Dubé, Davison dazzle in pairs event, defend title
Victory secures ticket to Vancouver for top pair along with Langlois, Hay
In a heated battle for figure skating glory, Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison took first place in the pairs competition on Saturday at the BMO Canadian figure skating championships in London, Ont.
"It means a lot," said Dubé, of St. Cyrille de Wendover, Que., who scored 135.40 points in the free competition with Davison. "After the performance yesterday, we just wanted to come out and do our best, and it felt so good to do it."
Combined with Friday's short program performance (62.87), the duo dazzled on Saturday with a total score of 198.27.
"It was exhilarating," said Davison, of Huntsville, Ont. "It was something special. From practice this morning, I knew it. It was a real high to be out there on the ice."
After their top score was announced, Dubé's parents were emotional in the stands.
"Our parents have done so much for us. They're there every step of the way. We owe them a lot," Dubé said.
Attempting to dethrone the 2009 champions were Anabelle Langlois of Barrie, Ont., and Edmonton's Cody Hay, who claimed the title two years ago but who did not compete last year due to injury.
Langlois and Hay came second, with 183.42 total points (117.95 in the free competition, 65.47 in the short program, the highest score in Friday's event).
"This is one of the better programs we put out in competition this year," Hay said. "It's so satisfying to come back."
The top two pairs are Vancouver-bound, a status Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin fought hard to achieve — but they came third, a position which earns them a medal but not Olympic selection.
Duhamel, of Lively, Ont., and Buntin, of Kelowna, B.C., were less than a point from Dubé and Davison after the short program (scoring 62.38).
But in Saturday's performance the pair suffered a minus-one deduction after missing a critical jump. Their score in the free competition was 109.80, giving them a total of 172.18 points.
Competition continues Saturday at the John Labatt Centre with the ladies final at 3 p.m. ET, and the dance final at 7 p.m.