Figure skating-Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron on pace for world ice dance title in debut season

(Corrects day in paragraph one)

PRAGUE, March 27 : Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France put themselves within touching distance of a first world title on Friday, leading after the rhythm dance at the World Championships as they cap a dazzling debut season.

Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, the only newly minted Olympic champions competing in Prague across the four skating disciplines, scored a season's best 92.74 points for their routine to Madonna's "Vogue".

"It was magic," Cizeron said. "It is a crazy atmosphere at the rink, it gives me butterflies, first of excitement, and then of gratitude for being here. We've delivered a beautiful performance, more relaxed than at the Games. The points followed."

Olympic bronze medallists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada head into Saturday's free dance in second with 86.45, while Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson are third with 85.09.

Milan Olympic silver medallists and triple world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. skipped this week's competition.

Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron teamed up at this time last year with both skaters having stepped away from competition. 

Cizeron won five world titles with previous partner Gabriella Papadakis before she retired after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, while Fournier Beaudry had a long career for Canada and Denmark with previous partner Nikolaj Sorensen. 

Cizeron approached her with the idea of skating together, and she obtained French citizenship in November.

Their swift rise resulted in Olympic gold in Milan, making Cizeron the first ice dancer to win the title with two different partners.

Victory after Saturday's free dance in just their sixth competition together would make them the first ice dancers to win