World pairs champions take a tumble in Helsinki

WORLD champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy gave their rivals a major boost after falling during the pairs short programme at the European Figure Skating Championships.

The German partnership, who are seeking a third consecutive European title, are almost three points behind Russian leaders Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov.

Russia's Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov are third. Recently crowned British champions, Stacey Kemp and David King, are sixth - the result they recorded in Zagreb last year - but a long way off medal contention.

British team-mates Erica Risseeuw and Robert Paxon, who have been skating together for just six months, are tenth ahead of tomorrow's decisive free program.

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