Bulgarians bow out on top

Denkova and Staviski skated a highly passionate free dance routine to the haunting theme of "The Seven Deadly Sins" to score a total of 201.61 points in their last official competition.

The Bulgarians had led last year's silver medallists Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon by the slenderest of margins after the original dance routine.

The Canadians were forced to settle for silver again with a total of 200.46 with Americans Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto taking a second straight world championship bronze on 195.43.

"It was amazing to win a second world gold medal here in Tokyo," Denkova said before the medals ceremony. "This is the most precious moment for any skater."

France's European champions Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder were fourth on 195.19 and Russia's Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin fifth 193.44.