Davis and White win first Grand Prix gold of the season for U.S.

(Ottawa, Ont.) - At the second competition in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, the Americans claimed one gold, one silver and three bronze medals, making it the most successful Grand Prix competition yet for Team USA with four events remaining.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White dazzled the crowd Sunday afternoon for the third straight day, taking home the ice dancing gold medal with a sweep of the compulsory, original and free dances. On Saturday, Ryan Bradley won a men's silver medal and Alissa Czisny (ladies), Evan Lysacek (men's), Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker (pairs) secured bronze medals.

Ice Dancing, Free Dance

Davis and White received mostly Level 4s and a standing ovation for their fluid performance to Camille Saint-Saens ‘"Bacchanale" and "Samson and Delilah". Their free dance accounted for 88.24 points, despite a one point deduction for an extended lift, of their total 178.89.

It's the first Grand Prix gold medal for 2008 U.S. silver medalists Davis and White, who were sixth at the 2008 World Championships. They have only one previous medal on the circuit, a bronze from 2007 Trophee Eric Bompard and three fourth place finishes from the 2007 and 2006 series.

Their gold also marks the first gold for Team USA on the Grand Prix with four events remaining. No Americans won gold at last week's Skate America in Everett, Wash.

Canadians Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier (162.13) finished almost 17-points behind the Americans. France's Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat (159.06), who were second after the first two days of competition dropped to third after the final.

Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre of the United States were third going into the free dance but dropped to fifth overall with 157.54. Among the problems in their Fat Boy Slim program, judged as the fifth best dance of the afternoon, Bommentre's bootstrap came undone, causing a distraction for the audience and perhaps the skaters themselves. 

In their Grand Prix debut, Jennifer Wester and her husband Daniil Barantsev finished seventh with 141.06. They were sixth in the compulsory, seventh in the original and free dances.

All three dance couples have one remaining assignment on the Grand Prix. Wester and Barantsev will compete at Trophee Eric Bompard. Navarro and Bommentre are headed for NHK Trophy. Davis and White could qualify for the Grand Prix Final with a strong showing at Cup of Russia, Nov. 20-23, in Moscow, Russia.

Skate Canada is the second event in the six-event Grand Prix series that concludes with the Grand Prix Final in Goyang City, Korea, Dec. 10-14. The other events are Skate America in Everett, Wash., Oct. 24-26; Cup of China in Beijing, China, Nov. 6-9, 2008; Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris, France, Nov. 15-18; Cup of Russia in Moscow, Russia, Nov. 20-23; and NHK Trophy in Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 27-30.

The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, now in its 14th season, consists of six international events in a cumulative, point-scoring format. The top six scoring athletes in each discipline move onto the Grand Prix Final, which will be combined with the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.