at the Olympics in Turin in 2006, the 20-year-old Leung was touted as an up-and-comer for the Vancouver Games. However, she parted with coach Joanne McLeod in 2009 and has struggled to regain the form that vaulted her onto the podium as the Canadian silver medallist from 2006-08 and the bronze winner in 2005.
"I guess I have some hurdles to overcome," she said following Friday's disastrous short program. "I'm looking forward to 2014."
She described her parting with McLeod as a "fiasco" and said it put her training "off balance."
She said Friday she is now trying to reinvent herself and is working with coach Sonja Hlynka at the Sunset Skating Club in Vancouver.
"I don't think I was artistically dynamic enough as a skater. I just wanted to make myself a better skater artistically. It is difficult. I used to be just a good jumper. I'm trying to be a well-rounded skater."
Dube-Davison win pairs title; Mira Leung of Vancouver pulls out of nationals
