GOTHENBURG, Sweden (AFP) - Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy won their first major title when they claimed pairs gold at the world figure skating championships here on Wednesday.

Despite a less than perfect free skate to L'Oiseau from Cirque du Soleil they held on to claim the title ahead of China's Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao, who had lead the Germans after the short programme.

Canada's Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison took bronze.

"It wasn't perfect but in the end it was enough," said Szolkowy, 28, who teamed up with Ukrainian-born Savchenko, 24, five years ago.

Savchenko and Szolkowy, bronze medallists last year, become the first Germans to win the title since their coach Ingo Steuer won pairs gold with Mandy Wotzel in 1997.

"He (Steuer) means everything to us," said Szolkowy. "He's not just a coach he's like a mother and a friend."

Zhang and Zhang, the 2006 world runners-up and Olympic silver medallists, lost out because of errors with Dan singling her axel at the beginning of their programme to The Myth soundtrack.

The Germans scored 202.86 points, with the Chinese earning 197.82.

Dube and Davison achieved the second highest marks for the free skate to move up from fourth after the short programme for their first podium finish at a major competition with 192.78.

China's Pang Qing and Tong Jian, runners-up last year, finishing fifth