Sur, Roca Take the Early Lead in Ice Dancing

Skating for the first time in the U.S. figure skating championships, Russian Gorsha Sur joined with his partner, Renee Roca of Colorado Springs, Colo., to win the favor of the judges Tuesday in the America West Arena in the compulsories of the ice dancing competition.

Sur, a Muscovite who defected to the United States in 1990, and Roca, a 1986 U.S. ice dancing champion, have been skating together professionally for three years, but this is their first national competition.

Another professional, Susan Wynne, and her new partner, Russ Witherby, will enter the second of three phases of the competition Thursday in second place.