Music: {allcanada} CANADIAN PAIR WINS SILVER AT FIGURE SKATING JUNIOR GRAND PRIX

Friday, September 16, 2011

{allcanada} CANADIAN PAIR WINS SILVER AT FIGURE SKATING JUNIOR GRAND PRIX

GDANSK, Poland - Katherine Bobak and Ian Beharry of Guelph, Ont., earned silver Friday in their international debut in pairs at the third stop in the ISU junior grand prix figure skating circuit.

Americans Britney Simpson and Matthew Blackmer took gold with 141.42 points. The Canadians jumped from fifth after the short program to second with 132.54, while Tatiana Tudvaseva and Sergei Lisiev of Russia were third at 129.35.

Bobak and Beharry, coached by former national team members Kristy and Kris Wirtz, joined forces in February.

"We are just thrilled to come here and win a medal, we didn't expect it," said Bobak, 17, two years younger than her partner. "We had a lot of energy in our long program and we connected. It was really exciting."

In the women's competition, Julia Lipnitskaia of Russia was the winner at 172.51, Satoko Miyahara of Japan second at 162.20 and American Samantha Cesario was third at 153.84.

Winnipeg's Kate Charbonneau earned her third career top-five finish on the circuit, placing fifth at 128.66. She was fourth after Thursday's short program.