Leonova grabs lead at world ice skate championships

Swashbuckling Alena Leonova left her rivals in her wake as she grabbed a surprise lead after the women's short programme at the world figure skating championships here on Thursday. Wearing knee-high boots for her Pirates of the Caribbean routine, the 21-year-old Russian gave warning of her intentions by finishing her two-and-a-half minute routine with a throat-cutting gesture. The former world junior champion scored a personal best 64.61 points to lead Japan's Kanako Murakami (62.67) and Italy's Carolina Kostner (61.00) going into Saturday's free skating final. "I was a little nervous before I started but I'm really happy with the way I performed," said Leonova, who nailed all her required elements after opening with a triple-triple toeloop combination. She is bidding to get 2014 Winter Olympic hosts Russia back on the women's podium for the first time since 2005. Japanese star Mao Asada slumped to fourth with 59.49 points after the 2008 and 2010 world champion fell on her opening triple axel in her Sheherazade routine. Teammate Akiko Suzuki is fifth with 59.38. Asada, 21, is the only female skater who regularly attempts the triple axel, a technically demanding 3.5-revolution jump, but she paid heavily for her tumble. "I really wanted to try the triple axel. I didn't want to regret not doing it," said Vancouver Olympic silver medallist Asada. "I had good training in Japan and was in good shape coming to Nice. But I haven't got a good feeling here." In the absence of Olympic gold medallist Kim Yu-Na of South Korea and Japan's 2007 and 2011 world champion Miki Ando, Kostner and Asada had been tipped as the leading title contenders in Nice. But four-time European champion Kostner lost points after fluffing her attempted triple loop jump, leaving the way open for Leonova and Murakami, 17, to claim their first international medals. American skaters Ashley Wagner and Alissa Czisny are eighth and 16th respectively meaning that that the US team's bid to reclaim a third international berth is doubtful. The US pair need to get a combined placement of 13th at least to send three women to the 2013 world championships. Meanwhile Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will bid to reclaim their ice dancing title from US rivals Meryl Davis and Charlie White in the free dance final later on Thursday. Canada's Virtue and Moir lead the Americans by 2.33 after the opening short dance with France's Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat in third position.