Canadian ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje got their title defence off to a strong start by leading the short dance at the ISU Grand Prix Final on Friday.

The Skate Canada and Cup of Russia winners posted a season's best 72.75 points for their waltz and polka selection to the music of Johann Strauss.

World silver medallists Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States are close behind, scoring 71.64, with 2014 world champions Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy third (70.14) going into Saturday's free skating final.

"We felt great with all parts of our work. There's something very pleasant and familiar about being back in Barcelona, the crowd feel to be behind us all the way," said Weaver, 26, as they bid for a second consecutive title in the International Convention Centre.

Chock and Bates finished runners-up last season to the Canadians in the GP Final in Barcelona and are planning to impress on Saturday with their revamped free programme to Rachmaninov's 'Concerto No. 2 Adagio'.

"We felt that the (free) programme wasn't giving us the impact that we wanted this season," said Bates, after a win in Skate America was followed by silver to the Italians in the Cup of China.
"We've changed quite a lot from the Cup of China, so the short dance has been a bit of a footnote for us in the last month."

Cappellini and Lanotte had a small mistake on a twizzle in their skate to 'The Merry Widow'.

"There was a little mistake but it was an improvement of three points from out last competition," said Cappellini of the Cup of Russia where they finished second.

For the first time three American couples have made it into the elite six-team final with Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani (69.11) fourth ahead of compatriots Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (66.21).

Russians Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev (65.43) complete the field in sixth position.

World champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France skipped the Grand Prix season after she suffered concussion in a training fall last August.

The Montreal-based dancers will return at French nationals on December 17-18 before competing in the European championships in Bratislava in January and worlds in Boston next March.
Source: AFP