World champ Malinin takes lead at Skate Canada / Photo: JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER - AFP/File
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World champ Malinin takes lead at Skate Canada
Two-time reigning world champion Ilia Malinin of the United States won the Skate Canada men's short program on Saturday.
The 20-year-old American, winner of the past two ISU Grand Prix Final crowns and the past three US national titles, captured the France title two weeks ago and dazzled again at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Malinin, fancied for Olympic gold in Italy next February, was awarded 104.84 points by judges with Japan's Kazuki Tomono second on 92.07 and Estonia's Aleksandr Selevko third on 91.28.
Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, second at the past two world championships, won the rhythm dance with 85.38 points with Ukraine's Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius second on 80.89 and Americans Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko third on 76.83.
The men's and ice dance titles will be decided with the free skate and free dance on Sunday.
Women's and pairs crowns will be determined later on Saturday with Japan's Mone Chiba and Germany's Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin having taken short program crowns on Friday.
S.Esposito--GdR
