Chan and Korpi win figure skating titles in Russia

Reigning world champion Patrick Chan of Canada clinched his season's first title here on Saturday in the men's section of the Cup of Russia, the fourth stage of the six-leg ISU Grand Prix series. The 21-year-old Toronto resident, who led the event after the short programme, underlined his supremacy on the ice of Moscow's Megasport arena with a flawless presentation of his La Boheme routine to receive a season's best total of 262.35 points. Chan clinched his first title in his third appearance in Moscow, where he had previously finished runner-up in 2010. Takahiro Kozuka of Japan, who was second after the opening day, committed minor errors in his Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saens free programme but held on to second position. Czech Michal Brezina, who was sixth after short programme, climbed to third place with a solid showing during his The Untouchables by Ennio Morricone routine to finish 5.43pts behind Kozuka. Meanwhile, Finland's Kiira Korpi, who was second after the short programme, won the women's section of the event with an impressive display during her Once Upon a Time in America by Ennio Morricone free routine. Though the European championship silver medallist committed minor mistakes, she received a personal best mark of 115.64 for an overall sum of 177.19 points, also a new personal best. "I feel like this is a huge step for me to get into the final and to show myself that I really deserve to be here and that I'm able to really succeed and to really challenge the best skaters in the world," Korpi said. "I decided that I really haven't shown my best yet and I have lots of room to improve and then I start working with my body, got the balance back and healed my injuries and everything and slowly regained my physical condition." The 17-year-old American prodigy Gracie Gold, who led at the halfway stage, received 112.87 points for her free skate for a personal best mark of 175.03 but finished second overall 2.16pts behind Korpi. Fellow US skater Agnes Zawadzki was third with 166.61 points. Reigning Olympic and world champion ice dance pair Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada added the Cup of Russia to the Skate Canada title, which they won to open the season. They received a sum of 173.00 points after their rendition of Carmen Suite by Rodion Shchedrin free dance to stay 15.53pts ahead of second-placed duo Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia. Another Russian couple Victoria Sinitsina and Ruslan Zhiganshin were third on 145.08 points. Meanwhile skating pair Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, also of Russia, clinched their second Grand Prix title by winning the free skate. The European champions, who also won at Skate America earlier in the year, claimed a season's best result of 132.79 for an overall tally of 207.53. Compatriots Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov were second with 191.08 points, while American duo Caydee Denney and John Coughlin finished third.