Radford, James skate to 2nd in short program in international debut as team
CBC
New Canadian pairs duo Vanessa James and Eric Radford are sitting in second place after the short program at the Skate Canada Autumn Classic International — their international debut as a team.
James and Radford started off strong with their triple twist, but had trouble on their second element — a side-by-side jump that saw James go down after doubling her salchow.
The team rebounded with a clean throw triple flip, ultimately earning a score of 68.29.
"When we get out there, we're waiting to find how we feel exactly," Radford said. "We need a little bit more time to figure that out.
"I think by the end of the season with a bit more comfort we are really going to be able to be able to bring the joy of our skating which is where we connect."
Radford, a three-time Olympic medallist and two-time world champion, announced in April that he and James were coming out of retirement to compete together. James previously competed for France, topping the podium at European and Grand Prix Final championships, as well as earning bronze at worlds.
The news came ahead of the season leading up to the Beijing 2022 Olympics, where Canada is slated to send two pairs teams.
