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Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford take gold at the World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada compete in the pairs free skating program during the ISU World Figure Skating Championship in Shanghai March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (REUTERS)

After silver in Sochi, it was gold in Shanghai for Canadian pairs figure skaters Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford Thursday at the World Figure Skating Championships.

The Ontario pair won bronze at the worlds twice. But they were the prohibitive favourites this year, something that can be both a blessing and a curse.

The veteran pair built up a big lead after the short program and only extended it in their free skate to post a career-best score of 221.53 as they became the first Canadian pair to win a world championships since Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, all the way back in 2001.

That the field was a top-class one was certainly a debatable point, although not an unusual situation the year after an Olympics.

Duhamel, 29 and Radford, 30, who train in Montreal, were in first place by four points after a stellar short program. In second place? Pang Qing and Tong Jian, the Chinese pair competing in their 16th world championship, after a retirement of more than a year after last year's Olympics. The 35-year-olds returned just for this event, in their home country.

Pang and Tong ended up with the bronze medal. Three of the top four teams – with the Canadians the only exception – were Chinese.

Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bilodeau of Canada were 10th in both the short program and free skate, but managed to finish eighth overall at the World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai. (Photo by Xiaolu Chu/Getty Images)
Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bilodeau of Canada were 10th in both the short program and free skate, but managed to finish eighth overall at the World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai. (Photo by Xiaolu Chu/Getty Images)

Another Canadian pair finished in the top 10. Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau, second at this year's junior world championships, were 10th in both the short program and free skate but finished eighth overal.

Lubov Iliushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch, 11th after the short program, finished 13th.

Lubov Iliushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Canada during the short program Wednesday. (Photo by Xiaolu Chu/Getty Images)
Lubov Iliushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Canada during the short program Wednesday. (Photo by Xiaolu Chu/Getty Images)

Moscovitch had skated with Kirsten Moore-Towers from 2009 until they split last April. They finished fifth at the Olympics.

This is Mosovitch's first year paired up with the Moscow-born Iliushechkina, who is 23 (Moscovitch is 30). They finished second at the Canadian championships but couldn't get the paperwork done in time to compete on the Grand Prix circuit, and so came into the worlds with little competitive experience together. Moore-Towers and new partner Michael Marinaro finished fourth at the Canadian championships.

Duhamel and Radford finished their 2014-15 competitive season undefeated. They won Skate Canada, the NHK Trophy in Japan, the Grand Prix final, the Canadian national championships and now their first worlds.