Han Cong (R) and Sui Wenjing of China perform during the Pairs Short Program at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Cup of China 2017 in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 3, 2017. The Chinese pair ranked No.2 with 80.14 points. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese pairs Sui Wenjing/Han Cong and Yu Xiaoyu/Zhang Hao finished 1-2 in short program at the Cup of China, the third stage of ISU Grand Prix series, on Friday.
Mikhail Kolyada of Russia and Gabrielle Daleman of Canada led the men's and women's short program.
In the third of six stops on the global circuit, headliners look to demonstrate their podium potential with the arrival of the 100-day countdown to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
In their first international competition this season, world champions Sui/Han confirmed their dominant position at the event with an emotional performance of Hallelujah. The pair led the short program with 80.14 points, 8.77 ahead of teammates Yu/Zhang.
Nicole Della Monica/Matteo Guarise of Italy were third at 63.76 points.
"I'm satisfied with our performance today, especially the component score. The season opener was a bit nervous. We presented 60-70 percent of our training level," said Sui.
European bronze medalist Kolyada underlined his status as top contender in men's event with a flawless presentation of Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major for a total of 103.13 points.
Home skater and two-time world bronze medalist Jin Boyang received a standing ovation at the Beijing Capital Gymnasium for his heartfelt Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He sat second with his season best 93.89 points, though his quad lutz and triple toeloop was not clean.
"My former short programs were lively, but in the Olympic season I hope to try a different style. The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is sorrow overall."
Two-time world champion Javier Fernandez of Spain ranked third with 90.57 points.
2017 World bronze medalist Daleman topped the women's short program with 70.65 points and she was closely chased by Japan's Wakaba Higuchi who were just 0.12 points behind. Russia's Elena Radionova was currently third on 70.48.
Li Xiangning of China was eighth after short program, while another Chinese skater Zhao Ziquan sat in the bottom. The 2012 Innsbruck Youth Winter Olympics women's figure skating bronze medalist Li Zijun withdrew from the Cup of China.
In ice dance, Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron took the lead with a solid presentation to earn a 81.10 points mark. They were 8.44 points ahead of Madison Chock/Evan Bates of the United States, while Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev were third.
