Russians set record to win Skate America pairs title

World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov set a pairs world record as they successfully defended their Skate America title here on Sunday. The Russian pair finished with a total of 237.71 points to easily beat Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch of Canada, who scored 208.45, in the first of the six-leg ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix season. Volosozhar and Trankov registered high marks for their superior jumps, landings, footwork and throws in the free skate final. Another Russian pair Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov (187.35) finished third. Meanwhile, former world champion Mao Asada is bidding for a Japanese double as she leads the women's event going into Sunday's free skating final. Japan's Tatsuki Machida defeated US skater Adam Rippon to claim the men's title on Saturday. Reigning world champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the ice dance competition on Saturday. Source: AFP