Savchenko and Szolkowy shine at worlds as Kemp and King go out

By Sportsbeat staff

ALIONA Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy began the defence of their ISU World Figure Skating Championship pairs title almost perfectly as Brits Stacey Kemp and David King failed to progress.

LEADING THE WAY: Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy are first after the pairs short program at the World Championships

Savchenko and Szolkowy have been in red-hot form this season and retained their pairs title at the Grand Prix Final however injury prevented them from doing so at the Europeans in January.

Savchenko aggravated a left thigh problem and was forced to pull out but it appears to have well and truly healed after the German duo posted the best score of the short program in Nice.

The reigning world champions were awarded 68.63 points for their routine, giving them a slender advantage over Chinese pairing Qing Pang and Jian Tong who scored 67.10 for second place.

Japan's Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran are placed third a little further back with 65.37 with 16 now pairs next taking to the ice in France for the free skate on Friday.

However seven-time British champions Kemp and King won't be one of them as they could only place 19th after scoring 39.33 - over eight points shy of progressing.

Kemp and King looked good in the preliminary round but their 19th-place finish is their lowest in seven appearances at the World Championships - their best a 13th in 2009.

©Sportsbeat 2012