Arctic Edge ice dancers in position to strike gold at Winter Olympics

BY ED WRIGHT
Feb. 22, 2010, 12:35 p.m.

  The Arctic Edge's status as one of the preeminent figure-skating training facilities in the world  has been solidified the past few days by the performances of Olympic ice-dancing teams Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States; and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada.

  With only tonight's free dance portion of the competition remaining, Moir and Virtue are in first place with 111.15 points. Davis and White are in second place with 108.55 points.

  The free dance competition will be aired live during NBC's coverage which begins at 7 p.m.

  Virtue and Moir were in third place heading into last night's original dance, but the Arctic Edge-based skaters earned a score of 68.41, the highest tally of the night.

  Davis and White were in first place momentarily after their original dance performance earned a 67.08, but Virtue and Moir catapulted into first with their stellar effort.

  Both pairs are trained by world-renowned coaches Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva.

  Former Arctic Edge skaters Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto enter tonight's free dance stage in fourth place (103.33), just over three points behind the third-place Russian duo Oksana Domnina and Maskim Shabalin.