Canada in fourth place after first day at ISU World Team Trophy

TOKYO – Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., won the short dance and Canada is in fourth place after the first day of competition at the ISU World Team Trophy figure skating event.

The U.S. is in first place with 48 points followed by Japan and Russia which are tied at 43. Canada, the Olympic silver medallists last winter, stand at 31 points.

In the short dance, Weaver and Poje bettered their score from last month’s world championships earning 73.14 points. Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. were second at 72.17 points and world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France were third at 70.86.

Weaver and Poje’s first place finish was worth 12 points to the team score while the Americans earned 11 and the French 10.

Gracie Gold of the U.S. topped the women’s short program standings followed by Elizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia and her compatriot Elena Radionova. Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., and Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., were eighth and ninth combining for nine points to the team standings. Both the Russians and Americans earned 21 points in the event.

In the men’s short program, Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan, Han Yan of China and Jason Brown of the U.S. were 1-2-3. Nam Nguyen of Toronto was sixth and Jeremy Ten of Vancouver 10th. That was worth 10 points for Canada while Japan totalled 21 and the U.S. 16.

Competition continues Friday with the pairs short program featuring Canadian world champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford and the free skates for ice dancing and men.

Full competition: http://www.isuresults.com/results/wtt2015/