GB duo close in on medal

The British duo, who finished 20th at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, racked up a score of 53.89 pointsin Shanghai and are just 3.90 behind second-placed world bronze medallists Maia and Alex Shibutani of the USA.

The Brits, who to date can only boast a best ever finish of eighth at Grand Prix level, are in for a sleepless night however with French duo Pernelle Carron and Lloyd Jones snapping at their heels in fourth place while it’s Russia’s European silver medallists Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev in pole position.

Elsewhere, in the pairs, top spot is also held by Russian European silver medallists in the form of Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov, who hold a healthy lead over Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch of Canada.

In the singles competitions, it’s world bronze and European silver medallist Carolina Kostner of Italy who has made an impressive start to the season to hold a slender 0.92 advantage over the USA’s Mirai Nagasu with the free skate to come.

And in the men’s competition Artur Gachinski and Yuzuru Hanyu are practically inseparable at the top after the short program, the Russian world bronze medallist leading his Japanese rival by 0.27.