WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara reclaimed the pairs title at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston on Thursday, edging out Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin by 0.71 points.

Miura and Kihara, last year's silver medalists, led the German pair by 2.98 points after Wednesday's short program. Despite minor flaws in their free skate, they ultimately secured the victory with a total score of 219.79. Italy's Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (210.47) earned the bronze.

After winning their first world title in March 2023, the Japanese duo were sidelined that fall due to an issue with Kihara's lower back. They returned to action in February 2024 before taking the silver at the last World Championships, where they won the free skate.

In the men's short program, defending champion Ilia Malinin of the United States overcame home-ice pressure to set a new personal best of 110.41 points, putting him ahead of Japan's Yuma Kagiyama. Rising star Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan took third.

"It was very exciting to be skating here in Boston," Malinin said. "I really like the music for this program and I connect with the words. I sometimes sing out loud when I'm skating this. It helps me with the timing and rhythm of the program."

China's 21-year-old newcomer Dai Dawei finished 21st in the men's short program with 75.02 points, advancing to the free skate.

The World Championships continue on Friday with the rhythm dance and the women's free skate. Enditem

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