Russian three-peat

Their victory gave Russia a third gold after Irina Slutskaya secured a record seventh women's crown and Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin picked up their fifth consecutive pairs title.

Navka and Kostomarov edged Ukrainian husband-and-wife team Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov by 5.59 points to underline their position as favourites for next month's Olympics in Turin.

Lithuania's Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas proved the most popular medal winners, picking up a bronze on their comeback after almost four years out of competitive skating.

Enacting the drama of Bizet's Carmen Suite, Navka and Kostomarov gave a captivating display to glide past their rivals with a score of 202.32 over the three phases of competition.

The Moscovites felt they had a point to prove after they were shaken by the experience of finishing third in the compulsory dance earlier this week.

If any of their rivals had hoped for a repeat performance, the duo were not in a mood to oblige.

With Navka in a shimmering red dress and Kostomarov in a matador's outfit, they were the first of the medal contenders to go on the ice.

From the moment they began their first combination spin, they were step perfect.

The Russian pair eventually ended with Kostomarov majestically flipping Navka to his hip and twirling round with her body wrapped around him.

Goncharov marked his 33rd birthday by taking silver for the second year in a row.

The Ukrainians finished fourth in the free dance with 99.12 but their lead from the previous round was enough to give them second place with a total of 196.73.

Drobiazko and Vanagas's Phantom of the Opera interpretation was greeted by deafening roars of approval.

The Lithuanians were cheered when they came back on the ice to receive their bronzes while the crowd jeered and booed every time the faces of the gold and silver medal winners flashed up on the big screen during the presentation ceremony.

Yevgeny Plushenko will aim to complete Russia's dominance of the championships on Saturday when he carries a 4.95-point advantage over 2004 winner and local favourite Brian Joubert.

The Russian, whose participation was in doubt when he was laid low with flu earlier this week, earned 82.80 in the short programme. World champion Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland finished third.