France's Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder have won the second leg of the ice dancing competition at the World Championships to remain on track to take gold.

Delobel and Schoenfelder brought theatrical charm to their rendition of a French country dance, earning a seasonal best score of 67.25 points that put them comfortably on top going into Friday's free dance.

"Among our international competitions it was one of our best performances indeed," Delobel said.

"We are happy that we skated well and that we have finished for today."

Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, in second after Tuesday's compulsory dance, slipped to third in the standings after Russian pair Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski impressed on Wednesday with a dramatic Russian gypsy dance.

Competitors in the original dance were required to perform a two-and-a-half minute folk or country dance.

The Russian pair, bronze medallists in this year's European C hampionships, netted a two-day total of 103.97 points, narrowly ahead of Four Continents' champions Virtue and Moir on 103.52.

Delobel and Schoenfelder, European silver medallists and favourites for gold in Gothenburg following the injury withdrawal of European champions Oxana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, topped the standings with a two-day total of 107.98 points.

"We have to stay concentrated, and we can't afford any mistakes. We are leading now, but the others can still catch up," added Delobel.

Reuters