American Marconi Wireless News - French Olympic ice dance champions lead at worlds

Skating to a programme inspired by Madonna's hit "Vogue" the French ice dancers broke their season record with 92.74 points and lead the way going into Saturday's free dance final.

They hold a comfortable lead of more than six points over Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (86.45), the bronze medallists at the Milan-Cortina Olympics last month.

"We're happy to have a season's best," said Cizeron.

"We felt it was a better performance than the rest of the season. We wanted to put on a great show for the crowd, and we really felt that energy."

Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson are third with 85.89 points.

Crowned Olympic champions last month after a turbulent first season skating together Cizeron, 31, and 33-year-old Fournier Beaudry are bidding for their first world title together.

On the ice in the Czech capital, the reigning European champions are favourites since their main rivals Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates have chosen to skip the competition.

If he wins, Cizeron will clinch his sixth world title after five victories with his former partner Gabriella Papadakis between 2015 and 2022.

For Canadian-born Fournier Beaudry it would be a first world medal.

C.Garcia--AMWN