'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
OMAHA, Nebraska (AFP) –
Meryl Davis and Charlie White compete in the Short Dance at the US Figure Skating Championships in Omaha, Nebraska on January 25, 2013. The two scored a career-high 79.02 points to win the ice dance short dance and position themselves for a fifth straight title at the championships.
Former world champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White scored a career-high 79.02 points to win the ice dance short dance and position themselves for a fifth straight title at the US Figure Skating Championships.
Davis and White, the 2011 world champions and world silver medallists last year, notched the highest short dance score ever at a US championships.
“We have really been evolving our overall comfort on the ice, our speed, our energy, since the Grand Prix Final, so I think it really paid off in our performance today,” Davis said.
The always-elegant duo won the Grand Prix Final title in Sochi in December.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates were a distant second after the short dance on 70.80 points, while Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani were lying third on 69.63.
Defending champion Jeremy Abbott led the way in the men’s short programme, his solid effort earning a score of 84.10 points. Abbott, seeking a fourth national title, didn’t attempt a quadruple jump.
Two-time US bronze medallist Ross Miner included a quadruple salchow in a short skate that left him in second on 80.99 points, while 18-year-old Joshua Farris was lying third on 79.78 going into the deciding free skate, which will cap competition on Sunday.
The men’s field was without 2010 Olympic gold medallist Evan Lysacek, who is still recovering from surgery for a hernia.
In addition to ice dance, medals will also be on offer on Saturday in ladies and pairs competition.
Defending champion Ashley Wagner takes a comfortable lead into the ladies’ free skate.
Heavily favored to retain the title she won last year, Wagner scored 67.57 points for her “Red Violin” short programme on Friday.
Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir take the pairs lead into the free skate.
