BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) Olympic champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov returned in style after skipping last season, taking gold in the pairs competition Saturday at the European figure skating championships.
Leading after the short program, the Russians performed the best free skate to the music from Bram Stoker's Dracula. With the notable high jumps, including throw triple flip and loop but a problem in synchronizing a triple toeloop, they earned a total of 222.66 points for their fourth European title.
A newly created German pair of Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot took silver, finishing more than 20 points behind in second with 200.78
Massot is a new partner for Savchenko, a five-time world champion.
Another Russian pair, Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, claimed bronze as they did last year with 197.55 points.
