World champions Duhamel and Radford sit first at Autumn Classic International

BARRIE, ONTARIO, – World champions Meaghan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., are in first place in pairs after Wednesday’s short program at the Autumn Classic International figure skating competition.

Unbeaten last season in international competition, Duhamel and Radford earned 68.97 points for their short program skated to Elton John’s “Your Song.” Marissa Castelli and Mervin Tran are second at 62.07 and Brittany Jones and Joshua Reagan of Toronto third at 52.74.

Hayleigh Bell of Acton, Ont., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., are fifth at 48.19.

Canada also leads in ice dancing after the short dance with Nicole Orford of Burnaby, B.C. and Asher Hill of Pickering, Ont., a new partnership this season, first at 54.58 followed by two American couples. Andreanne Poulin of Ile-Bizard, Que., and Marc-Andre Servant of Vaudreuil, Que., are fourth at 50.02.

Canadian champion Nam Nguyen of Toronto landed a quad toe as well as a triple Axel and stands second after the short program in men’s competition. Bennet Toman of St-Lazare, Que., third.

“I skated well,” said Nguyen, 17, fifth at the world championships last season. “The quad was one of the best ones I ever executed. It is the first time I’ve inserted it in my short program which is a big step up.”

In women’s competition after the short dance, Roxanne Rheault of Victoriaville, Que., is fourth less than two points behind leader Angela Wang of the U.S.