Ice dancing pairs waltz into senior competition

The long wait for Spokane figure skating fans is over. The royalty of U.S. senior ice dancing took the Arena ice at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Ben Agosto and Tanith Belbin were greeted with suitable fanfare, then proceeded to skate to the expected lead after the compulsory dance done to the “Golden Waltz.”

They were back on the ice Tuesday night as they competed in the original dance and extended their lead with a tango that was as equally well-received, both by the judges and the crowd.

“I think it was a relatively solid program,” said Belbin. “It wasn’t our best, but it’s been a long day and I thought we did a good job.”

The three-part competition concludes Friday night with the free dance in which they will debut their new routine to music from the movie “Amelie.”

The three-time defending U.S. champions are heavy favorites to be crowned king and queen again at the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. They train in West Bloomfield, Mich., with the Arctic Figure Skating Club.

Their performance Tuesday was also the end of a wait for the dynamic duo.

It marked their return to competition for the first time since the end of November. Agosto injured his back in December and the team took some time off before it began to train hard for nationals.

“I don’t think we missed a beat,” said Belbin. “It was nice to take the ice again in a comfortable setting.”

Both skaters said they were impressed by the size and energy of the Arena crowd. One reporter noted the audience was bigger than it had been for the Olympics compulsory.

“It’s bigger than the crowds we had for our summer tour,” said Belbin.

That sentiment was echoed by her partner, who made clear he’s fully healed.

“It’s great to see so many people come out here for ice dancing, especially the Spokane crowd,” said Agosto. “It was so warm, and as Tanith was saying, just a comfortable atmosphere for us to come out and really just feel at home.”

Now, the next generation of the sport is making a splash and it’s not all coincidence that they happen to be training partners of the champs.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White, last year’s junior national champions, were a surprising second in the skate to the Golden Waltz. In the original dance, a slip by White cost them the chance to hold onto second place.

Regardless, Belbin and Agosto were there to cheer them as their biggest fans.

“If you guys could see these guys train every day… they blow our minds every day in practice,” said Belbin. “It’s just incredible what they’ve been able to achieve this year (jumping from juniors to seniors).

“They have a phenomenal free dance that I think is one of the best programs that I’ve seen in years … and the way they perform it – and they compete better than they practice – they’re going to have great things, no matter what in their future, but I really hope that they get it this year.”

Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov, three-time runners-up to Belbin and Agosto, moved up from third to second in the original dance.