Figure Skating - TORINO, Italy - Canadians Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro posted the fourth best free skate to finish in fifth place on Friday in pairs at the ISU Grand Prix Final.

China was 1-2 with world champions Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China first at 211.69 and Cheng Peng and Yang Jin second at 204.27. Anastasia Michina and Aleksandr Galliamov of Russia were third at 203.13.

Moore-Towers, from St. Catharines, Ont., and Marinaro, from Sarnia, Ont., wound up less than six points from the podium with 197.99 after placing sixth in Thursday’s short program. The double silver medallists on the circuit this season executed a clean free program until Marinaro fell while executing the throw triple Salchow.

‘’We were happy to have a step up after a disappointing short program,’’ said Moore-Towers. ‘’Sometimes it doesn’t seem fair when you do all the training and do good work at home. It happens to everybody and we kept a good attitude so we could turn our day around today.’’

In ice dancing, defending Grand Prix Final champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France are first after the rhythm dance with 83.83. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the U.S. are second at 82.72 and their compatriots Madison Chock and Evan Bates third at 81.67.

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are still within striking  distance for a medal with 79.53 for sixth spot. They won Skate Canada International and were second at the Moscow stop on the circuit.

‘’It was the best skate we’ve had energy-wise but we’re disappointed overall,’’ said Gilles.                      

The competition features the top-six finishers overall on the Grand Prix circuit this fall.

Full results: ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2019