Pogorilaya takes a score of 65.28 into Saturdays long program. A

KELOWNA, B.C. - On the heels of a pressure-cooker Sochi Olympic campaign, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford set a simple goal for this season — to enjoy skating, and not focus on winning.The joy was there Friday for Canadas pairs team. And a victory came with it.The two-time world bronze medallists won the short dance at Skate Canada International, bringing the Prospera Place crowd to its feet with their romantic rendition of Un Peu Plus Haut by Ginette Reno.Its a freedom, its a sense of freedom to our skating, thats really our goal this year, Duhamel said. It felt really great to go out there and really skate from our heart, and really let ourselves go.Thats the calmest Ive ever felt going into a Grand Prix, Radford said.The Canadians scored 72.70 points, while Chinas Sui Wenjing and Han Cong were second with 65.22, and Russians Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov were third with 64.14.Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., won the short dance, while Javier Fernandez of Spain won the mens short program in a field missing Canadas Patrick Chan, and Anna Pogorilaya of Russia was first in the womens short.Duhamel and Radford said looking back on last season, there was a huge amount of pressure on them as they carried medal expectations into Sochi.We always tried to convince ourselves that it wasnt there, but now being here and looking back, I can see just how much pressure there was, and how heavy our skating was, said Radford, who was seventh in Sochi with Duhamel.Were at this point in our lives and our career, were only coming to the rink because we enjoy it, Duhamel added. Last year we were scared. We would go on the ice feeling very scared. And fearful. And thats not fun.The two have struggled with their short program at Skate Canada in the past, but their only noticeable bobble Friday was on the side-by-side triple Lutzes — Duhamel narrowly avoided hitting the boards on her landing.I was really focused on taking my time when I went into the jump and waited until I was calm and everything was placed well and maybe I waited a little too long before putting my toe pick in, Duhamel said.The months after Sochi saw the 28-year-old Duhamel become engaged, get a new dog, a new car and a new condo. The two also worked on, and finally mastered, a rare quadruple throw Salchow, which theyll perform in their long program Saturday.In Kelowna, the two are enjoying a spotlight that hasnt always shone on pairs skaters.Every time we came here, it was Tessa and Scott (ice dancers Virtue and Moir) and Patrick (Chan). Its kind of been that way for the last four years, and we were that outside chance of having a bronze medal somewhere, said the 29-year-old Radford. Now I think weve done a good job of stepping into that limelight, especially with the quad (throw).We understand were one of the top teams throughout the disciplines in Canada, and I think we take that responsibility seriously and its exciting for us to have a little bit more focus on us, and especially on pairs in Canada. Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and her new partner Michael Marinaro of Waterloo, Ont., meanwhile, were sixth. Brittany Jones of Toronto and Joshua Reagan of Waterloo, Ont., were seventh.It was alright, Moore-Towers said — her frown said otherwise. We hit all of our big stuff but it was the little things that we let get away from us a little bit, so were disappointed in that, but overall it was a good start. Starting over is hard, and were learning that here.Moore-Towers was fifth in Sochi with Dylan Moscovitch, but the two split because Moscovitch didnt want to commit to Moore-Towers goal of skating in two more Olympics. She and Marinaro joined forces about five months ago.Its all hard, Moore-Towers said on working with a new partner. Reworking the elements is difficult, figuring out how each other does things is a little bit tricky. But its worth it, in the end. Well get there.Weaver and Poje, meanwhile, scored 68.61 to take an almost-nine point lead into Saturdays free dance.The Canadians said they were nervous skating last, as the No. 1-ranked team.However we were drawing so much energy from the amazing crowd, and we felt right at home in front of the Canadian audience, Weaver said. Ksenia Monko and Kirill Khaliavin of Russia were second with 59.62, while Americans Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue were third (59.29).Piper Gilles of Toronto and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., were fourth, while Elisabeth Paradis of Montreal and Francois-Xavier Ouellette of Laval, Que., were eighth.Fernandez, meanwhile, landed a beautiful quadruple Salchow to open his program but doubled his planned triple Axel to score 86.36 points, entertaining the crowd with his rock-and-roll routine to Ram Jams Black Betty.It was the first time Id ever performed Black Betty in a competition, said Fernandez, who wore a black T-shirt over black pants. I think I did a good job, I didnt do the triple Axel, and I had a little trouble in one of the spins, but the program had good energy and for the first time it was great.Takahito Mura of Japan was second with 82.57, while Konstantin Menshov of Russia was third with 81.70.Andrei Rogozine of Newmarket, Ont., was ninth, while Liam Firus of North Vancouver, B.C., was 10th.Chan, who is taking a season off from competition, had won four of the six previous Skate Canada Grand Prix events. The 23-year-old Fernandez, who lives in Toronto and trains with Canadian coach Brian Orser, beat Chan at the event in Windsor, Ont., in 2012.Rogozine, meanwhile, was a last-minute substitute after Kevin Reynolds of Coquitlam, B.C., withdrew due to his ongoing equipment trouble.Its just given me more opportunity to skate internationally, Rogozine said. My goal is still to try to aim for the top and be the best, so this is just a little boost on the path.Reynolds has had trouble finding skates that fit properly, and was already onto his fourth pair this season when he pulled out of the event.In womens singles, Pogorilaya takes a score of 65.28 into Saturdays long program. American Ashley Wagner was second with 63.86, while Alena Leonova was third with 62.54.Veronik Mallet of Sept-Iles, Que., was sixth, while Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., was seventh, and Julianne Seguin of Longueuil, Que., ninth. Skate Canada International is the second of six events on the ISU Grand Prix circuit. The top six competitors in each discipline qualify for the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona in December. Denver Broncos Jerseys China . Signs of a turnaround have emerged in this series at Minnesota. Brian Roberts had three doubles and a triple for the first four-extra-base-hit game of his 14-year career, and the Yankees used their bullpen to preserve a 6-5 win over the Twins on Friday. Custom Broncos Jerseys http://www.cheapbroncos.com/ . The club says its first-choice centre back "underwent medical tests on Wednesday morning" which confirmed he has injured his right hamstring. The injury was caused in the second minute of Tuesdays 4-1 league win over Real Sociedad in the Camp Nou when teammate Sergio Busquets accidentally struck Mascherano just above the knee with an outstretched boot. Denver Broncos Jerseys Outlet . The 23-year-old Poland international is back as first choice at Arsenal after losing his regular spot in the team on occasions over the last three seasons. Wholesale Denver Broncos Jerseys . Tensions rose in the first period when Penguins defenceman Brooks Orpik hit Bruins forward Loui Eriksson with what appeared to be a clean hit.With two days to go until Wednesdays 3pm et deadline, theres some trade speculation surrounding Jason Spezza and the Ottawa Senators. Sources tell TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger that the team is quietly gauging interest on the Senators captain, though Spezza has a limited no-trade clause and carries a large contract. The news comes amidst other reports that the Senators have been searching for a winger to play with him. However, general manager Bryan Murray says he has not talked about the 30-year-old centre. "I had one guy ask if I want to comment to quiet the rumours and I said, No. Im not going to ... The more I say about itt the more its going to be played over and over in the next couple of days," Murray told reporters in Vancouver, where the Senators beat the Canucks 4-2 in the Heritage Classic on Sunday.ddddddddddddnbsp;"Ill just say we have not talked, at this point in time, about Jason Spezza." Spezza, who was named captain last fall after the departure of free agent Daniel Alfredsson, has one year remaining on his current deal which pays him $4 million next season - but with a $7 million cap hit. The team signed him to a seven-year, $49 million contract in 2007. He has 15 goals and 46 points in 56 games this season. 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