Olympic ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir returned to winning ways at the Trophée Eric Bompard as the title winners in Paris mirrored that of the Skate Canada International three weeks ago.

The Canadian duo, who failed to defend their world title last season settling for silver as injury dogged Virtue, topped the podium once again this season with an overall score of 176.93 in Paris following the free dance.

Leading with 71.18 points after the short dance, Virtue and Moir were awarded 105.75 after the free dance to return to the top step of the podium at the Trophée Eric Bompard having last won in 2009.

In doing so they scuppered any hopes home favourites Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat had of defending their title with the win following on from victories not only at Skate Canada but also the Finlandia Trophy.

Pechalat and Bourzat scored 98.04 in the free dance for 164.56 overall with Italian duo Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte being awarded 89.14 for 153.76 in total and bronze in the French capital.

Meanwhile Virtue and Moir’s compatriot and reigning world men’s champion Patrick Chan, who took the Skate Canada International title last month, cruised to gold for the third time in France.

He scored 156.44 for his free skate giving him an overall total of 240.60 – well ahead of Nan Song of China, who scored 224.10 for silver and Michal Brezina, who scored 218.60 for bronze.

In the ladies’ another winner from the Skate Canada International, Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, who led after the short program, held on following the free skate to take gold.

American Alissa Czisny was awarded the highest score in the free skate with 121.90 however Tuktamisheva wasn’t far behind and her 120.85 effort gave her a winning score of 182.89.

Italian Carolina Kostner produced the third best free skate score of 119.62 yet just did enough to hold on for silver with 179.32 overall narrowly ahead of Czisny who compiled 179.15.

And in the pairs Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov completed the mirror of results from the Skate Canada International in Paris scoring 130.44 in the free skate for 194.13 overall.

Sportsbeat / Eurosport