(October 21, 2005)

Ice Dancers Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe started off the season on a strong note, skating a strong compulsory dance that featured good edges and good timing to place fourth in the compulsory dance at the 2005 Smart Ones Skate America.

Wing and Lowe, the reigning Canadian silver medallists in senior ice dance, earned a total of 31.49 points for their presentation of the Ravensburger Waltz, which placed them one point behind third-place finishers Oksana Dominina and Maxim Shabalin.

Competing in their first ISU Grand Prix assignment, Lauren Senft and Leif Gislason skated well in the compulsory dance with a lot of flow and power. They stand in seventh-place after the first portion of the event with 25.59 points.

Also participating in their first ISU Grand Prix event, 2005 Canadian Junior Champions Siobhan Karam and Joshua McGrath also skated well and currently stand 10th with 24.04 points.

Americans Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto are in first place heading into the original dance with 36.73 points.

The dance competition continues on Friday with the original dance.

In the pair event, 2004 Canadian Junior Pair Champions and two-time silver medallists at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison are making their debut on the ISU Grand Prix circuit. Their short program featured a strong throw triple loop, a double twist and an impressive death spiral. Despite a mistake on the side-by-side triple Salchows, Dubé and Davison are in sixth-place with 47.90 points.

Elizabeth Putnam and Sean Wirtz also skated well, competing a throw triple Salchow, a double twist and a strong overhead lift. Their mistake also came on the side-by-side jumps, with Putnam doubling her triple Salchow. Putnam and Wirtz are seventh heading into the free program, with 47.20 points.

The Chinese team of Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang are first after the short program with 59.90 points.

The pair competition wraps up on Saturday with the free skate.

In the men’s event, Chris Mabee skated a tango-themed short program to finish 11th with 42.40 points.

Daisuke Takahashi, of Japan, currently stands in first-place with 69.10 points.

The men’s event concludes on Friday with the free skate.

Results will be posted on the ISU website as soon as they are available.