FUKUOKA, Dec 7 — Germany's former world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy came from behind to beat reigning world and European title holders Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia in the pairs event at the Grand Prix Final today.
Going out with a 3.19 point-lead from yesterday's short programme, Volosozhar fell in a side-by-side triple salchow and touched the ice in the middle of what would have been a triple-double combination.
Skating last in the six-pair field to the music of the classical rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” by A. L. Webber, the Russians managed to hit a maximum level-four in five of the eight elements other than jumps and throws.
But their free-skate score was 141.18 points, down 6.39 from the Germans. The Russians finished second overall at 223.83 points with Savchenko and Szolkowy winning at 227.03.
The last time the Germans beat their Russian rivals was at the 2012 world championships where they won the gold. — AFP
