Saitama (Japan) (AFP) - Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates claimed their first ice dance world title on Saturday, overcoming a fall in their free dance to claim gold.
Chock and Bates, who last year got engaged to be married, held a lead of more than three points after Friday's rhythm dance and clung on despite Chock tumbling to the ice midway through their free routine.
The Americans finished with 226.01 points overall, with Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri in second place on 219.85 and Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier in third on 217.88.
France's reigning Olympic and world ice dance champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron are sitting out the competition, and Russian skaters have again been banned because of the war in Ukraine.
Chock and Bates were competing in their 10th world championships and had previously won one silver and two bronze medals.
"We've been pursuing this goal for years and it only happened 10 seconds ago so I can't really put it into words -- I'm so happy," said Bates.
Chock called her unexpected slip "a little boob" and said she was "elated" to win the competition.
"I was so into our performance and connected with Evan from the start," she said.
Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson finished fourth on 214.73.
