(November 25, 2005)

Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are off to a good start at the 2005 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final.

The Junior Grand Prix Final is taking place this weekend in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Virtue and Moir, the 2005 world junior silver medallists, skated both the compulsory dance and original dance on Friday and currently stand first after the first two portions of the event.

In the compulsory dance, Virtue and Moir skated a strong program and were awarded with 17.74 points for technical elements and 16.67 points for program components. Their total score was 34.41, placing them first after the first portion of the event.

Later on in the evening, Virtue and Moir performed their original dance that featured a difficult twizzle section, intricate footwork and excellent presentation. They earned 27.97 for technical elements and 26.51 for program components, giving them a total of 54.48 for the original dance.

Overall, the duo has a combined total of 88.89 points for the compulsory dance and the original dance, placing them first overall heading into Saturday's free dance.

Italy's Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte are in second, while Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White are third.

In the men's event, 2005 Canadian Junior Men's Champion Patrick Chan stands ninth after the short program. Chan had two falls in the program and was awarded 20.22 points for technical elements and 25.50 for program components for a combined total of 43.72 points.

The ISU Junior Grand Prix Final concludes on Saturday with all event finals.

Meanwhile in St. Petersburg, Russia at the 2005 Cup of Russia, the fifth of six events on this season's ISU Grand Prix circuit, Shawn Sawyer stands ninth after the short program with a total of 57.35 points. The 2005 Canadian bronze medallist earned 26.50 for technical elements and 31.85 for program components.

Three-time world champion and 2002 Olympic silver medallist Evgeni Plushenko is making his first appearance of the season on the ISU Grand Prix circuit. Plushenko is first after the short program, earning 87.20 points.

Switzerland's Stephane Lambiel, the 2005 world champion, is second with 78.35, while American Johnny Weir is third, earning 75.15 points.

In the pair event, Canada's Elizabeth Putnam and Sean Wirtz currently stand seventh after the short program with 45.76 points. Two-time world champions, Russians Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin, are first with 64.62 points.

Siobhan Karam and Joshua McGrath, the 2005 Canadian Junior Ice Dance Champions, are in 10th after the compulsory dance. The duo has a total of 23.85 points heading into tomorrow's original dance.

Two-time world champions Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov stand first with 38.72 points.

The 2005 Cup of Russia continues tomorrow with the original dance, men's free skate, pair free skate and the ladies free skate.