Canadians lead ice dance, Chinese lead pairs at Four Continents

 HALIFAX (CP) -- Favourites Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao of China led the pairs event and Canadian champions Shae-lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz toppped the ice dance following the opening night Tuesday of the inaugural Four Continents figure skating championships.
 Canadian pairs champions Kristy Sargeant and Kris Wirtz were fourth after stumbling through their routine.
 Bourne, from Chatham, Ont., and Kraatz, from Vancouver, the three-time world bronze medallists, held the lead among a mainly inexperienced field of 13 teams after the two compulsory dances, the Tango Romantica and the Blues.
 "The compulsories felt very good today," said Bourne. "It was a nice warm-up before the worlds. I think they felt even better than nationals.
 "What we've been working on most is to get the full package with all the events, the compulsories, the original dance and the free."
 U.S. champions Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev were second.
 "It was really good for us and we skated strongly," said Lang. "We're pleased with our performance tonight."
 Chantal Lefebvre of LaSalle, Que., and Michel Brunet of Gatineau, Qe., were third.
 "We competed against Peter and Naomi all year," said Brunet. "It was fun because, surely, Victor and Shae-Lynn will be at the podium at worlds. But for Naomi and Peter and Chantel and I, it's such a neat experience because we get to cherish what they get to cherish most of the time."
 Shen and Zhao, fourth at last year's worlds, were unanimous winners in the pairs' short program.
 The Chinese pair, who skated a clean program with side-by-side triple toe jumps, a split double twist, and a throw triple loop, drew a standing ovation from a portion of the crowd of 3,900.
 Their marks were predominantly 5.6s and 5.7s with two 5.5s from a possible 6.0, which didn't please Zhao, 25, who spoke through an interpreter.
 "Maybe the marks were low because we were the first ones to skate," he said. "We don't feel bad about it. We did our best. We were just a little bit tired."
 Valerie Saurette and Jean-Sebastien Fecteau of Montreal were second. American champions Danielle and Steve Hartsell were third.
 Sargeant fell on both jumps -- the side-by-side triple toe loop and the throw triple Salchow.
 Sargeant, who looked on the verge of tears, said something weird happened on both landings.
 "It was a bit off tonight," agreed Wirtz, who managed a smile.
 Saurette and Fecteau, didn't have to force a smile.
 Saurette's leopard print costume blended with the drumbeats in their jungle-themed program to Message from the Forest.
 "It was a good solid performance," said Fecteau. "I'm happy with the way we skated ... overall a little better than at nationals."
 The event, with a total purse of $517,000 US, is open to skaters from all countries outside Europe as part of a program by the International Skating Union to offer equal opportunities for all skaters to develop and compete at championship-level events.
 The difference in experience between the dancers was clear.
 One team from Uzbekistan -- Olga Akimova and Andrey Driganov -- received marks as low as 1.5 out of a possible 6.0. Yet, they can still leave Halifax with $3,300 in prize money.
 "It is exciting to be a part of it for the first year," Bourne said.
 "It's refreshing because the Europeans (championships) have been going on for so long. These continents haven't had that chance. Not that I was jealous of the Europeans, but it was kind of neat that they had the opportunity to compete one more time in front of the judges."
 Kraatz said it was important for skaters competing here to get the added exposure before a panel of world judges, including Europeans.
 "It was always one of the comments when you go to worlds (that) the judges in Europe would say, 'Well, I've only seen you compete once at one international,'" he said. "This time around, you get the exposure to them prior to worlds, so they have a fresh memory of what the skating is all about."
 Bourne and Kraatz appear headed to the gold medal and the $33,000 US prize that goes with it.
 "You have got to consider the money, too, only because it helps all these skaters," Bourne said. "I mean everybody has to pay bills, too. It's an important thing."
 Kraatz added, "You may say that we do go home with $30,000, but you have to remember the taxman does come. You are not left with that amount of money."