Papadakis, Cizeron clinch world ice dance gold

SHANGHAI - Agence France-Presse

France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron compete in the ice dance free dance programme during the ISU World Figure Skating Championship in Shanghai March 27, 2015. REUTERS Photo

France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron took gold at the World Figure Skating Championships ice dance event in Shanghai Friday, the high point of a remarkable breakthrough season for the duo.
      
The pair scored 112.34 points in the final free dance to finish with 184.28 overall, marking another milestone following their European Championships victory in January.
      
The win in Shanghai represents a remarkable achievement for 19-year-old Papadakis and Cizeron, aged 20, who are the youngest world champions for 49 years.
      
They finished 13th in the World Championships last year -- their first season in senior competition. The pair emerged as a force in ice dance at the Grand Prix Final in December, when they came third.
      
They finished fourth in Shanghai on Wednesday at the opening short programme but captivated the audience at Shanghai's Oriental Sports Centre with their finale.
      
Papadakis and Cizeron finished almost six points ahead of United States champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who took second place with a score of 106.87 and 181.34 overall.
      
Pre-tournament favourites Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Canada -- who won at both the Grand Prix and Four Continents championships in Seoul last month -- finished third with 106.74 points, and 179.42 overall.
      
Anna Capelliini and Luca Lanotte of Italy and Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the US were fourth and fifth respectively in both the free dance and the final standings.