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Saturday, April 1
French capture the dance world title

Associated Press

NICE, France -- Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizeret of France rallied to win the ice dance title at the World Figure Skating Championships Friday, ending the Russians' domination.

The Moscow-born Anissina and Peizerat won the free skate with a dramatic routine to "Carmina Burana" to overtake Italians Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio. Anissina and Peizerat scored four 6.0s for presentation.


	Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizeret end the Russian dance domination.

It was the first time a non-Russian couple has won an ice dance title since 1991 when Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay won for France.

Third went to Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas, who gave Lithuania its first world figure skating medal. They moved past Russians Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh for the bronze.

It was the first time since 1968 a Russian or Soviet ice dance couple did not win a medal.

Last year's world champions, Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov, did not defend the title because of her back problems.

Americans Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev were eighth, and former junior world champions Jamie Silverstein and Justin Pekarek finished 12th .

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AUDIO/VIDEO

Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizeret of France (Courtesy: ABC Sports)
RealVideo: 56.6

Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizeret perform at Worlds (Courtesy: ABC Sports)
RealVideo: 56.6