Canada Holds the Cards in Pairs

The last time Soviets or Russians didn’t win the pairs title was in 1960, when Canadians Barbara Wagner and Robert Paul finished with the gold medal in Squaw Valley. Since then, led by legendary pairs skaters such as the Protopopovs, Irina Rodnina, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov and Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev, the gold medal has traveled only between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

But the streak could end tonight, and again it’s a pair from Canada that could win. Russians Anton Sikharulidze and Elena Berezhnaya were first after Saturday night’s short program, just ahead of Canadians David Pelletier and Jamie Sale. The Canadians jumped from third to first in the long program to win the 2001 World Championships.